Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
bagsmom_gw

corn -- what type for Marietta?

bagsmom
14 years ago

Every year, we do a 20 foot tall bamboo teepee with pole beans. (More for the kids to play in than anything -- pole beans are a little icky.

This year we are thinking of doing a big corn circle -- again, more for the kids to experience planting and growing, then playing in the middle like a playhouse. If we get corn, that would be a wonderful bonus!!!!! The circle is big enough to plant about 15 plants with about 10 to 12 inches between each.

My question is -- what variety of corn would give me the best chance for success? Is 15 plants enough to have pollination? Should I try corn for eating, or go for something more decorative, like Indian Corn (for Fall)? What corn will do well in the South and grow TALLLLLLLLLL?

Thanks, all!

Comments (6)

  • girlgroupgirl
    14 years ago

    Where's Shot when you need him?!
    My husband grew corn last year for the first time.He did as we were instructed by making a block for the corn an even square with even plantings. We had very nice production although we were late so ears were small, but each plant had many ears. We used Silver Queen. This year I bought several varieties of corn including some dent varieties. Silver Queen was not tall for me. Once we tried some ornamental corn at church. It did not fair well, although they grew in rows and not a block, so that could have been the problem.

  • bleedenver
    14 years ago

    I'm in Marietta (East Cobb) also. We grew 16 corn "Brocade F1 hybrid" in about a 6 square feet area last year in a container. You can see some pics in the following thread:

    http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg051331506877.html

    Growing 16 corn in a 2.4 foot radius circle (1' distance * 15 corn = 15' perimeter circle) is pretty spread out if you're looking for good pollination. You can do it but you should hand pollinize if you want to get corn without a lot of kernels missing.

  • girlgroupgirl
    14 years ago

    You could do sunflowers instead of corn!

  • bagsmom
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    We did think about sunflowers -- and may still do that. Just playing around with something different! Of course, the sunflowers I grew last year (lovely and so very tall) were all chewed down by the same squirrel gang that ate all my tomatoes.

    Maybe I should just stop gardening and learn to cook squirrels! :) BLECH.

  • br33
    14 years ago

    Truckers Favorite is best for beans. Strong tall, big ears that are delious. Yes 15 stalks will allow for pollenation (SP) Plant 2 seed at each 1FT.- 2in apart. Pinch or cut ( don`t pull) weakest plant at 4in tall. I do this each year with great production both Beans and corn, side dress corn Not beans at 8 to 10 in. Plant beans 6in inside and between corn. after corn is 15 to 20in tall,More is ok I hope you will enjoy as much as we do GOD BLESS Bill

  • cyrus_gardner
    14 years ago

    Somehow I have some bad experience with planting corn.

    1- With those big kernels you would think that they will grow easily and aggressivly, but they do not.

    2- Squirrels or chip monks or rats dug up most of the seeds.

    3- Then whatever survived got diseased.

    by the time I could harvest some half-full ears, supermarket were selling them for 20 cents. So this year I have decided to forget growing corn and peanuts all together.

0