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corn
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Posted by newgardenelf Portland, Maine (My Page) on Sun, Feb 22, 09 at 17:22
| Hello fellow Mainers- this is my first year planting corn. For those of you who have planted corn, when do you plant the seeds? My husband keeps saying, "it has to be knee high by fourth of July." Great but that doesn't help me pick a date. The packet says mid Spring. I usually plant my garden Mother's Day weekend or the following weekend- is that mid Spring? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: corn
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| Memorial Day is pretty typical for tender plantings - seeds a little earlier |
RE: corn
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| I planted corn last spring the last week of May. More important than the date, the seed needs minimum soil temps of about 50 degrees for germination. Don't plant too early. Wayne |
RE: corn
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| thanks- I usually don't make plans the weekend of Mother's Day, Memorial Day and the first weekend of June and play it by ear. I plan to direct sow the corn seeds so I'll follow your temp suggestion. I definately believe that being cautious and planting a week later is better than risking it. Our neighbor lost his first planting by following the local box store's suggestion to just go ahead and plant. That's so discouraging. |
RE: corn
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| anyone here try the Three Sisters method of corn, with beans growing up it and pumpkins sprawling beneath? |
RE: corn
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| I'm curious about that too as that is what I'm planning to do this year. This is the plan..... http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/teach/2003045238014436.html |
RE: corn
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| I've done that in the past. The key is timing and a careful selection of varieties. For instance, my favorite pole beans grow vines around 10 feet long. The corn I like grows stalks about 5 1/2 to 6 feet tall. You do the math. (I didn't.) With the bean vines growing faster than the corn and the Blue Hubbard vines growing enormous leaves and heavy, clingy vines, the poor corn stalks didn't have a chance. To save the overgrown green mess of a jungle, I waded in and erected pole teepees in the midst and attempted to detangle what I could of the beans and redirect them up the wooden poles. Then I focused on extricating the cornstalks from under the crushing weight of the squash vines and the tendrils that were anchoring them to the ground. Then I focused on the deeper meaning of what I had done and decided not to try it again. Native Americans had obviously grown a more substantial variety of corn that the typical sweet corn we grow today and probably a less vigorous variety of pole bean. Just my guess. Wayne |
RE: corn
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| I'm bad at math. LOL. maybe I have enough seeds to do grid of corn the old fashion way and to try three sisters just for kicks. DH has no idea what's about to take over our yard...shhh don't tell................ |
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