Corn Seedling experiment update

14 years ago

Folks,

A while back I discussed trying to start corn as seedlings. Here is the update.

Planted 144 Vision corn seeds in 72 cell standard trays on April 13. The normal seeding date for corn in my area outside is May 1.

Seeds sprouted generally by the 17th. Watered daily and kept under fluorescent lights 2" above the tips.

Planted the best looking seedlings out in raised beds (50% topsoil/50% leaf-Gro) on April 28 (Day 15 from seeding.)Planted 5 rows at 24" and 8" between seeds. Added some blood meal to the beds.

Vision is date rated at 75 days - In theory the corn should be pickable on approx June 28.

June 5th storm knocked over 50% of stalks. I propped them up with dirt and then added pea fencing between the rows for support. Worked well.

The corn is now 4.5 - 5.5 feet high. First silks came out on June 18 and all were silking by the 20th. The stalks are healthy and rather thick and sturdy.

No borers noted. No external evidence of smut or ear worms.

Have seen Mexican Bean Beetles on the corn and a very few Japanese beetles.

Will put BT/Oil in the silks on the 26th (6-8 days after 50% are silking.)

Should be ready to pick on 7/5 to July 10. Ten days late from the 75 day rating but I suspect that was due to cool temps.

All in all the experiment should yield corn pretty early for my area without using an early variety - I find those to have poor eating quality generally. Vision is a mid season yellow super-sweet variety. The early corn varieties (60 - 65 days) would normally come in around July 5 in my area at best.

Will report back.

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Comments (7)

denninmi
14 years ago
Yup, the early corn I grew last year was a big success in every aspect except flavor. It was awful. I froze it to use up in things like soup, casseroles, enchilada filling where it would just basically be filler and texture.

I didn't get any early planted this year. I was too busy with other stuff in the big March heatwave, then April turned cold every night. Oh well, que sera sera.
melissel
14 years ago
Thank you for sharing that. We didn't do corn this year, but I hope to next year, and I've heard the early varieties are disappointing. It sounds like you might be able to eat corn all summer long if you start early like that!
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rnewste
14 years ago
drscott,

I started mine on March 15 in the right EarthTainer, then two more on April 5 on the left. Gurney's Gotta-Have-It sweetcorn:

{{gwi:69104}}

The one on the right should be ready for picking this week.

Raybo
wertach zone 7-B SC
14 years ago
I started Merit, in ground, the week before Good Friday because of the extra early spring. We had two extra late frosts that didn't damage it much.

I picked 4 dozen yesterday! I never get Merit before July 4th! It is sooooo Gooooood!
drscottr
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi folks,

Appreciate all the feedback. I'll update everyone on the end result in a couple weeks.

Next season will try to move my start day back a few days and try deeper pots to allow a longer tap root.

Ron, your corn seems pretty crowded in your container system. The system looked interesting and I viewed your website. Have you had good ear production crowded that tight? I have raised beds with wonderful soil - 50% compost, etc. I still find my best corn results with at least 1.2 sq feet of surface area per plant. Have tried various surface areas in the past with a real degradation of ear quality, second ears, and stalk diameter with less surface area. Blood meal helps but surface area is still important.

My aim is to consistently eat mid-season quality corn on the Fourth of July. In Maryland that would be two weeks early. I also want two quality ears per stalk.
rnewste
14 years ago
drscott,

When growing in EarthTainers, it is a very "intense" process hence, much tighter seeding is possible. The focused Grow Media, fertilization, and watering can well support sweetcorn planted on 5 inch centers:

{{gwi:1262}}

Not something one would do in an open field, but it works quite well in a controlled growing environment.

{{gwi:60330}}

Raybo
zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
14 years ago
Interesting project, Drscott. I've been considering raising corn transplants as well... not because it would be ripe earlier, but because it would (theoretically) tassel earlier. Hopefully, this would allow me to save pure seed without bagging, by flowering before all of the GM corn that grows around me.