Fantastic. Thank you so much!

You're welcome...good luck!

Thanks for the observations, LoneJack. I've been considering using corn transplants myself, but for a different reason. My rural garden has farm fields nearby - often planted with GM field corn - and I want to grow dry corn for meal. Since I intend to maintain my own seed, I hope to beat the GM corn to tassel using transplants. Don't have time to bag ears yet... a project I will find time for once I retire in a few years.

Yes. It takes a bit of work compared to starting outdoors. Last year I decided to jump the gun and start my corn early to try to harvest before the worms attacked the ears. I use raised beds and last year I decided to plant a block of 4 short rows every week so I could have corn come in over a period of time rather than harvest all at one time. So I planted a block of 3' x 4' every week for 6 weeks. That worked great. I started my corn in small plastic cups. As soon as they germinated I transplanted them in the garden . I did not harden them off because I planted them outside as soon as they germinated. Lonejack was right, that tap root comes out fast and long so they have to be transplanted fast. My average last frost date is about 3/28. My first planting was 3/10 and the second planting was 3/17. I used 6 mil plastic over hoops and old timey christmas light to keep them from freezing. Some pictures from last year. Ate my first ear of Silver Queen corn on 5/30.

It worked out real well but was a lot of trouble covering and uncovering the beds while I was waiting for the warm temperatures. I planted about 1 month earlier than normal. Never had any worms attacking the ears and never sprayed with any type of insecticide.

That's a nice looking stand of corn yolos. I have started corn inside 2 times. The first time was so I could have transplants ready to go in as soon as I pulled out my spring broccoli. The second time was so I could have transplants ready to fill in any skips in germination in a fairly large direct seeded stand. That's another good benefit to starting corn transplants indoors...you won't have any skips in your stand.

I've transplanted Glass Gem corn with good results, but it was already outside (I transplanted a few plants from a large container into the ground). I never tried starting it indoors.

To the op. Have you considered putting out some shelled field corn in an area well away from your sweet corn?

This sounds too good to be true. seriously, this would work?

Well, one time I had a mole that went right down the row of sweet corn seeds. I put some field corn cross ways at the edge of the garden before it got to the garden. Yeah, it worked.

How far away from the sweet corn, and do you put out the field corn each day? I'd imagine so, but want to make sure I get this right.

I would put the corn about 100 feet away and put enough to satisfy the scanangers. Check daily.