Corn rows - tips?

[seedcorn]

Planted sweet corn on 4/9. Since then we’ve had snow, heavy frosts, cold rain, everything to kill or rot seed. It’s now up so that it can be rowed. Hoping for early sweet corn.

 

[ducks4you]

@Beekissed, true, the corn roots won't be trampled on, but I don't recommend any walking right next to any crops. The theory put forth in the aforementioned book on the history of agriculture (sorry, don't remember the title or I would own it!), some of the first crops were grown bc people noticed them growing on the graves of the dead family/clan members. They would dig the graves, deposit the cadaver, then lay plants on top. The seeds sprouted and SOMEOBODY got the idea of putting the seeds directly into the ground. They didn't "tread" on the graves, so the soil wasn't compacted. I need to take some pictures of the crops that grow in the compost that I topdress my vegetable beds. These vegetables grow lush roots simply bc the soil is so loose. Weeds are easier to pull, too. If you compact the soil walking next to your corn rows only the weeds will have a chance to grow there. Just fyi.

 

[seedcorn]

Corn roots will grow 15+” from main stalk. They are heavy feeders.

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

Corn roots will grow 15+” from main stalk. They are heavy feeders.

I will be sure to top dress that whole area with lots of chicken poop

 

[seedcorn]

I will be sure to top dress that whole area with lots of chicken poop

Since you are growing sweet corn, not a big deal as nitrogen is heavily used filling the ear. Assume you will pick it once kernels are decently formed before filling with starch. Once you pick it, turn stalks into compost.

 

[Trish Stretton]

Another use for the stalks is kindling for your winter fire, same with the cobs after they have been stripped of the kernels, if you dont need them for the compost.
When I had chickens, I used to give them the empty/ eaten cobs to clean up, they just loved them, then they got dried and put in the kindling basket.(the cobs, not the chickens).

 

[seedcorn]

Cobs makes sense but here field corn goes through combine-good luck picking up pieces. Cobs from sweet corn-no thanks.....

 

[flowerbug]

Cobs makes sense but here field corn goes through combine-good luck picking up pieces. Cobs from sweet corn-no thanks.....

the older harvesters used to leave the cobs more intact. the field to the south of us is often being grown with corn now and that combine scatters the cobs all over the place. we mow the grass along that edge and it was our first mowing of the season this past weekend. i ran over a lot of cobs, i figured it wasn't the best thing for the lawn mower but it wasn't rocks... mulching mower... got some of them chewed up for worm food.

i wish i could grow corn here as some of those are very beautiful seeds (oh no... no. i'm not going to be doing this ) and i'd like the corn meal. i'm safe though. short of very good electric fence it just isn't worth it here.

 

[ducks4you]

It is aMAZING how much field corn gets left in the fields!! When I moved in my 5 acres, I said it was only 2 acres, with a fenced in field of corn. That extra 3 acres is my north pasture. The previous owners rented the field for growing corn that year and it hadn't yet been harvested. There were literally piles of corn not picked up.

 

[seedcorn]

Why was the corn in piles?

Follow a new combine harvesting decent genetics grown by a competent farmer, mice will starve.