Suggestions on how to grow corn.

[Gormy Cuss]

I'm planting a six pack of Golden Bantam sweet corn this week. The soil is slightly heavy but amended with lots of compost and steer manure. The climate is reliably warm/hot and dry during the day and cool at night. Anyone here with experience in a similar climate? I would appreciate any guidance on feeding and watering schedules, potential pests, and an inexpensive way to dissuade the marauding raccoons.

Finally, how does one know that the ears are ready to pick?

[TygrBright]

1. Use a fish-based fertilizer at planting time...

...then repeat just as the ears begin to show. If you have rich soil, that should be enough for Golden Bantam, which is a very hardy, frugal and forgiving heirloom variety. It will need lots of water, about 2" a week minimum. Cutworms are the worst pest when the plants are young, your best defense is to stick a sturdy cardboard tube into the soil around the seedlings. Stick it down about 2" and let it come up almost that much. I wouldn't do this for a whole LOT of corn, obviously, but if you've only got a six pack it should be easy. (Hint: toilet paper tubes and paper towel tubes, if sturdy, work just fine.) Slit them up one side, pull apart and arrange around the seedling, dig in a bit and be sure the edges overlap. Just leave them, they'll decompose as you water etc., and by the time the corn stalks are big, they'll shove what's left aside.

As they get bigger a whole range of pesty things can attack, depending on where you are. Check with an ag extension agent, I guess, for info. on your local nuisances.

They're ready to pick when they are fat and the silk is just starting to look a bit wilty.

helpfully,
Bright

[Gormy Cuss]

2. Thanks, Bright

I have cardboard milk carton sleeves that work well for cutworm. Nice to hear that Golden Bantam is a hardy variety. I figure that if I get any ears at all it will be a success for this year. I will use a fish-based fertilizer. Thanks for your helpful suggestions.

[sazemisery]

3. Plant beans with corn to fix the nitrogen in the soil

When I plant corn (I have 130 5 inch stalks right now) I also plant beans in with them. They fix the nitrogen (which corn wants a lot of) and you don't have to worry about fertilizing.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. Good suggestion.

Maybe I'll throw in a row of fava beans next to them since I have about 5 lbs of seed.

[Gormy Cuss]

5. Thank you, Bright and sazemisery

Just harvested the first ears of my Golden Bantam corn -- it's a success! The ears are plentiful, good size, and plumping up nicely. I planted sacrificial fava beans around them to fix nitrogen and have been feeding the corn plants every week with a seaweed solution.

[sazemisery]

6. You are very welcome. Congrats on the corn.