Today we would like to talk about one of our favorite in the garden and I just bet it is one of your favorite too! Because it is so delicious.
Sweet Corn Peaches and Cream, yes it is so very delicious, and if you raise enough you can put some in the freezer and save it. After your crop is gone you will have your sweet corn in the freezer.
Sweet Corn Peaches and Cream is also very easy to raise, but just like most everything, there are some very important things to keep in mind when planting.
A. Garden Rototiller
B. Garden Rake and Hoe
C. Garden Spade
D. Aged cow or horse manure
E. Balanced plant fertilizer such as 12-12-12 or 34-0-0-NPK
1. Plant your corn away from your garden because corn get so tall, it will shade your garden or you can plant your corn on the north side of your garden. Select a well-drained planting area that receives full sun all day. Corn thrives in high hot humid temperatures.
2. Turn the soil over to a depth of 7 to 8 inches using your garden spade or rototiller. Reducing compaction in the soil helps corn plants establish strong root systems.
3. Add 50 lbs. of aged cow or horse manure to the soil for every 90 to 100 square feet you wish to plant. Additionally, scatter 3 1/2 to 4 lbs. of balanced fertilizer such as 12-12-12 onto the soil for every 90 to 100 square feet of garden space.
5. Wait until all danger of frost has passed, and all cold weather. The soil needs to be 55 degrees Fahrenheit for the kernels to germinate. Colder temperatures cause the corn to rot.
6. Rake your garden level. Use the edge of the rake to make your rows plant deep 1 inch.
7. Plant your seeds about 10 inches apart in a row. Plant your rows 34 inches apart, you will be able to plant your rows evenly and quickly.
8. Cover the seeds with soil and gently firm it.
9. Water the planted area. This will help hold down any loose soil and help the germination process. Continue light watering whenever the soil seems to be drying out. Never let your soil dry completely out, corn must have water to produce.
10. Continue watering on a regular basis. Based upon the corn variety you have chosen, make a second light application of fertilizer between the rows, about halfway through the growing season. When daytime temperatures rise and the corn begins growing rapidly, provide the patch with at least 1 inch of water per week. This is particularly important after pollination, when the ears begin to fill with kernels.
11. Weed the patch as necessary, taking care not to damage the roots of the corn plants. Corn is shallow rooted.
12. Watch for indications of ripening. After the silk on the ears withers and turns dusky brown, your corn is ready for harvest around 83 days to reach maturity after planting.
Tips & Warnings:
* Corn is wind pollinated. To ensure maximum pollination, plant your corn in a square or rectangle as opposed to a long single row.
* Pick your corn in the morning when the temperature is cooler. Never pick more corn than you can consume in one day. If you intend to eat the corn with dinner, immerse the ears in a large container of cold water. This will prevent them from drying out until it is time to shuck them.
Well that's it for now, we hope to talk to you all soon here on Garden The Easy Way, until then Good Gardening Always from Ken & Marilou.
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