7 Corn Growing Mistakes to Avoid
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- Опубліковано 1 лип 2024
- Growing corn is one of the most classic summer activities you can imagine in the garden...but it's oddly difficult to do successfully! We've made just about every mistake growing it you can imagine, so skip through failure by avoiding these 7 mistakes.
00:00 - Intro
00:31 - Not Planting Enough
01:11 - Spotty Germination
02:05 - Soil Preparation
02:46 - Improper Fertilization
03:31 - Watering
04:11 - Not Planting Deep Enough
04:56 - Untimely Harvesting
08:31 - Taste Test
IN THIS VIDEO
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Fertilizer we use on corn in a dilute mix: bit.ly/3PMMJaV
Your next video on Safran is banned here in Germany. I guess they think you are talking about something else 🙄
All of your content is amazing but doesn't always benefit those of us who are color blind. Are there any gardening tips that are practical for us? 90% of the time, it feels like I am guessing when to harvest.
link not working.
Hey I wondering if you tried something called the three sisters, it’s a Native American way to grow corn with beans growing up the corn as a trellis and squash at the base using corn as a shade sheet. I was gonna try it out by doing three or four staggered rolls of corn about ten inches apart and place the pole beans in between probably about five inches also staggered, and maybe only two squash plants on either side. If you tried it and have an idea on proper spacing could you let me in on it?
My chickens benefited from my many corn mistakes and repaid me with eggs… so, it was alllll gooood.
What little corn actually did grow well, was good too!
Here's how I have succeeded with corn. Garden hose sprinkler on every other day for an hour, every other week "Fish Fertilizer" high in nitrogen, 50% Jobes solution every other week from the Fish fertilizer - Enjoy your lush ears of corn. (Pro tip, hand pollinate your ears just take the pollen at the tops of the stalks and rub into the fine hairs on the ears of corn).
“Don’t be like that… don’t be like that…”. Love how you said it. Great advice Kevin! Wonderful encouragement not to waste food or overreact to a little damage to our produce🌽🌽🌽
Also it's not a gross worm like a maggot it's a moth worm which basically just eats stuff that you would eat. It would be like throwing away rice because it has some small rice worms when you can just wash it and if you eat any worms it's whatever you're just eating something that fed on rice.
@@1810jeffsadly in the west we are so used to our food looking perfect and throw away most stuff that is perfectly edible just might not look like a showroom example.
It's so hot this year, when I harvested my corn it came popped.
First laughter of the day thankful for your two cents, lol
Same here, mine was even buttered and salted
Cool comment
It’s hot every year please
@@robperkins2674 Your uneducated opinion doesn't outweigh facts and data.
For the corn worms I put just a drop or two of mineral oil on the silks when they're turning brown
I think it might also depend on the variety, I grew some bloody butcher dent corn in Southern California and the only type of worms I got were these tiny black and red caterpillars on like two out of 30 ears and they didn't really eat the corn as much as they just lived in the ear. I ended up just washing those ears and drying them out and it was like there never were any caterpillars on them.
You can hill corn, like you do potatoes, to anchor them into the ground better.
Biting into raw corn is the most farmer thing I’ve ever seen and I love it
raw is the only way to eat corn. Yep, it's a farmer thing.
I love that you are so generous, open, and nonjudgmental when it comes to sharing mistakes you've made. One, so we can all learn like you have, and two, so that you role model a chill easygoing attitude towards making mistakes in the garden. Like treating gardening as an experiment, you're gathering data about what does and doesn't work, and learning as you go. No reason to be ashamed or embarrassed! Just more to explore and get curious about.
The squirrels love it when I grow corn🤣🌽 I hope to someday grow enough corn for my family and maybe the squirrels too🤗
Lol I feed my backyard squirrels and didn't think about that when I started corn the first year they ate every single piece smh so unfortunately I can only grow Indian corn, ornamental maize but no sweet corn sadly but still I love the colors of the Indian corn.
Corn worms seem gross, but they are less likely to harm you than the pesticides commercial growers might use to eliminate them.
Right, a little bug won't kill you. And as soon as you cook the corn. No more buggy problem. People don't realize how many bugs you eat from processed food from the big store. Or how many bugs are in your favorite chocolate bar.
Unless I’m missing something, corn being a grass doesn’t preclude it from being a grain- wheat, barley, oats, rye, and rice are all grasses and grains. I’m not an expert, but I think corn is as well
yep
Yeah, corn's definitely a cereal grain.
All '"real" grains are grasses.
If it isn't a grass we call it a "pseudograin".
So, yeah.
Considering that 'corn' used to be the catch-all term for grains, I think it counts haha
A grain is by definition a grass seed, so yes corn is a grain.
Every crop i plant gives me a meal or a lesson or both! My first corn crop this year was both. I'm going to do 3 things differently last year-- including harvest EARLIER! I waited too long and our corn got tough and not as sweet. Still fine boiled but not special.
I appreciate your videos!
Great video covering important points.
It’s worth mentioning that, like other crops, you can hand pollinate corn, you don’t have to rely solely on wind pollination (although that’s the easiest option). If you’re on a smaller can and have the time and attention, you can help out.
I did that last year with small paint brushes turned out fantastic
@@williamsherry5009 That works, though with corn you can also just wait for a dry day when the air is still and gently shake the stalks. You can even just walk down the rows with your arms held out far enough to give each stalk a thump as you walk by.
We tried to grow corn last year in a dry, sunny spot of our freshly burnt front yard (2020 Bear Fire), but failed to produce anything. After reading a bit on them being heavy feeders, my guys placed a small grouping to the side of our giant compose pile. They grew like weeds and the heat is near 93 daily. Water daily. Now the wind is knocking some over. I staked & tied up a few, so I hope we can get to harvest before Autumn. Super excited you made this video!!!
It's corn, a big lump with knobs. It has the juice
It has the juice!
I had a corn plant volunteer itself in my garden one year. I hand pollinated it and got good results. I broke off some of the pollen stems and brushed/ tapped them over the silks.
I like that tip! Thanks
At what point did you do that??
@@lorianderson2008 Did you mean what stage of growth? The silks were still green. I did the hand pollination every day or every couple of days until the silks started drying or turning brown, about a week or so. I wish I had kept better notes.
Thank you! I'll have to try that next year. I've had success hand pollinating my zucchini & yellow squash. I just don't have any pollinators this year!
I think its important to highlight that Mesoamerican cultures domesticated corn, a grass called teosinte over thousands of years. The cob was originally very small but over its evolution and years of human intervention it has grown extensively in size.
Haha. Oh ya! Corn practically never existed. And apparently they found out how to increase its nutrients by soaking the kernnels in lime or limestone, i forget which. Its called Nixtamal.
No, no it really isn't. Why is it important? Why does it matter in any way who figured out something was edible? You all need to start doing things in your own life. I don't cling to Leif Erikson even though I am a direct descendant. We get it, you wish you were us. You are not though and that's ok.
@@batzzz2044 what are you talking about? I just stated a fact and you are saying it’s not important. The history of corn are for those who are interested in knowing and clearly you are not so why hate on others who simply wish to share? We should all try to learn about where our food comes from even more so now.
@@batzzz2044 Colonizer stop trying to diminish Indigenous achievements! We don’t want to be like you cause you are the destroyer of Indigenous life, cultures, languages, and so much more. Corn was one of the essential foods in Indigenous societies and simply just stating their scientific achievements triggered your colonizer state of mind. We don’t need to hear you diminish Indigenous peoples, we are still here!
@@batzzz2044 the projection lmao way to show your ignorance. You riled your self up so much lay off the political videos and news
When I was a kid and we had corn in the family garden, like almost every ear of corn had a corn worm and/or some undeveloped kernels at the top. The top got the chop and went to the compost pile. I suspect we didn't grow enough corn at a time and we grew it in rows, like pretty much the rest of our garden.
This is great. We're heading into spring here in South Africa, so this was perfect timing for me. Thank you for all the tips!
Thank you, you've earned my subscription and am going to share this on my FB page.
I ruined my first crop of corn by waiting too long (kernels were hard and tough), thank you for these tips as my second crop just started forming tassels.
When you see big ears of corn, pick one and taste it.
I agree in general about block planting, and do so almost every year- BUT this year on a whim I planted two plants each in three separate mounds (along with squash and beans), three different varieties of corn. I did this more for effect (was planning on buying my corn at a farmers market), not expecting good pollination- but providing visual interest. Not only did it all germinate & pollinate, but I averaged 4-5 fully pollenated and full-size ears of corn per plant. I was dumfounded.
What variety?
You planted the three sisters, carrots love tomatoes, it's a book,you read it, I know reading is a thing of the past, I don't watch tv.
Im trying that this year
🇦🇺 Corn season starting soon. This video increased my chances of pulling the ears off great corn come January.
I'm growing corn this year in a 2ft x 1ft trough (6 plants), and I figured I'd use this year to make mistakes and learn. I think I probably just don't have the space to grow corn, and our local weather might be screwing up pollination (too much rain despite being summer). I notice I have tassel ears happening, and the silks on one developing ear have fallen off despite the ear being undeveloped. I had no idea corn would be so hard to grow, but am loving your vids and your own journey, and learning a tonne. The more we can grow for ourselves, the better our chances of making it out of this recession alive. :p
Thank you for valuable info, i just learned something new, first time planting corn and actually going all in with it, I've planted some a few years back and completely neglected it!
Good info on when to harvest. Growing some corn right now and probably should of planted more. Revamping the whole garden next summer with much more room, so can find a good spot for them.
I swear it's like you've been in my garden and know what videos I need and when I need them😂 my first round of corn didn't go well. Pollination was spotty and I believe we harvested too soon. We had a descent size plot so not sure why pollination was off. This 2nd round of corn we have probably a 25'x25' bed and the silks are drying and I've been stressing about when to pick it. I've kept track of days to maturity on the packaging and 9/7 will be 80 days (package says 80-100) Fingers crossed!!
I'm growing my 1st corn - Cherokee or Glass Gem Corn in a large container. I was told to use 7-10 drops of mineral oil where tassel connects to corn. Close up with rubber band so no more larvae can enter. This suffocates worms. Or use Spinosad spraying tassels and silks every 3-4 data until harvest.
You can also use clothespins to stop the larvae from entering as well :)
@@RayneKalelKnight good to know. Thank you!
@@alliejoplace mine was somewhat of an experiment. The container is 10-12, just under 15. I did 8 but only 6 or so made it. Go larger if you do more. A large 40 LB grow bag or a 1/2 wine barrel will work. A treated straw bale may work great too. They are heavy feeders so be sure to stay on top of that. I'm in SoCal zone 10b.
@@alliejoplace definitely use straw on top!
@@alliejoplace use neem oil then follow up with a dilluted citrus oil which is not only toxic to ants, it also erase their chemical trail.
I literally just harvested my corn… even though it’s as large as my thumb it’s something 😎 got 8 more corn babies on da way
Refreshing to see someone actually discuss transplanting corn. Most videos I have seen that touch on the subject insist it's a no-no. I have transplanted for years though. At least on a small scale it solves the spotty germination problem nicely, though I am more likely to have for different reasons than the one mentioned in the video: I'm definitely not in Southern California, and wet soils can lead to the seeds simply rotting in the soil. It's worse in the spring when the soil may not be completely warmed up, but it can be a problem even with later planting. Birds can also be an annoyance for getting a good stand of corn.
Great growing tips. Corn has always been a challenge for me but I’m understanding it better each season
Same. I suck at growing corn but I'm learning more and more each time.
Hey Kevin... please give growing sugarcane a try someday, would love to see how you grow them.
Don't over water when you sow the seeds. The seeds might turn into mush before they germinate.
I think this happened to mine 😢
Thank you very much, iv been worrying about my corn and now I’m feeling confident to go ahead a pick them 🤗🤗🤗🤗
Nice tips
I needed this
Thank you
Nothing like fresh sweet corn so freaking good ty for the tips! Hoping for a bigger harvest next year
Thanks for another great video 👍
My corn is lacking nitrogen this year and quite stunted. I’ve got a big load of home made compost for next year which should make a big difference!
Thanks for this video. I am experimenting with growing corn in feed bags. They were doing well until one morning when they were looking like they were all extras in the "Smooth Criminal" music video. I propped them up with some extra soil, stuck bamboo rods around and tied string to keep them boxed in. So far, so good.
Something else to keep in mind is you make sure you're planting edibles at least 2 weeks ahead of ornamentals. You don't want these pollinating at the same time.
Since you're in a longer growing season you could also succession plant. As soon as you realized the areas that didn't germinate due to lack of water, you could have done a second planting and made sure you attended to those watering issues.
I'm personally a little jealous, because those ears looked super tasty!
Leaf region people are jealous that you can go get seaweed. I too am a seaweed region individual. Lol. Low key jealous too. I just want all of the garden resources even if it isn't where I'm at.
Love when he uploads!
Great info! I LOVE raw corn right off the stalk! Second best, freshly peeled. It's so sweet! No butter needed! DELISH!
In my country there was a tradition among teenagers where you roll up those Silks in newspaper (when they are brown and dry) and smoke them. Tastes like extremely harsh popcorn. Some people sometimes used corn silks instead of tobacco if there where out of money for cigarettes.
Smoking the ink from the newspaper is prob a bad idea....??
@@daisyblooms4813 True, where I came up, we used the rice paper pages out of bibles
This will be my first year for corn. Keeping my fingers crossed
You're my Gardening Hero thank you for all you do
I'm having a hard time growing corn. Thanks for the tips.
Thank you so much. My seeds will be planted in Oklahoma in a few weeks (May). This will be my first time planting it so your video is extremely helpful!
Quite informative and helpful. Thank You.
Do you plant 3 sisters method??
Dude. Thank. You. So much. I learned EVERYTHING I did wrong in this short video. Like. BRO. THANK YOU.
It's corn! It has the juice 🤩
Perfect timing for this video. I found a corn worm in my soil today, so they maybe in my stocks as well. 🥴 Hoping to get some good ears for my first try at growing corn.
We have a TON of birds, and somehow earlier in the season they dropped some corn into a bed with all of our roses and basil, and that one stalk is HUGE, we got two ears so far with only a few different kernels being pollinated in each as there is only One (1) plant in our entire yard, the dog also LOVES trying to eat the silks
Thank you for this no wonder I had so much trouble
I skipped corn last year to use up canned but did put in a plot this year. Only after building a fortress around it to protect it from bunnies, chipmunks and deer, waiting months for harvest....I found out I planted white shoepeg (didn't want) instead of peaches and cream (looking forward to it)......then racoons busted down the fence and ate all of it 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️
I had a similar scenario happen to me last year. I had some REALLY nice ears growing and they were about a week away from harvesting. Unfortunately, someone on the farm accidentally left the gate open and the cows got into the garden. They ate every last ear of corn, pulled all of the stalks up and ate most of the top half of the stalks, leaving the rest behind. I was FURIOUS!!! But, at that point, what are you going to do?!
This year, I planned on planting larger "plots" in my raised beds to help with the pollination a bit more (and to have extra just in case the cows got into the garden again!) Unfortunately, when I went to go plant, I didn't have any where near as much seed as I thought I did. My "plots" ended up being about the same size. :\ However, with the weird wet spring and hot summer we've had, I wasn't certain if I would get anything at all. Unfortunately, my sweet corn didn't do very well, but I might luck out and be able to get some seed out of it. The Glass Gem corn I planted looks to be doing well, so we'll see how that turns out. :) Now if we can just keep the cows (and the raccoons!) out of the garden!!! ;)
🎶IT'S CORN. A BIG LUMP WITH KNOBS. IT HAS THE JUICE 🎶
It has the juice!
Hmmm I may have not planted enough corn seeds this season. Well, I'll be happy with whatever success I do get. It's only my first season of raised bed gardening after all! Your videos have been very helpful as I start this new journey!
That video was a wealth of knowledge. Thanks
It is a very useful and very important information about Mulch.
I had half a dozen corn stalks growing on my patio that produced ears,.but the squirrels came and ate them all, chopping the stalks as well! We live downtown so we are limited in terms of space. Nevertheless it was fun growing them.
The first time I was given home grown corn I didn't realize there may be wild life inside and gave a yelp when I saw the corn worm...LOL Heavens no I didn't throw out that corn. I just whacked off the damaged part and ate the rest. Now if I find them I just take it in stride. Growing your own veggies is always an adventure.
last year was my first time growing corn. I watched this video where youre apparently supposed to cut the male flower off when it's fully grown, then rub the male part on the silky stuff on the corn to ensure pollination. It worked and i got perfect corn in the first year
I grew corn this year and actually harvested about half today. I wasnt totall sure what i was doing but thank you! Also I had 2 worms in 30 ears so not bad. But most of mine looked like the second ear you pulled.
great job kevin!
Awesome tips.
Thank you for sharing this information
Have you or did you inspire you're neighbors to start gardens of their own after seeing yours.
Great video thanks!! 👍🏼👍🏼
In El Salvador the way i saw farmers plant corn is in blocks rows. The soil for the corn itself is raised so when it rains the bottom of the rows keep the water for longer. Also, they plant beans so they grow and support each other. It just remind me the smell of the crops when they were ready to harbest!!
I start my corn (and other) seeds in a tent in my garage (vs. direct seeding). Transplant into the garden when the stalks are 12"+ tall. What I've learned to do is expose them to light wind during the hardening process to hopefully strengthen the "grab" that the roots have on the soil. A couple years ago (when I first planted corn) the stalks blew over easily in the wind when first transplanted (they had a very whimpy grab on the soil) and I ended up staking them (which, in my mind, doesn't encourage "strengthening"). Planting deeper might work too but I've had pretty darn good success strengthening the stalks. Direct seeding might allow the stalks to strengthen as they grow. I merely prefer starting in my tent and watching them sprout/grow.
Thanks for this video saved 95 percent of my crops
I used to plant in 4 row blocks last year raccoons raided 4 rows before even ready . This year was 2 rows 30inches apart an 8 inches or so in rows sweetcorn didn't have any problems many with 2 ears an planted about 2 weeks after each planting have had sweetcorn since 4th of July an last planting is making ears now . When I did blocks of 4 rows always blew down in strong winds knocking each other over
My parents have tried growing corn once and this happened with store bought corn too. When shucking I always found little white maggot-like critters in a few kernels. I just would like to know what they are and how to prevent it when I grow my own, thanks from Michigan 🌽
CORN /kôrn/: (noun) A big lump with knobs. It has the juice.
It has the juice!
Im trying to grow corn for the first time so this came in time
Just in time! I was trying to figure out when to harvest! If you have several ears on the same stalk, do they ripen at the same time or should I harvest the ones that I think are ready?
Thank you😊
Definitely enjoyed this video. Would love to see you work with a three sisters (or add the fourth) style to keep the corn upright, I need some insight into better spacing lol
Agree!! I have a very small garden space and it's hard to justify having a 4x4 plot of only corn which is why I haven't tried growing it yet. I am definitely interested in this style of intercropping.
I always add soil to the top while it grows. Before rain if possible. It's really windy here. U can also buy pollen
Just in time for corn season here in Aus
I planted some seeds in a zone of my property that i think doesnt have much fertility as a sort of experiment and some did germinate thought they struggled at first. I introduced some compost and fish emulsion & they took off to 3 meters almost. Still maybe because this was an experiment from the start every stalk had some issue with the ears formation, the prop roots keep going to almost half a meter, the tassels were all weird looking, in some ears sprouted also tassels and i have 1 or 3 ears with multiple corn cobs. Its quite a sight tbh. lol. Im waiting to see the end result of it all.
Thanks for the tips! I have four growing now. It’s my first try. They are tall and look healthy but I do not know what I’m doing! I haven’t seen and ears growing yet so I’ll just be patient
good informed video!😊
I grew corn once... Slugs ate all the silks 🙃 Will try again this year, watch out slugs!
A saucer of beer is supposed to make a great slug trap.
Great one,
Good corn timing 💛 it's got the juice 🎶
It has the juice!
So amazing 😍
Thank you for this video, I wouldn't have known about the corn worms and would have totally been put off with that, so thank you for the warning
Look like some good looking buds in back ground😊
I got a big question!
Currently growing giant Inca corn
As well as jimmy red.
Will the ears be hybridized?
And is it possible to have human intervention for pollination?
I have tried by taking some of the male and putting it on the silkie but wont know until another week or so . But i still have ears popping up so i want to make the best of my yield. Thanks!
Im in zone 9. The vols are a major challenge for vegetables sewn on the ground! Thank goodness my husband added the fabric chicken wire at the bottom. Unlike my sunflowers, they munched it all the plant stems and all. These vols are native here ok n zone 9 in the Sierras
Do you have any recommendations on strawberry popping corn?
Unlike the ‘regular’ corn the kernels are so hard and usually just used for popcorn or grinding up. From my experience I’ve had to wait until the stalks are almost dead, like yellow, they also don’t grow as tall as sweet corn.
I love corn. When I tried it with butter, everything changed
i grew corn for the first time this year and the ears ended up being really small my plants were stunted and most likely nitrogen deficient i used straw mulch to keep the soil moist next year i'm going to amend the soil with miracle grow garden soil for in ground use. thank you so much for making this video kevin it really helped me understand why my corn did do well this year
I found using miracle grow as a soil amendment didn't work as well as using plain old grass fertilizer. I use one that doesn't have any weed killer or other weird additives. The really high N gave me huge ears this year and really healthy plants.
Hilling the corn helps a lot too will spread Roots further up the stock
10 feet by 10 feet is the absolute minimum you should plant for good corn.
To get good germination you should walk through the patch and shake the stalks.
Miracle Grow applied once per week does wonders.
Plant the corn seeds 3 inches deep and treat the silks with 7 Dust to prevent corn worms.
The leafs of corn is designed to collect the pollen and funnel it to the female parts.
Also I got to many earwigs and I live next to a couple farms what do I do to get rid of them I've killed hundreds with my hands.
We have a large dahlia garden and have tons of earwigs… we use sevin dust or diatomaceous earth around the base of each plant. Works wonders for earwigs and other critters!
Thx!
Do you recommend any organic pesticides to prevent worms on the corn?
On the farm and in the garden we hilled the corn which added stability but we watered with flood irrigation so corrugates are required.