Growing corn at home

What vegetable do you think of most when it comes to summer picnics and family gatherings? Did you imagine sweet, buttery corn on the cob? It’s always at the top of my list.

Corn is super easy to grow at home and now is a good time to plant the seeds. Locally grown sweet corn is very flavorful and an excellent choice. However, nothing seems to compare to the juiciness and sweetness of growing your own.

If you want to produce a lot of sweet corn, you need a lot of space. Michigan State University Extension shares that if you wanted to feed a family of four all summer you would need to plant an 80 foot row of corn. Unless you have a large acreage, you probably won’t be feeding the entire clan at the family reunion this year. http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/files/corn.pdf.

Most of us don’t have a lot of space for growing corn. At our house, we typically reserve enough room in the garden for six to eight corn plants each year. We then savor each bite of those ears on a special occasion.

Sweet corn is a warm season crop. There are many different varieties of sweet corn categorized according to their color, sweetness, and days to harvest. With our modest growing season, search for varieties you can harvest in 60 to 80 days.

For planting particulars, read the back of the seed packet. This will help you determine planting depth, row width, days to germination, and harvest dates. Sweet corn seeds are typically planted a little deep – one to two inches. You also may need to thin your seedlings. If you haven’t planted your corn yet, you can plant some this weekend, then again at the end of June for successive harvests later this summer.

Corn plants prefer well drained soil and consistent moisture. Their roots are very shallow and can dry out easily in our climate. Once the tassels appear, monitor the soil moisture levels regularly. Corn plants also like a lot of nitrogen. So when the plants are knee high, feed them some high quality nitrogen to give them a boost.

When to harvest your ears of corn? Once the silks turn brown and are dry, carefully peel back the top part of the husk to test a kernel. Using your thumbnail, gently pierce a kernel. If the liquid is milky, then it’s ready. If it is clear, leave it on the plant a bit longer. If there is no liquid at all, you may have gone on vacation and forgotten to ask your neighbor to harvest your corn.

Hopefully, all has gone well in the planting and harvesting stages and you are ready to eat your corn. Fill a large pot with water, add about a teaspoon of sugar, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, carefully add the ears of corn. When the water returns to a boil, your corn is done and it’s time to enjoy!

Kelley Rawlsky has an M.S. in horticulture and is the director of Bringing People and Plants Together, an organization dedicated to bringing horticulture education and therapy to the community. For more information: PeopleAndPlantsTogether@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook.

Article originally published in Broomfield Enterprise - June 10, 2018