I already posted this in the regular Vegetable forum before I saw there was a forum just for planting in containers. So I thought I would post the same thing in this forum just incase it made any differance.
Last year was my first year on growing a vegetable garden. It did great! I had 5 different tomato plants including 1 cherry tomato plant, 2 cucumber plants, 1 watermelon plant, and 1 cantaloupe plant. All of them grew like crazy and produced lots of fruit/veggies. This year I am soooooo having another veggie garden! But this year I'm making a much bigger space and growing a lot more!! Now, I admit, I cheat with my plants. The soil I have ain't worth diddly-squat. My soil is made of two elements only, 50% clay and 50% rock. So I plant all my plants in big buckets and totes.
Now my Silly Question: .....Do you think it would be at all possible to plant corn in some BIG 'OL BUCKET or something along those lines? I's only curious.
More ?'s:
How soon can I start my garden? When can I start the seeds in my house? How do I know they are ready to be planted outside? How do I know what "zone" I'm in?
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HyperFerret
- Full Member
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:50 pm
- Location: Arkansas, Zone 7
Sure you can grow corn in a bucket. The roots don't really go all that deep anyway - a 5 gallon bucket should hold a corn plant, and you could probably get away with growing beans up the stalk as well.
You can look up your zone here:
https://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
That will help you know when to start your plants. For instance, in Florida, we'd start them at the end of January for planting by the end of February. Here in zone 7, you can start them the end of February for planting the beginning of April.
Start the seeds in a bright sunny, warm area. On a table next to a window usually works, though you may have to turn the plants every day or so to get them to grow straight (they'll lean to the window for more light). The seed packet will tell you when best to transplant outdoors, tho do make sure it is "after the last frost" for your area.
As a side - don't start corn indoors and transplant it. It hates to be moved, and it grows so fast anyway that you can start it when the soil warms up outdoors just fine. Same goes for sunflowers. Experience talking.
You can look up your zone here:
https://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
That will help you know when to start your plants. For instance, in Florida, we'd start them at the end of January for planting by the end of February. Here in zone 7, you can start them the end of February for planting the beginning of April.
Start the seeds in a bright sunny, warm area. On a table next to a window usually works, though you may have to turn the plants every day or so to get them to grow straight (they'll lean to the window for more light). The seed packet will tell you when best to transplant outdoors, tho do make sure it is "after the last frost" for your area.
As a side - don't start corn indoors and transplant it. It hates to be moved, and it grows so fast anyway that you can start it when the soil warms up outdoors just fine. Same goes for sunflowers. Experience talking.
HyperFerret,
No question is really silly! I couldn't find your post in the veggie forum, but it's probably best here anyway. Corn does not generally do well in containers. If you do try it, use the bushel size.
https://www.ourgardengang.com/containerveggies.htm
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VH032
https://www.victoryseeds.com/frost/ar.html
This site is for Kansas, but if your find your frost/freeze date and work from this site with it's April 15th last freeze date, you should be good to go for many plants and veggies.
https://www.savvygardener.com/Features/seed_starting_calendar.html
You might also find these sites about starting seeds helpful.
https://www.richters.com/newdisplay.cgi?page=./OnlineSeminars/seeding/demo.html&&cart_id=5440704.22962
https://www.muextension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06570.htm
https://extension.missouri.edu/jasper/hort/mg/globe/014.htm
Newt
No question is really silly! I couldn't find your post in the veggie forum, but it's probably best here anyway. Corn does not generally do well in containers. If you do try it, use the bushel size.
Not sure what you mean here as you will be gardening in containers. You could prepare your containers any time during the winter, making sure they are clean and all your supplies are assembled and ready to go. Here's some helpful info on growing veggies in containers.How soon can I start my garden?
https://www.ourgardengang.com/containerveggies.htm
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VH032
Your seed packets should tell you when to start. It would be so many weeks before your last expected freeze date, depending on the variety of veggie. This site will help you to determine about when those dates are.When can I start the seeds in my house?
https://www.victoryseeds.com/frost/ar.html
This site is for Kansas, but if your find your frost/freeze date and work from this site with it's April 15th last freeze date, you should be good to go for many plants and veggies.
https://www.savvygardener.com/Features/seed_starting_calendar.html
If they are started at the appropriate time before the last freeze, that shouldn't be a problem. By the time they are big enough to go outside, there shouldn't be a threat of a hard freeze.How do I know they are ready to be planted outside?
Arkansas has hardiness zones 6 to 8. Here's a zip code zone finder and a map. Once you [url=https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropmap/arkansas/maps/ARhardy.jpg]know your zone[/url] you might want to add it to your state like you see mine.How do I know what "zone" I'm in?
You might also find these sites about starting seeds helpful.
https://www.richters.com/newdisplay.cgi?page=./OnlineSeminars/seeding/demo.html&&cart_id=5440704.22962
https://www.muextension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06570.htm
https://extension.missouri.edu/jasper/hort/mg/globe/014.htm
Newt
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
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Oh good point, Opa! I should have thought to mention that (puts dunce cap on).opabinia51 wrote:I don't know if this has been mentioned yet but, if you grow corn in a bucket, then you should do several buckets side by side such that the corn is pollinated. If you just do one plant, then you will not have any corn as there will be no pollination.
Also - corn being a grass, it's a heavy nitrogen feeder, and it does like water (not boggy conditions, but it does drink a lot!). I'd think a container would work well for controlling the nutrients and water, if you have them all together.
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opabinia51
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A handful of Kelp meal in the seed hole and surrounding area will provide the corn with all the nutrients in needs for the growing season but, I would build the soil that you use from both potting soil and compost.
If you have a compost pile, it's free! But, you can also buy screened compost from local nurseries.
If you have a compost pile, it's free! But, you can also buy screened compost from local nurseries.
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Flowerlover
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- Location: Delaware, U.S.A. Zone 7
Just checked in this Forum for the first time, and.......What a great idea! I think I may try 3-4 corn buckets! My husband, however, will look at me like I have 3 heads. We were farmers in our young years and planted 160 acres of corn every year, for 15 years. Now we've scaled down in our older years. It might be worth it just to see the look on his face! 
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HyperFerret
- Full Member
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- Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:50 pm
- Location: Arkansas, Zone 7
Okay, so I'm a 7b .... yeah. Well, I'm definitely going to try the corn bit! Even if it's only just to see what happens. I have medium sizeish totes from Walmart and then a couple of the biggest totes I found at Lowes. Which do you think I should use? Perhaps I should use one of each size. ....To see what happens. Do you think I can try growing just 4 stalks of corn? Two by two. Would that be enough for pollination?
I'm not 100% sure what compost is or how to come about it. Good thing I can get it from a nursery. Can I also get kelp meal from a nursery?
You know my Grandpa was an excellent gardener. He had much better land. He lived in Penn. and had HUGE gardens. I helped him in the garden every year we visited him. Only got to see him once a year. I remember how Grandpa and I would sit on the steps of his porch just talking and shucking corn. Lol, to this day, shucking corn actually relaxes me; I find it to be very calming. Through the years as I was growing up, I always admired his work in his gardens ...Though, I never did ask him how he did it. Now it's too late. I regret that so much.
I have medium sizeish totes from Walmart and then a couple of the biggest totes I found at Lowes. Which do you think I should use? Perhaps I should use one of each size. ....To see what happens. Do you think I can try growing just 4 stalks of corn? Two by two. Would that be enough for pollination? I'm not 100% sure what compost is or how to come about it. Good thing I can get it from a nursery. Can I also get kelp meal from a nursery?
You know my Grandpa was an excellent gardener. He had much better land. He lived in Penn. and had HUGE gardens. I helped him in the garden every year we visited him. Only got to see him once a year. I remember how Grandpa and I would sit on the steps of his porch just talking and shucking corn. Lol, to this day, shucking corn actually relaxes me; I find it to be very calming. Through the years as I was growing up, I always admired his work in his gardens ...Though, I never did ask him how he did it. Now it's too late. I regret that so much.
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opabinia51
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
- Location: Victoria, BC
Well, keep in mind that you should plant the corn seed between 2 and 4 inches in depth (the deeper the better in that range) and that the epicotyl will only grow up and not down so that will be your root depth there. Also, keep in mind that corn plants should be spaced 1 foot apart.
If you purchase the larger boxes, then you can also plant some companion plants like beans or squash that will also feed the corn plants or provide them with othe benefits. Use the website search engine to find the thread on what I mistakenly labled the trinity, the companion planting threesome is actually called the Three Sister Guild.
Though, I would not do the three sisters in any sized box, just do either squash or beans with the corn.
If you purchase the larger boxes, then you can also plant some companion plants like beans or squash that will also feed the corn plants or provide them with othe benefits. Use the website search engine to find the thread on what I mistakenly labled the trinity, the companion planting threesome is actually called the Three Sister Guild.
Though, I would not do the three sisters in any sized box, just do either squash or beans with the corn.
Hi there Hyperferret. I was amazed at the wholerange of experience and ideas that has come flooding in on this subject! Food for thought.
Yes, it seems to me a trajedy that we don't spend enough time asking our grandparents about their lives. I would love to ask mine all about their lives now but it is too late. Where I live there is hundreds and hundreds of years of country living. caring for the land , animals etc. and many people living well into their nineties with a wealth of knowledge, but their local accent is so strong it might as well be Chinese! Perhaps one day my Spanish will enable me a better communication possibility / I,m working on it!
Best wishes to all. Annette.
Yes, it seems to me a trajedy that we don't spend enough time asking our grandparents about their lives. I would love to ask mine all about their lives now but it is too late. Where I live there is hundreds and hundreds of years of country living. caring for the land , animals etc. and many people living well into their nineties with a wealth of knowledge, but their local accent is so strong it might as well be Chinese! Perhaps one day my Spanish will enable me a better communication possibility / I,m working on it!
Best wishes to all. Annette.
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garden girl
- Cool Member
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- Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:10 pm
- Location: Humboldt County, CA
I can really appreciate your sense of humor! Love it!Just checked in this Forum for the first time, and.......What a great idea! I think I may try 3-4 corn buckets! My husband, however, will look at me like I have 3 heads. We were farmers in our young years and planted 160 acres of corn every year, for 15 years. Now we've scaled down in our older years. It might be worth it just to see the look on his face!