How far apart should you plant corn from tomatoes?

[SLC]

I just planned out my garden and it took me HOURS to do, depending on how tall plants are that need to go in the back and I couldn't plant over the same crop and companion planting, etc.

So maybe I looked at a not so accurate companion planting guide cuz nowhere did it say not to plant corn and tomatoes next to each other, so, of course, those two plants being the tallest I stuck in the back of my garden right next to each other. Then, I just read on here in an older post NOT to plant them near each other cuz the corn ear worm and the tomato fruit worm were the same thing and will migrate from tomatoes to corn and vice versa.

So now what do I do? I really don't have time to redo my plan, but maybe I can stick a plant between them? How far should corn and tomatoes be from one another? Is there a plant I can put between them that will stop that darn worm from migrating between the tomatoes and corn?

I know I have seen little wormy things trying to get into the silks of the corn before, but I have never seen anything on my tomatoes. Last year they were about 10 feet from each other, but I don't have the room to do that this year.

Any suggestions?

ETA: I mean a small plant to put between them that might deter plant swapping? I only have like a foot and a half from where the tomatoes end and the corn starts.

[TZ -OH6]

The moth is going to lay eggs on both. The worms don't leave the corn, but they crawl around on the tomatoes so just keep picking them off the tomatoes. Its not something that is really going to matter. If you are really worried, you could always hang a peice of clear plastic between the tomatoes and the corn so that the leaves don't touch.

I would put your block of tomatoes to the east of your block of corn. It probably doesn't matter but corn is designed for higher temps than tomatoes, so east is a little cooler for the 'maters.

[imafan26]

The idea with companion planting is to plant protectors around the garden and avoid planting plants with disparate growing conditions or plants that share the same pests (usually the same family) near each other.
Things you can do:
Plant nectar and plants to attract beneficial insects.

Corn earworms are mostly a problem when the corn is in silk. Bt, or even vegetable oil applied to the silk at right time helps a lot. Also a tight husk corn is better able to keep the borers out.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r113300911.html

For the tomatoes, There are physical barriers like netting or just covering the tomatoes with newspaper (needs to be replaced if it gets wet) or bags.
There are actually worst things than corn borers that will get into tomatoes. Fruit flies and birds do way more damage.

http://s1325.photobucket.com/user/imafa ... e%20Purple
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r783300111.html

[jal_ut]

Different parts of the country have different problems with diseases and insect pests.
Some of the things that annoy You folks at lower altitudes and more southerly latitudes, I never see here.

As far as the two getting along for sun and root space, don't worry about it. This time of year the sun is high overhead and will hit tomatoes just fine planted next to corn. You need not worry about the corn shading the tomatoes.

As far as the insects and diseases..... as others have said our gardens are not large enough to give enough space to really make a difference. A bug can fly across our gardens in a blink of the eye. Just plant and enjoy.

[SLC]

Thanks all! I actually decided to stick a trellis of cucumbers between them, but as you all say, I guess it won't make a difference.

What is BT? I keep seeing it mentioned, but have no clue what it is.

[TZ -OH6]

BT is a bacterium based insecticide used mainly for caterpillars. A different variant is the active ingredient in mosquito dunks.

I think tht the Bonide brand is called Thuricide..
BT stands for the scientific name of the bacterium. Bacillus thuringiensis

[imafan26]

Bt is a bacteria. When it gets ingested by the target species of caterpillar, they stop eating and starve to death.

Bt has a very short life span in the garden 1-7 days so must be applied at the right time. You also need to get the right strain since different strains work on different caterpillar species. The one that works for me is called Dipel.

The Bt in mosquito dunks are a different species and will not work on caterpillars.