Too late to start corn?

[honey]

I live in NJ and was wondering if it's too late to put a couple corn seeds in the ground? Our daily temps are in the mid 70's now,

[rootsy]

have at it....

[Trentt]

I live in Wisconsin and will plant my corn patch the weekend of June 14, weather permitting. I found an early variety, 68 days to maturity. Even here in the chilly north there should be enough summer remaining to get plenty of mature ears, that is if the deer and raccoons don't get to it first.

Also, don't plant "a couple seeds". Maybe you said that in jest and I'm preaching to the choir, but plant a patch at LEAST four rows deep and wide. The patch needs to have some plant density for good pollination producing ears full of kernels.

[honey]

Thanks. And yes, I said "couple' in jest. Ha I usually say "throw" too. I'd hate to "throw" a "couple" seeds!

Thank you for the responses. I shall head out to buy my seeds this afternoon.

[rootsy]

First of my sweet corn went in the ground May 1st.... Last will go in at the end of next week... I put seed in the ground every two weeks. I'm in Southern Michigan, bout 25 miles North of the Indiana / Ohio line...

Depending upon your genetic variety, ground temperature is important as is moisture depth. Have those two things and it'll spike... Corn can withstand frost until the V6 (6 leaf) stage. Treated seed makes life much easier if you plant early when soil temperatures are 55 - 60 F which makes germination slow and seed rot a possibility, especially if put in too deep. At this time of year you will have no worries... put Su, Se and synergistic (Se x Sh2 - triplesweet) in at 1 1/2 - 2 inches and Sh2's in at 3/4 - 1 inch.

Since corn is a self pollinating plant you want multiple rows next to each other... 38" gives you enough room to walk down the rows for manual harvesting. Su & Se varieties need isolation from non sweet corn (field corn) and Sh2's need isolation from other sweet corn.

This years varieties for me are an augmented Supersweet (auSh2), ISFI Xtra Tender 2171 and 275A. Little slow in the beginning but thus far moving right along...

[praying mantis]

I have half a bed of corn well underway and seeded the other half earlier this week. Now, I will have to start more kernels to germinate indoors because my cat keeps getting into the bed. I need to put up fencing on certain beds and a gate for the garden. The gate is for a local domestic bunny which has gone wild in the neighborhood and will eventually find something appetizing in the garden. This morning I had to replant a sad little kernel that had been dug up. There was 2 inches of root growth on it so I must be doing something right.

[pete28]

I have corn in 4 different stages right now and planted some two days ago. I will plant one to two more cycles in July and august casue the weather will be plenty warm enough.

[STF]

First post and first garden EVER!

Not to hijack the thread here but when should I stop watering corn from the sky to keep from washing off the pollen? I planted kinda late (June 1st) and have been watering about half an inch every other day. I'm starting to have some growth already and I am wanting to know when I should start the soaker hose instead of the sprinkler?

I have some okra planted also that is coming up.

[rootsy]

pollen stage for corn begins when the tassel is fully emerged.

Do not over water once in the ground and at initial spike as you run the risk of causing seed rot and damping off. If there is moisture in the ground then that is sufficient. Once the corn begins to form ears and pollinate they'll need a lot of water for ear development and fill out. An inch of water a week minimum.

[STF]

pollen stage for corn begins when the tassel is fully emerged.

Do not over water once in the ground and at initial spike as you run the risk of causing seed rot and damping off. If there is moisture in the ground then that is sufficient. Once the corn begins to form ears and pollinate they'll need a lot of water for ear development and fill out. An inch of water a week minimum.

So if I stick my finger in the ground and it is moist I don't need to water?

[rootsy]

dig with your little shovel and if the soil is dark unlike the stuff on top that is not watered there is moisture... moisture in soil does not mean that you'll see or feel water.

[STF]

Thanks, I think I was watering too much. I was doing about .5" a day but its been getting in the upper 90's with no rain lately. I dug a little yesterday and the soil was dark and felt moist to the touch.