The joys of growing corn
>> Friday, February 19, 2010 –
corn,
using garden produce
Growing corn has been so much fun this year! Each year that we have grown corn it has got better and better. We still have a lot of improvements to make, but we are happy with our progress. The first year we bought a few seedlings. The second year we planted seeds, but only the first planting produced ears. The second planting produced close to nothing!
This year we made four successive plantings. The first set of 22 plants produced 24 good ears! Yay! The second planting is also producing well. The fourth planting looks like it will produce poorly. Since corn can produce two good ears per plant, even our first planting has not produced excellently. Next year we hope to try putting heaps of fertiliser in, even more than this year, as we know that could improve our yield. Have any of you grown corn successfully with two good ears per plant? If so, what are your tips?
Elnathan loves the corn husks! Everytime I see my son playing happily with a vegetable or plant I am reminded that we don't need more toys. He is much more interested in new objects like corn!
I love eating corn. I've been known to put a can of corn in everything from pizza topping to potato salad! We have all enjoyed eating our fresh corn, taken straight from the plant and then steamed. It has also been delicious in zucchini slice, on pizza, with beans, and more! The taste is much sweeter than purchased corn.
Yikes! Does this give me spring fever!!!
I agree! It is so much sweeter than purchased corn. I love seeing your garden! This is my first year with a backyard and I think we'll see many things fail this year. My biggest concern is that we have so many animals that can come in and eat all our veggies!
Hi Sherrin,
what sort of fertilizer do you use? do you go natural - manure, compost etc, or do you purchase one? The plants look amazing, I especially love the bean plants growing up the corn - seems such a natural association between plants!
Jenny
Hello Jenny,
Dave generally works on the soil in our garden, but I remember that he did put compost and manure on those beds. We also use a purchased fertiliser called Dynamic Lifter - http://www.yates.com.au/products/fertilising/organic-based/dynamic-lifter-organic-plant-food/
It is fun to grow beans up corn! Happy gardening :)!
I have fond memories of corn growing up. We even once played hind and seek in the corn, until the adults decided to water the corn!
Glad to see Elnathan appreciating the fruits of your work in the garden.