# Sweet Corn



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

How deep to plant, that is the question. Last year I borrowed a little push around planter from a friend and really liked it. I think I may have planted too deep but two days after I planted we got a torrential rain of about five inches. Then it got real cool. When I started seeing everything coming up it came another deluge and my rows submerged this time. Somewhere here in my junk I have the dates I planted and the rain dates. Anyway I got a poor stand and went out after it dried up and dug up some of the seeds that didn't sprout and they were still there but black and shriveled up. Had a couple of other people tell me none of their sweet corn seed came up and we all got it at the same place. One of the farmers here told me he had his go under water before and it still germinated, he blamed the seed too. The friend I borrowed the planter from replanted his and he does about two acres. Tougher than I am. It seemed like I had to dig pretty deep to recover seeds so maybe it was too deep. I planted G90 last year and bought some more G90 seed again and some Kandy Korn seed also. Getting ready to do this and hope for a better crop. What did come up and matured last year was good. If all of it would have made I would still be eating creamed corn. I have exactly one pound of seed, same as last year, believe me that goes a long way.


----------



## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

You could be planting to early, seems the later we plant the better stand we get, G90 and Kandy corn is good BUT if you like really sweet corn try some Honey Select (tripple sweet), you'll give all the G90 away...


----------



## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Are they already planting field corn in your area? Some already up around Victoria. IMHO, the time is now, but I have been side-tracked, ground not ready. I plant 1-1 1/2" deep w/ soil lightly firmed over seed. Can't control monsoons, but havent experienced any for quite a while now. Would be nice to get some tank water!


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

I've used a planter on my corn the last few years and actually have found its considerably better than my old hand planting methods...not only in labor savings but also in germination and spacing. 

Cold, wet soils are tough on warm season plants...but the old adage applies if at first you don't suceed try again.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

Just about all the major farms here have planted milo and corn. Cotton farmers are hanging back. My grandfather farmed 740 acres in South Texas and watched the soil temperature closely. One of my friends planted his sweet corn two weeks ago. I might ride out and check his out. He uses a two row planter behind a tractor. Pretty big corn patch. Think I will let it warm up a couple of days and put it in, may get some rain this weekend. Last year I went to a farm outside of Edna and picked some G90 Roundup Ready Hybrid corn. I have never seen sweet corn that big and completely bug free. I hate to say this but I ate some fresh just boiled long enough to make it tender and it was ok, but not great. I froze some on the cob, unblanched, and tried it in less than three weeks and it dang near put me in the hospital. The evidence was in the toilet. Never again, I will stick to my home grown stuff. Somebody told me that corn was a cloned hybrid. Maybe it all is but what I grow doesn't irritate my digestive system like that stuff did. Thanks for the help.


----------



## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

With G90 I don't think it stays sweet very long once ready, a cpl of days and its done, LOTS of oldtimers plant G90 around here. As posted above we mostly plant Honey Select, for corn on the cob IMO you can't beat it, you can eat it in the field and it will stay good for up to 2 weeks, dad still plants Merit for his cornmeal...WW


----------



## Whodathunkit (Aug 25, 2010)

I struggled with corn worm, anyway to prevent those?


----------



## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Whodathunkit said:


> I struggled with corn worm, anyway to prevent those?


Prevention in our climates is really problematic....yankees have an advantage on this one.

Fall tilling and cover crops are supposed to help, but I do both and have the worms anyway.

There are some natural treatment approaches that work to varying degrees such as Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT).

Also, Mineral oil applied to the silks after pollination helps.

I'm not sure this is scientific but potatoe plants can produce BT so I plant my potatoes right next to my corn rows every year.

In spite of this, I still get some damage and just plant a few extra seeds to compensate. Its probably my most difficult pest.

If you use commercial insecticides, Seven dust works pretty well applied on the ears, but I generally don't like to use that unless the outbreak is especially severe.

By the way, they make OUTSTANDING fish bait....you can turn an ear of corn into a fresh fish dinner mighty quick.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

Didn't have too many worms last year and didn't spray or dust either. I use the BT dust on tomatoes so maybe it got carried by the wind and got some of them. I use a trombone duster and let it go pretty heavy when I spot worms. I would guess that corn I got in Edna was treated. Or genetically bug resistant. Out of 20 dozen ears not one worm. I think I was a little late picking it, lost its sweetness and turned into mule corn. You would have to be a mule to stomach it.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

Planted ten 200 foot rows of G90 inch and a half deep the third. Had a little bit of moisture in place and got a sprinkle Sunday the tenth. No sprouts yet.


----------



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

Fifteen days and finally see some sprouts. Been watering every other day. Watch it come a frog strangler.


----------

