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veg_grower964

spaceing for corn stalks

veg_grower964
15 years ago

how close can you plant corn without it affecting the growth. and also how wide on the row spaceing.

thanks

Ed

Comments (15)

  • digdirt2
    15 years ago

    Minimum often recommended is 12" apart on 2 foot rows. University of Illinois Extension recommends 9 to 12 inches apart with 30 to 36 inches between rows.

    I've done 8" apart on 3 foot rows for years with no problems. You have to have room to get in between the rows to pick and do pest control - at least I do. ;).

    Dave

  • veg_grower964
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    thanks Dave'
    I will go with 8" apart and 3 foot rows.

    Ed

  • paulc_gardener
    15 years ago

    Around here nobody has used 36 inch rows since 1950. I have used 29 inch rows for the past 20 years. Back in the 70's when space was limited, I planted corn in 12 inch rows spaced 4 inches apart. Lots of water & high fertility. Patch was 25 by 12 and produced enough corn to last frozen for 1 year. Feild corn is planted on 24 to 26 inch rows and spaced 4 inches. Unless you are planting in concret, you can grow a lot of corn in small space.

  • drodgers
    15 years ago

    I've read that you can do 1-4 in a sqft for the SFGers. Is that true? I figured I would start out with 2/sqft and doing it in a block style instead of rows.

    I'm a virgin gardener and trying to plan out my plots. I started a few corn in peat pellets, along with a bunch of other stuff, just to see if I could get anything to sprout and my corn looks like demon sprouts lol. They are sprouting out of the sides of my pellets and two little horns in the top of each one. Looks evil to me lol.

  • rj_hythloday
    15 years ago

    I think 1 per sq ft is the max I've read. Last year I did in rows, but didn't have a succesful crop. I also didn't have raised beds last year. This year my corn crop will be grown in a 3ft by 12 ft area 1 per. I wish I had more space but this will be an improvement over last year.

  • newgardenelf
    15 years ago

    can you transplant corn? i always thought it was sown in the ground? This is my first year to grow it.

  • drodgers
    15 years ago

    I'm starting from seed inside, but I have more for outside. I heard the best way was outside, but then again I'm just a beginner lol. I do plan on spacing mine out every two weeks so it keeps coming. Hope it works lol.

  • eaglesgarden
    15 years ago

    paulc,

    What variety(varieties) did you plant with that spacing?

    I am growing both Golden Bantam and Country Gentlemen, could they both work with the spacing you suggested, or does Gentlemen need a little more space, being so tall?

  • wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
    15 years ago

    Most field corn here is planted 30 inches between rows and about 6 inches apart in the row. A few growers have tried closer row spacing but it requires fertile soil.

    My own sweet corn spacing is 28 inches between rows and 14 inches between plants as I have plenty of room and more space between plants produces larger ears for me.

  • dutchess_9
    15 years ago

    I planted corn and popcorn a few weeks ago...I loosely use the square foot method of growing. I've read you can plant 4 per square foot, however this seems like this would be too many plants in one square. I planted 2 per square (one in the top left corner and one in the bottom right corner). I repeated this pattern in all the squares.

    Here is a link that might be useful: How my garden grows!

  • paulc_gardener
    15 years ago

    The corn variety I planted was Alpine which is no longer available. Close planting with work with any variety.

    I till in a heavy dose of 12-12-12 and then sidedress with 46% urea when the corn is 12 to 18 inches tall.

  • rj_hythloday
    15 years ago

    I will be direct sowing my corn, but here's a link to some one that get's an early start.

    Here is a link that might be useful: pipe pots for starting corn indoors

  • brass_tacks
    15 years ago

    I'm looking at a packet of sweet corn seeds called "CN212 How Sweet It Is Hybrid". 87 days to maturity.

    I want to plant some of those 'three sisters' comanion plantings. About how old would a corn stalk have to be to support a squash climbing it?

    Also, because I will be planting beans and squash at the feet of the corn stalks and considering that all being in such cross proximity, about how close would I want to plant the corn and how far away from the beans and vegetables. I thought I would plant the corn in circles within circles rather than in a standard kind of row.

  • paulc_gardener
    15 years ago

    brass tacks. Most corn will support beans, but I dont think it will support squash.

  • A T
    9 years ago

    American Indians planted corn, squash and beans in a row system with the corn in the middle of three bean plants with the squash on the outside, about five plants. The beans are 6 to 8 inches out from the corn and the squash is about the same distance from the corn. To be sure google Three sisters planting system.