I totally disagree with that statement! Corn is my favorite and easiest vegetable to grow!

To me growing corn organically is easiler than any other vegetable that I grow! I have grown sweet corn in raised beds, lasagna gardens, an old refrigerator turned garden container, and even once in a set of nine (3x3 arrray) 5 gallon buckets!

I use lots of mature compost in my raised beds, and then mulch the corn continuously, as it grows taller with more and more compost (i.e. even slightly undone compost works great as a mulch for corn).

For container gardening styles, I use a 50/50 mix of mature compost and a plain potting mix.

In all cases, my sweet corn loves lots of water, nitrogen, and organic matter. So I use lots of fish emulsion, high protein undiluted aerated compost tea, and blood meal in my beds. Then I weekly foliar feed the corn lots of fish emulsion and/or high protein/nitrogen aerated compost tea applications.

The fish products in the tea also help with all my pest management issues with the corn. In ten years of growing corn organically, I have never have any issues with worms or unfilled out mature corn ears.

The only main pest I have had trouble with over the years are Japanese beetles. However I control them with pyrethrum products, cedar or citrus oil sprays, or even chewing tobacco tea applications. Then after the pests are under control, I switch back to regular foliar feeds of fish emulsion and aerated compost tea applications, to give the plants more nutrients, as well as building back up any beneficial micro-biology around the corn and in the soil, that may have been killed by the organic pesticides.

Happy Gardening!

By "worms" do you mean corn borers? These are moth larvae, and not worms, so I am unclear as to what you mean by "worms."

I think borers are easy enough to prevent organically - One guy I know puts a lunch bag over each ear after the silks dry a bit.

Personally, I just cut off the end where the borer has eaten. They usually don't make it down the ear past an inch or so.

Very interesting and encouraging, thanks! I'm not exactly sure where I've gotten the idea that corn is hard to grow organically. I vaguely remember hearing someone at our CSA farm saying something about it being hard to grow. Thanks for the tips, I'm going to figure out where to put it next year.

Corn is very easy or near impossible to grow organically depending on the corn pests one does or does not have to deal with.

Also, organics allows for the use of some broad spectrum pesticides so do you mean organic or pesticide free (organic or not)?

If using the organic, broad spectrum pesticides is considered OK by you then it's easier to grow corn even with serious pests.

Part of the problem with corn is that pests do not have to do much damage for corn smut to develop. Some actually like corn smut, but most are instinctively repulsed by it. It's simply a fungal infection of the corn kernel that results in it swelling. The cob ends up looking something like a brain. ;-)

Other pests become persistent in the soil and eat the roots resulting in plants falling over.

So, plant the corn and see what happens. You may well get lucky and have no problems whatsoever. That's the only way to know.

It can't be that hard to grow organically, or Native Americans would never have prospered and never would have genetically modified the grass that it came from. Course, 'hard to grow' usually has to do with WHERE you grow it (I have no pests that attack the corn, as far as I know)... I've heard that lavender can be hard to grow in Florida... but I have never had a lavender in the ground die on me.

Growing corn organically is no more difficult than anything else, you just need to be sure the soil is well balanced and has a pH in the 6.2 to 6.8 range. Corn is a heavy feeder so the soil really needs to be a good, healthy soil well endowed with organic matter evenly moist and well drained. The European Corn Borer can be a problem, even in "conventional" gardens, but is easily controled, too. The best control for ECB is Bacillus thuringiensis - Kurstaki, BTK, when the larva are present. Mineral oil applied to the ears of corn is an age old control.

Well, if your property is surrounded by corn fields you might expect more corn pests. I'm in the suburbs, about 10 miles from the nearest cornfield. It's my second year growing corn and I've never had any pests except a few aphids. From what I've read the borers and earworms can be a challenge because they are protected by the stems or husks. They are an issue for conventional growers too. There is lots of info out there on organic controls like Bt. You could google it or check one of the Rodale books from the library.

justaguy2, I remember hearing somewhere that the smut is edible! I guess if you catch it before the spores mature it would be kind of like a mushroom. The idea never really appealed to me though.

justaguy2, I remember hearing somewhere that the smut is edible!

In some places, such as Mexico, corn is actually grown to produce the stuff. I have no trouble eating mushrooms, but after seeing my corn turn into softball size/shaped brain gray blobs I don't believe I could bring myself to try it.

corn isn't hard to grow at all. they say you should plant it in blocks rather than rows, and a minimum of 4 rows per block. i grow it every year, organically, and plant the seeds 8" apart in rows about 30" apart. i aim for 50 to 75 plants and usualy get fewer, for whatever reason. i usually start it indoors and transplant it out within 2 weeks, as it outgrows it's containers quickly. this might give tham a better start than direct seeding, which has sometimes allowed birds to eat the tiny plants before they get big enough to fend for themselves. the only problems i've had with it has been with birds and squirrels. some years i've put netting over the whole patch to protect them.

and, in my experience, garden corn, tho mine is never as huge as the ears you buy, are so much better than the best farmstand corn.

good luck

Yes, that's a very good point about the blocks. Makes for much better pollination. I aimed for 33 plants in each 4x4 block--6 staggered rows of alternating 6 and 5 plants per row about 8" apart. I pre-sprouted the seed and put two in each hole, and mostly achieved my goal. One freak windstorm knocked them over, but I was able to strategically stake or prop some of the plants around the edges, and the rest have recovered nicely. The early sweet corn is tasseling right now and I go out and shake them from time to time to get good pollen coverage for all the ears.

Hey friends, good often asked question. ALL the above entries are great, I was smiling tonite reading these. Thank you. I was in my garden earlier today and my corn is about 8' tall and pure healthy, huge leaves and thick stalks. Have harvested about 10 or so ears already off a beginner row I started, it was g-90 and merit, by the way. It never really took off, I planted 3 rows of some sweet corn seed from the feed store, didnt have a ''name brand'', about a week later I planted these, and it caught up and passed the 1st row fast!! Its my prize corn out there right now, but anyhooo....I worked my soil with 13-13-13 fert and lime and horse manure. WORKED the soil very good and planted. My garden has blown out of the ground and I have had my share of problems doin it organically. BUT, BUT, BUT!! Its sooo possible and easy, granted you are not going to EVER be 100% ''bug'' free, it can be enjoyable still. USE ALL THE ORGANIC PESTICIDE RECIPES YOU HAVE LEARNED OF AND KEEP THEM SWITCHED UP, THAT IS KEY, SWITCH, BUG ADAPT FAST. Grow and be patient and deal with some of the pesty things that do get by, its nature. I had a terrible thunderstorm come through here the other day like a damn hurricane. Blew all my corn over. I got out there right after and stood it back up and pulled dirt back around base. They are still standing and alive as ever, a little shocked I can tell, but they are good. Strong plant! The indian did know what was up, what a wonderful vegetable!! Thanks for hearing me out guys, sorry to ramble, just a good topic for me right now, good luck to all you guys as well. Thanks =)

Just thinking, Organic growing is easier the less you are growing. I have a 2,000 sq. ft. garden, so my pest problems are obviously increased. Have had armadillos the past month in my bean plants, killed 12 of them, broke them at the stalk, and didnt even eat any beans, go figure. I have used a organic product called triple action plus, it is a mildecide, pesticide and fungicide. VERY good product but you have to spray it more than they tell you too. Every 4 days you should treat. I have done garlic spray also. I switched these up every 2 weeks to keep the bugs thrown off, I live in the country, so trust me, there are creatures of all kinds, lol. I save my pee and border the garden with it, I think it has helped , minus the bean incident. That has stopped, and Im picking really healthy green beans. Tomatoes are turning red and okra is already producing. Basically, if you have a family of plants to keep alive, visit them everyday and tend to them, watch them and help them. They will grow.

I agree with Patty about ignoring the corn borer. Shuck the corn, cut off the small affected part with the borer. All that green stuff and the moth larva are good for the compost pile. For me, I drop the corn in boiling water, snatch up my wastes, walk them to the compost pile, come back and the corn is done.
I stagger my plantings of corn so that they tassle only before or after our annual Japanese Beetle season. The JB is the only real nuisance I have to deal with.
So far, in my 23 years here, I have not had to resort to any pesticides, organic or non-, and I seem to keep my family and neighbors happy.

I am keen to grow corn. If I need one to two corn per day, how many corps do i need to plant?

I was planning on discontinuing growing sweet corn next season, not because it's hard to grow, but because I can't keep the squirrels out of it. They "harvest" every year, even before they are half grown. They also harvest ALL of my pears and apricots. I have tried netting (they chew through it), commercial pest sprays, trapping (removed 18 last year). Nothing seems to work. Any one have any fool proof solutions to squirrels??

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Although many poo-poo over it, I use a daisy 880 with a quality 3x9 scope on it. up to 25 yards it is deadly on the little buggers, and I am particularly fond of fried "tree rat". Good luck TiMo

If I were in a suitable area, my 22 or 12 Gauge would thin the little buggers out, but in surburan Long Island, even a pellet or BB rifle is enough to get the neighbors on the phone to the police. I can't do that here. Any other suggestions?

Ron
The Garden Guy
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I didn't have any corn earworms this year in 8 plantings, but here in the corn belt the problem is corn root worm beetles...the little buggers like to swarm in suddenly and devour tender corn leaves about 3 foot tall. Then they like to devour the new silks. This year they were absent basicly until #7 planting.

I have found that the earliest corn I pick is the nicest, as the season progresses the worminess increases.

I am planning on a large vegetable garden next year. I have approx 7000 sq feet to plant in. Corn is one of the things I have the most interest in growing. the problem is, I'm in north central Indiana, and my property is surrounded by commercial corn fields on all sides. My main concern is cross pollination with the field corn I'm surrounded with. Are there certain varieties that I should use that won't be affected, of do I need to consider tenting my corn when the stuff around me starts to tassel?

Some varieties of corn, with tighter husks, are less seceptible to corn bores (ear worms). If you have a small stand of corn, and have the time, bruch some mineral oil on the tassels after they have started to turm brown. This is a good deterrent.

Rotonone, pyrthethym or a rotone-pyrthethym combo. is also very effective againt the little critters.

When planting corn organically, be sure you have a good supply of nitrogen available because corn is a very heavy nitrogen feeder. I love blood meal for this because
it provided a quick and high nitrogen source. I mix some directly into the row or hill when I plant, and side dress with it once the tassels appear.

Ron
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Mdkubacki, unless you are considering saving the seed from your corn cross pollination will not be a problem, howevver if you are going to try to save some of that corn seed simmply tenting a stalk of two would be all that is needed. For the most part corn is pollinated by the pollen dropping off the tassels at the top of the stalk and then is picked up by the silk growing at a node. However some of that pollen does fly away on the wind and that maybe could pollinate your corn.

Do any of you know what growing conditions will increase my chances to get the super delicious corn fungus? (called huitlacoche). I love it but unfortunately my corn has not had it yet, but I have only grown 3 crops so far. Yes, organic, everything I grow in the garden is organic, i do not even like organic pesticides. What about corn varieties where huitlacoche grows more readily? Any of you that have had it grow on your corn, what variety was it? where is your garden? Yes, brain looking things it is true but so yummy...if you get some mail it to me, I'll pay for the postage!

Cross pollination can be a problem with some of the newer varieties of corn and can cause the kernels to be tough and/or starchy. This is especially true with the "shrunken" sh2 varieties. Cross pollination can also be problematic with the synergistic varieties but only when cross pollinated with a super-sweet variety. A high-quality catalog such as Johnny's Selected Seeds will issue warnings for the affected seed types.

I've grown corn at past three suburban homes and most of the crops got armyworms. BT and dipel didn't help. I've resorted to peeling down leaves until I can found the worm usually at base of the leaf whirls and handpicking the buggers off. My question is do you think the corn will still produce since I've peeled down the leaves to get the worms out ? Any other suggestions ? I have tons of birds that love worms, but they can't get down to where these worms are. Several sites recommended spinosad, but would that affect beneficials ? My ladybugs are keeping aphids in check, so don't want my beneficials hurt. Also, I lose most of my fruit tree crops to squirrels, especially my 40 foot across mango tree and avocado trees. Any suggestions to deter them ? I'm disabled and can't deal with trapped squirrels and illegal to use a bb gun here. Thanks.