If you've struggled with growing corn in the
past, I've got some handy suggestions that are sure to help. Hi, I'm Ben Vanheems, and today I'm
determined to help you get the crop of your dreams - and it all starts with how you sow. Poor
germination often occurs in cooler conditions, so it's a good idea to start seeds off inside if
warmer weather typically arrives later where you are. A temperature of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit,
or to 21 Celsius, gives the speediest results as this leaves less time for seeds
to languish and potentially rot. Germinating indoors also reduces the risk of mice
or other rodents discovering the seeds and eating them. There's no hurry to sow, either. Mid- to
late spring is just fine, because you don't want to be in a situation where you've got
plants desperate to be planted outside when there's still a very real threat of frost. These
guys are now ready to plant. Let's take a look. Ah yes, there you go - it's got a really healthy
root system. They're still quite small however, and while there's nothing wrong with that, once
they're planted out birds might still be able to lift them out to get at the seeds underneath. To
prevent this, and to help them make the transition to fresher air, I'm going to keep them covered
with this row cover until they've rooted out and anchored themselves into their new home, in about
two weeks time. Slow or lackluster growth may be caused by a number of things, including poor light
levels, not enough moisture, or a lack of nutrients. All types of corn need plenty of direct sunshine.
Look at this block here - you can clearly see how the plants towards the right are stunted,
because they sit in the shade for much of the day. These tall plants are hungry plants, so it's
important to enrich beds with lots of organic matter such as garden compost, then follow this up
at planting time with the scattering of a balanced general general-purpose organic fertilizer. Don't
plant them too close together or we run the risk of disappointingly small cobs. I can get away with
around a foot (that's 30 centimetres) between plants in my wetter climate, but if you're growing in a
drier climate you might want to go to around 15 or 16 inches (that's 40 centimetres) apart so that
individual plants have more resources to draw on. If it is dry, water really thoroughly,
aiming at the base of the plants to avoid any problems with disease. Consistent
moisture is essential to ensuring those big fat cobs that we're after, so it's hard to
overemphasize the importance of this. While wind is a good thing for this wind-pollinated crop,
strong gusts can occasionally topple plants over. Soft, fleshy growth makes plants more susceptible
to falling over, something made more likely when there's too much nitrogen, so avoid using
fertilizers with a very high nitrogen content. It's not uncommon to see roots poking through
at the surface close to the stems. If this happens, mound soil up over the roots to keep them
covered, or just cover the whole area with a mulch of compost, which will help with growth anyhow. If
you do notice plants getting rocked about in the wind, consider tying them to stakes. Planting in
blocks helps plants support each other to some exten,t and it has other benefits too. Look at these
cobs. It's tempting to think that a pest has eaten the kernels, but actually they never developed at
all. Incomplete or inconsistent kernel development - with the cobs only partly or sporadically filled -
is down to poor pollination. The silks protruding from the ends of each cob are responsible
for carrying the pollen down to the kernels. One strand connects to one kernel, so for complete
fill every strand of the silk must be pollinated. Getting this right begins at planting time. Because
corn is wind pollinated it's important to plant it in a block rather than just a single or double
row. Planting in a block like this increases the chances of the pollen that's released at the
tassels at the top of the plant drifting down onto the female silks lower down. If you're only
growing a few plants, try hand pollinating instead. Wait until the anthers are dangling down
from the tassels at the top, then cut one of the tassel sections off, then brush it back and
forth across the silks below. Be thorough, so that every strand gets some pollen. You can also tap the
stalks on still days to help dislodge the pollen. American and Canadian gardeners will be all
too familiar with the damage inflicted by corn earworms to the kernels. Corn earworms are the
caterpillars of a night flying moth which lays its eggs on the silks. Once they hatch the caterpillars
make a beeline for the ears. One way to beat them is to drop roughly a quarter of a teaspoon of
oil onto the point where the silks enter the ears about a week after the silks first emerge. You
could also try planting varieties with tight husks that make it hard for the caterpillars to gain
entry, or simply grow an early variety which stands a good chance of maturing before ear worms reach
their peak towards the end of the summer. Another pest that can bore into the ears - but more often
the stalks - is the appropriately named corn borer. Exposed caterpillars can be controlled with Bt,
a spray made with a naturally occurring bacteria, but aim to prevent infections in the first
place by keeping your corn patch free of weeds. Both these pests overwinter as pupae, so take
extra care at the end of the season to remove old plants to your compost heap. And if they have
been a problem, dig the area over to expose any that might be lurking below ground, and plant in
a different area next year. Now have you ever had the experience of tucking into what looks like
a juicy sweet corn cob only to have it taste bland? This is the number one reason why paying
a little more for your seeds really pays off. Hybrid (or F1) varieties are bred for
flavour and taste, yielding superior cobs, especially if you choose one of the supersweet
varieties. Varieties bread for sweetness will also hold onto their taste for longer, though of course
the closer you can pick your cobs to cooking them, the better. Another reason behind bland or
starchy sweet corn cobs is picking them late. Pick the ears as soon as the silks have turned
brown - no later. If in doubt, check they're ready by sinking a fingernail into one of the kernels
like this. A milky liquid should exude. If it doesn't, you've left it too late, as most of
those prized sugars will have turned to starch. Master these common problems, and corn is a
wonderfully easy crop to grow. Please share your tips for growing the best corn down below, and
if you found this video useful, please consider hitting that subscribe button, because it really
helps us out. Thanks for watching, and for more advice on growing sweet corn, please check out this
Sowing to Harvest video. I'll catch you next time.
