1. Good Organic Gardening - January-February 2016

Sweet corn | GROWING
Just before sowing, water the soil well so the seed is
sown into damp but not overly wet soil.
To sow seeds, make a furrow in the soil about 25mm
deep. The back of a rake is an ideal tool for this. Make
furrows around 50cm apart. When planting, space the
seeds around 15–20cm apart and then thin plants so they
are 20–30cm apart.
Expect seedlings to emerge in 6–10 days from sowing.
Sweet corn has its own
language to describe the
flowers, fruit and the
plant itself.
Growing needs
The key to a good crop of sweet corn is to provide the
growing plants with plenty of fertiliser and regular, deep
watering. Apply additional fertiliser as the seedlings grow
and when the tassels (male flowers) appear as the plant
reaches maturity and begins to flower. The tassels are
produced at the top of the plant, while the edible cobs
form lower down where the female flowers form.
Weeds compete with the growing plants for both water
and nutrients, so keeping the rows and space between
plants free of weeds is important for good growth. Hoeing
gently between the plants is the easiest way to keep the
patch weed free.
Companion planting
As this is a tall crop that takes many months to reach
harvest, where space is at a premium, the area around
these plants can be used to grow other crops.
Before the plants become tall, it’s possible
to grow a quick crop of lettuce between
rows or around a block of corn.
The stems can also be used to
support other plants, including
Did you know?
Each cob of corn produces
an even number of rows
of kernels.
Sweet corn label
Common name: Sweet corn
Botanical name: Zeya mays
Family: Poaceae (grass family)
Aspect & soil: Sun, well-drained soil
Best climate: All
Habit: Annual
Propagation: Seed, seedling
Difficulty: Easy
climbing beans. A block of corn can also be grown
to provide shade and shelter to other crops, such as
leafy greens.
If extra crops are planted in and around sweet corn,
provide extra water and nutrients to keep the sweet corn
growing strongly.
Troubleshooting
The main disappointment with homegrown sweet
corn is harvesting cobs that have few kernels. Planting
corn in blocks helps to ensure good pollination. Once
the cobs begin to form, corn earworm or budworm
caterpillars may burrow down from the top of the cob
into the kernels.
For organic control, check plants regularly for signs
of caterpillars or frass and webbing at the top of the
cob. Remove caterpillars or affected cobs. You can try
Dipel, but this is ineffective if caterpillars have already
entered cobs.
Harvesting & storing
Sweet corn takes around 10–12 weeks to grow
and produce cobs. Watch the crop carefully to
pick cobs at their peak ripeness when they
are sweet and juicy. Overripe cobs quickly
become tough as sugars in the kernel are
converted to starch.
Telltale signs that the cobs are ready
to harvest include the silks turning from
greeny-yellow to brown and cobs standing
out at an angle from the side of the plant.
To further test for ripeness, peel back
the outer husk and press a thumbnail into
a kernel. If it’s at its peak, it will exude a creamy
juice known as “milk”.
Sweet corn is best eaten as soon as it’s harvested. Cobs
store for a few days if they are well wrapped and kept
in the crisper section of the fridge. Excess can be
blanched and frozen or used to make pickles and
relish (see Jo Rushton’s recipe for corn relish on
page 88).
Good Organic Gardening | 85