If you are interested in growing corn from seed, there are a few tips that you should keep in mind. These include planting your seed in a block, harvesting, and pollination. It also helps to know about pests and diseases that can attack the crop.
Pollination
Pollination in corn is an important step in the development of your crop. It’s the process by which pollen from a male flower fertilizes a female flower. The resulting kernels are the “fruit” of the corn plant. Understanding the pollination process is the first step in controlling the fill of your grain.
Pollination is wind-pollinated, and occurs over five to eight days. Pollen shedding is at its peak in the morning. In the afternoon, the pollen sheds less and less viably. Low temperatures, high relative humidity, and moisture stress are all known to negatively affect pollen viability.
Properly timed pollination is vital to a successful crop. If the timing is off, your kernels might not develop properly.
A good way to determine the timing of pollination is to take an ear of corn and examine the silks. Silks contain water and are a potential kernel of corn.
Planting in blocks
Planting corn from seed in blocks is a great way to improve the quality and quantity of your corn harvest. In addition, block planting works well with most vegetables. It takes advantage of unused space while maximizing vegetable yields. Blocks are made in a grid shape, allowing you to plant one plant in each square.
Corn seeds should be planted at least two weeks after the last frost date. To prevent cross-pollination, corn cultivars should be grown at least 300 feet apart.
Corn plants grow very tall. They need a regular watering. When preparing to plant, dig a hole and set the seed in it. The bottom of the hole should be covered with about 1 inch of soil. Add a few inches of compost or manure.
Harvesting
Corn is a plant that has been grown in North American gardens for more than four thousand years. It can be a rewarding experience to harvest corn from seed. But, before you go out and start harvesting, you need to know a few things about corn.
First, you need to find a suitable place for your corn. You should choose a site that will be sheltered from rain and frost. In colder areas, you can cover the ground with black plastic to help warm the soil.
When it comes time to harvest, you should check the cobs for ripeness. Ripe corn will have a milky white liquid that should be removed from the kernels.
A good indicator that the corn is ready to harvest is a tassel formation. Tassels should be brown and dry. If the tassels are still green, the corn is not yet ready to harvest.
Pests and diseases
If you are growing corn from seed, you may need to be prepared to deal with a number of pests and diseases. These insects cause damage to your crop and are difficult to control. You can use a variety of methods to control them.
First, you need to know what each insect looks like. There are four main types. The larvae are about a half-inch (13 mm) long and gray. They feed on decaying vegetable matter, including kernels. It’s important to keep corn borers under control.
Another common insect is the sand wireworm. This larvae is about a quarter of an inch (6 mm) long and feeds on the roots. Sand wireworm larvae can be pulled out of the ground easily.
While most corn budworms will not damage the roots, they will attack the heart of the plant. As a result, the leaves will die. Symptoms can occur in a few days.
Wind-pollinated corn
Corn is a member of the grass family. It is a monoecious plant that produces male and female flowers. The female flower is called an ear. Each ear begins with one thousand ovules.
Corn is usually pollinated by wind. When the tassels rise, they release pollen grains. These grains travel far, even a mile or two. Generally, the best time for pollination is in the early morning.
Ideally, you should plant corn seeds in blocks of three or four short rows. This helps ensure that pollination occurs and that the kernels develop fully.
When you plant sweet corn, you should make sure that the planting area is at least eight to ten inches wide. You should also make sure that your soil is light sandy. If the soil is heavy, plant your corn seeds at least an inch deep.