Planting corn how many rows

It is not essential to isolate sugar-enhanced varieties from standard sweet corn. Isolation can be achieved by planting the different types at least feet from one another and by avoiding prevailing winds. Another method is to stagger planting dates or to select varieties that mature at different times. A minimum of 14 days should separate the tasseling times of the different types.

You are here Home. Or you can try pinning a clothespin to the tip of each ear once the silks start to turn brown to prevent the worms from crawling through to the ear. European corn borers are 1 inch long, flesh-colored worms marked with tiny black dots that feed on foliage, especially near the top of the stalk where the leaves emerge.

They also bore into the developing ears. Bt and spinosad are effective controls if applied early, before the borers tunnel into the stalks. Corn borers overwinter as full-grown larvae in weed stems and old cornstalks. Pull up and destroy such winter refuges to break their life cycle.

Cucumber beetle larvae, also known as corn rootworms, feed on corn roots, causing plants to weaken and collapse. Adults are yellow beetles with black stripes or spots. To kill the rootworms, apply Heterorhabditis nematodes to the soil. Seed-corn maggots attack kernels planted too deeply in cool soil. If they attack, wait until warmer weather to plant another crop at a shallower level. Animal pests can seriously reduce your corn yields.

Birds may be a problem at both seeding and harvesting time, while raccoons are fond of the ripening ears. Corn smut makes pale, shining, swollen galls that burst and release powdery black spores. Cut off and dispose of galls before they open. If necessary, destroy affected plants to keep smut from spreading. It can remain viable in the soil for 5 to 7 years. In order to produce kernels, wind must deposit pollen from the tassels plant tops onto each of the silks on the ears.

Every unpollinated silk results in an undeveloped kernel. Haul manure? Learn More. Clean and Clear Partnerships with Drain Officials. The Progression of Bt Resistance. Integrated Crop and Pest Management Update Corn and Soybean Planting Conditions.

Husks should appear fresh and not dried out. The quality of sweet corn decreases very rapidly after picking. The sugars convert to starch and the unique flavor is lost. Use immediately or store for a short time in the refrigerator. Fresh sweet corn can be frozen or canned, if done correctly. To help prevent seeds from rotting in cold soil early in the spring, it is possible to use seeds treated with a fungicide. Those that are treated will be colored, like a brilliant pink. The package will also have that information on it.

Cover the seeds well with soil to deter birds or animals from eating the seeds. If loss of seeds to birds or animals is a continuing problem in a small garden, use a narrow strip of hardware screening or chicken wire over the row until the corn plants just begin to emerge. Eaves troughs covers work well for this, too.

Be sure to remove screening before the corn plants sprout and are damaged. Insects or animals may be troublesome, especially corn earworms and raccoons. Contact your local Extension office for information on how to manage these pests. Tags: home gardening , vegetable gardening. Horticulture Trivia.