Growing Sweet corn, also corn,maize

Zea mays, var. rugosa : Poaceae / the grass family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
        P P            

(Best months for growing Sweet corn in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 61°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 8 - 12 inches apart
  • Harvest in 11-14 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): All beans, cucumber, melons, peas, pumpkin, squash, amaranth
  • Avoid growing close to: Celery.

Your comments and tips

12 May 11, Barbara Campbell (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have just pulled my sweet corn plants out, and I am wondering what would be the best vegetable to plant in that spot.
19 Oct 12, Ferry (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
corn sucks minerals from the soil so beans, peas or a green manure crop would be good for the soil.
11 Apr 11, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The silk goes brown when it is ready to be picked and for the small corn, there are two possible reasons and one of them could be to much water but I think something might be eating the roots if the plant
13 Jan 11, FRANK (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The best advice about sweetcorn and its growth is to plant seeds,add plenty of compost,well aged manure and or blood/bone and be generous with these, water well if rain is limited. Also add grass clippings or lucerne as a mulch.
11 Jan 11, Charis (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm a first time grower, our corn plants were growing so well, but once the actual corn started growing it stayed small, the silk went brown and everything seems to be dying, we have had a lot of rain this summer, could that be a problem? We were really looking forward to harvest and the kids and hubby are so disapointed. Is it too late to try again? or wait till next time? Is corn meant to be easy to take care of?
11 Jan 11, Russell (Australia - temperate climate)
My corn has turned out realy well, I have got 2 cobs off each plant, do the plants re- shoot or do I pull them out and plant new seedlings
26 Nov 10, Pru (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I found out the hard way that transplanting seedlings is not worth it. They were pale and stopped growing. A month later I planted seed next to the seedlings and now the seed I planted is as bigger and looking healthier than the transplanted seedlings. The transplanted seedlings still look sickly pale. I'm going to pull them out. If the cobs are not forming properly, this means that pollination was not completely successful.
23 Nov 10, Bev Joannou (Australia - temperate climate)
My corn is about 4' high and the leaves have opened up to reveal the immature green corn cob, it isn't encased in it's protective leaves, what is going wrong?
24 Nov 10, Sri (Australia - temperate climate)
Can you give us a bit more info plz. Need to know how long they have been in and where u sourced the seeds/seedlings from because it sounds like either wood beetles have stripped your corn (very rare) or the seeds are for ornamental corn one way or another if it were me i would pull them up and start again. For temperate climate now is the ideal time to start your corn.
30 Nov 10, Bev Joannou (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted the kernals in trays in September and transplanted them in the garden in October, the seeds I used were a Digger's Heirloom variety. Yes I will pull them out and start again, thank you for your advice.
Showing 321 - 330 of 417 comments

Ask a question or post a comment or advice about Sweet corn

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.