"FDR" wrote:


"Steve" wrote in message
...
I suppose 4 rows isn't really required but that seems to the point
at which you get good pollination on most of the ears. I've been
known to go out on a sunny summer morning, lean a corn plant from
the inner rows over to the up wind plants. I give it a shake to
pollinate the row that gets most of the pollen blowing away from it.
Spacing of 12 inches, each way, seems a little close together for
all but the smallest varieties of corn. Crowding leads to poor
quality (small) ears of corn from the center of the patch.

Seems like the corn fields here in central NY plant pretty darn closely.

It also depends some upon the variety. The one I tried growing last
year was 8" apart. A slightly smaller cob, only about 5' stalks. I had
no problem getting them to full size with even slightly less than
eight inches available. But I botched the fertilizer and the tassel
and silkss grew out more than a month out of sync--Tassels first, then
4 weeks later the silks came out.

If you are planting such a small patch of corn that you ask these
questions, I would suggest you plant in a square block, rather than
rows.

Steve

FDR wrote:
I understand a minimum of 4 rows is required for growing corn, but
what's
the minimum length? And is the spacing 12" between rows and plants?

Thanks





DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
2nd year gardener

"DigitalVinyl" wrote in message
...
"FDR" wrote:


"Steve" wrote in message
...
I suppose 4 rows isn't really required but that seems to the point
at which you get good pollination on most of the ears. I've been
known to go out on a sunny summer morning, lean a corn plant from
the inner rows over to the up wind plants. I give it a shake to
pollinate the row that gets most of the pollen blowing away from it.
Spacing of 12 inches, each way, seems a little close together for
all but the smallest varieties of corn. Crowding leads to poor
quality (small) ears of corn from the center of the patch.

Seems like the corn fields here in central NY plant pretty darn closely.

It also depends some upon the variety. The one I tried growing last
year was 8" apart. A slightly smaller cob, only about 5' stalks. I had
no problem getting them to full size with even slightly less than
eight inches available. But I botched the fertilizer and the tassel
and silkss grew out more than a month out of sync--Tassels first, then
4 weeks later the silks came out.

The varieties I am trying are northern ones, with 5 ft stalks. So close
spacing will probably be ok. I recall trying to do 12" at our other house a
few years ago but the birds ate the cobs.

I din't know fertlizer could screw up corn so much. I gues I'll have to do
more research.



DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
2nd year gardener

"FDR" wrote:


"DigitalVinyl" wrote in message
.. .
"FDR" wrote:


"Steve" wrote in message
...
I suppose 4 rows isn't really required but that seems to the point
at which you get good pollination on most of the ears. I've been
known to go out on a sunny summer morning, lean a corn plant from
the inner rows over to the up wind plants. I give it a shake to
pollinate the row that gets most of the pollen blowing away from it.
Spacing of 12 inches, each way, seems a little close together for
all but the smallest varieties of corn. Crowding leads to poor
quality (small) ears of corn from the center of the patch.

Seems like the corn fields here in central NY plant pretty darn closely.

It also depends some upon the variety. The one I tried growing last
year was 8" apart. A slightly smaller cob, only about 5' stalks. I had
no problem getting them to full size with even slightly less than
eight inches available. But I botched the fertilizer and the tassel
and silkss grew out more than a month out of sync--Tassels first, then
4 weeks later the silks came out.

The varieties I am trying are northern ones, with 5 ft stalks. So close
spacing will probably be ok. I recall trying to do 12" at our other house a
few years ago but the birds ate the cobs.

I din't know fertlizer could screw up corn so much. I gues I'll have to do
more research.

If I recall corn needs nitrogen, like other grasses i feed it a
heavier amount of Phosphorus which made the tassels grow too quickly.
Or at least that's the theory. I never found any other explanation for
sliks to come out more than a month after the tassels.
DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
2nd year gardener