Sweet Corn Care
Zea mays var. saccharata
A tall summer vegetable pollinated by the wind. For good pollination it should be sown in a square block rather than a single row.
Monthly care calendar
Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.
- Watering: If there is no rain, water twice a week at the base once the top 2-3 cm of soil has dried.
- Fertilizing: Mix plenty of compost into the soil before sowing; corn is a heavy feeder.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Sow the seeds 4-5 cm deep once the soil has warmed to 12-15 °C, in a block of at least 4 rows side by side; 70 cm between rows and 25-30 cm within the row.
- Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
- Frost risk: Cover emerging seedlings on cold nights.
- Watering: Water deeply at the base of the plant 3-4 times a week, in the early morning; do not wet the leaves. The soil should be moist down to a depth of 15-20 cm.
- Fertilizing: Apply nitrogen fertilizer when the plants reach knee height and as the tassels emerge.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Sow the seeds 4-5 cm deep once the soil has warmed to 12-15 °C, in a block of at least 4 rows side by side; 70 cm between rows and 25-30 cm within the row.
- General care: When the plants are 30-40 cm tall, draw soil up around the base (hilling); this prevents them from toppling in the wind.
- Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
- Watering: Water shortage while the tassels and ear silks are emerging leaves the ears empty; do not let watering lapse during this period.
- Fertilizing: Apply nitrogen fertilizer when the plants reach knee height and as the tassels emerge.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Harvest: Pick when the ear silks have turned brown and dry and a kernel pressed with a fingernail releases a milky juice; the sugar turns to starch quickly after harvest, so eat it right away.
- Pests & diseases: Check the stalks and ears for holes and sawdust-like frass (corn borer).
- Watering: Water deeply at the base of the plant 3-4 times a week, in the early morning; do not wet the leaves. The soil should be moist down to a depth of 15-20 cm.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Harvest: Pick when the ear silks have turned brown and dry and a kernel pressed with a fingernail releases a milky juice; the sugar turns to starch quickly after harvest, so eat it right away.
- Pests & diseases: Check the stalks and ears for holes and sawdust-like frass (corn borer).
- Watering: If there is no rain, water twice a week at the base once the top 2-3 cm of soil has dried.
- General care: Harvest: Pick when the ear silks have turned brown and dry and a kernel pressed with a fingernail releases a milky juice; the sugar turns to starch quickly after harvest, so eat it right away.
The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.
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