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How To Prevent Common Sweet Corn Problems
Sweet corn takes up more garden space than most crops and it’s also fairly demanding in terms of moisture and nutrients. The incomparable taste of freshly-picked corn, though, is enough to encourage gardeners to continue to grow it.
Native to Central America, sweet corn (Zea mays) has been cultivated in North America for thousands of years. This annual garden plant is generally disease and pest resistant, but if problems do take hold in your corn patch, the consequences can be devastating. Since corn grows so fast, it’s hard to control diseases and pests with chemicals.
Corn must be planted in rich, fertile soil and in full sun. Amend the soil with aged compost or manure several months before planting. Plant corn in blocks containing at least four rows so the wind can pollinate it efficiently.
Plant the seeds two or three weeks after the last expected frost. Corn won’t germinate in wet, cold soils and does best in soils that are 60 degrees or warmer.
Plant seeds 1 to 1 ½ inches deep and 3 inches apart. Thin the stalks to 18 inches apart when they stand 3 inches tall. Sidedress corn plants with a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer every six weeks during the growing season and keep the soil evenly moist.
Source: http://www.offthegridnews.com/2013/07/31/how-to-prevent-common-sweet-corn-problems/
