When should I plant sweet corn? What kind of sprayer should I use, and how many times should I spray?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, William: It is nice to ponder the thought of growing vegetables this time of year. Sweet corn is a crop that requires a bit more space to grow than some other veggies but well worth it. Sweet corn will usually produce one to two ears of corn per plant. Keep this in mind when planting your seed and you can stagger the plantings every couple of weeks so you will have a crop to harvest all season long. In Kentucky, we can begin to plant seed a few days before our frost-free date, which is May 10. There are many varieties of sweet corn and they differ in terms of quality as well as days to reach maturity. There are also early, mid, and late season maturing varieties of sweet corn. The Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service has publications available to home gardeners. You might be interested in reading “Vegetable cultivars for Kentucky gardeners” and “Home vegetable gardening in Kentucky.” This literature is available to you online at www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/pubs.htm or from your County Extension agent. It is always a good idea to buy seed from a reputable source and purchase disease-resistant varieties. I am not exactly sure what you are referring to in terms of spraying. If you are wondering about fertilizing your crop, it is a good idea to lightly fertilize at the time of planting and then again when they are 4 inches and 10 inches tall. A side dressing of ammonium nitrate may be needed when the corn is about 2 feet tall. Adding nutrients to the soil is recommended over spraying the foliage. You can always have your soil tested through your County Extension service. If I have not answered your spraying question, let me know and I will be more specific.