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 P P

(Best months for growing Sweet corn in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed

October: After risk of frost

  • 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

25 Feb 13, Justine (Australia - temperate climate)
Would someone please advise if I should cut the top out of my corn? It is over 6 feet tall and I am worried the growth is going in height and not into the cobs? I live in Tassie and have had a hot summer for us this year. I have mulched in sugar cane and the corn has thrived from this...
18 Apr 13, Richard (Australia - temperate climate)
Don't cut the tops off. That's the male part of the plant and drops pollen usually before the female silks on the same plant are ready. Most of the growth in corn occurs before the male part springs out and cutting it off doesn't help.
18 Feb 13, Brian (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
How late can we plant sweet corn in Hillcrest S.A.
02 Feb 13, Tink (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My husband has grown corn for the first time this year. He planted seedlings from a giant hardware chain. I don't know the variety. The stalks are short but the corn cobs are full and beautiful and not too dry or flowery - perfect except they're not very 'sweet'. Are we being impatient & it needs more time? Or is this a lack of heat, nutrient or something else? Thanks!
24 Jan 13, ben black (Australia - tropical climate)
i have recently planted my crop of sweet corn here in bundaberg it was planted about 6 weeks ago and already stand about 7 to 8 feat tall and have 3 to 4 cobs per plant i dont know why but they do would like to know why
17 Aug 13, Ferran (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
my sweet corn last year had a mixture of 1-3 cobs per plant. its normal having more than 1 cob per plant but i found that they did not produce as much as one cob per plant and snaped of the smaller ones so as to get a better havest. I found that it had to do with how close they were together. my veriety worked best with 16 stalks per meatre square. bit late and i hope your havest went well. As for the reason, just like when you grow pumpcin you can have several friuts on a vine or one the plant puts its energy equally in to however many friuts there are. when there is only one it gets much bigger than when there are multipual pumpcins however you get more pumpcins if you let them grow multipual ones per vine. some verietys just natraly have more or less friuts per vine and you as the gardener get to chose how many the plant grows or how big they can get.
15 Jan 13, Patrick (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
What should be done with laterals on the main stalk? Will I leave them on to allow additional corn to grow on them or does leaving them on the main stalk deprive the main stalk from food?
14 Jan 13, Jason (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi all. Just wondering if mid-January is too late to plant corn in Sydney?
13 Jan 13, Banda (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
i have a plot almost 10 hecters,im also keeping chicken,can i plant some maize and soya beans now for the feed?,thanks.
06 Jan 13, (Australia - temperate climate)
How do tell corn is ready to pick
Showing 281 - 290 of 417 comments

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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. GardenGrow 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.
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