The Growth of Sweet Corn

Sweet Corn

• Sweet corn is a low maintenance, high yield vegetable plant, according to the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service. Sweet corn thrives in nitrogen-rich, well-drained, sandy soil with plenty of moisture and a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.

Planting

• Sweet corn is a warm season crop, meaning it should be planted no earlier than two weeks before the last winter frost, or when soil temperature has warmed to anywhere from 50 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Seeds should be purchased new from a nursery and planted at a depth of 1 to 2 inches (though soil should be worked 6 inches deep). Plant the seeds 8 to 12 inches from each other in rows spaced 2 to 3 feet from each other.

Growth Habits

• The growth rate of sweet corn depends entirely on which cultivar you chose to plant; sweet corn varieties are described as early cultivars, mid-season cultivars and late cultivars. In general, however, most sweet corn cultivars are mature at the "milky stage," when the juice inside the kernels appears milky when pierced with a knife or other sharp object. If the juice appears clear and watery rather than milky, the corn is not ready to be harvested; doughy, slightly dry kernels indicate corn that has passed harvest maturity.

Harvesting & Storing Corn

• The entire ear should be detached from the plant at once; break the stem of the ear off as close to the ear as possible so as to minimize damage to the main stalk. If you plan to eat, can or freeze the corn, do so right away, since most sweet corn cultivars will lose half of their flavor in the first 12 hours after picking. If you plan to use the corn later, store in temperatures as close to 32 degrees Fahrenheit as possible.