How to Calculate How Much Corn to Grow

Count the number of people who will be eating corn from the garden. Write the number down on a piece of paper. Plan to feed each person 10 to15 feet of a row of corn fresh from the stalk during production time. If, for instance, you will feed 10 people fresh corn from the garden, you need to plant at least 100 feet of corn for that purpose. Four ounces of a high-yield corn seed such as Jubilee or Trucker's Favorite will provide the needed amount.

Write down the number of people that will use frozen or canned corn from your garden harvest. Multiply the number by 30 or 40 feet to determine the number of feet needed to be grown for the preserving process.

Divide the number of corn row footage by 100 to find the number of 100-foot rows needed for canning or frozen corn. For example, if 10 people are going to eat preserved corn during the winter, you need to plant 300 to 400 feet of corn rows. That equals three to four 100-foot rows.

Take the total of 100-foot rows and multiply the number by three or four to get the number of ounces of corn seed needed for the preserved vegetable for winter. For example, 300 feet of corn row equals three times four ounces of seed corn. You would order 12 ounces of corn seed for preservation and an additional amount for fresh corn.