Tips on Planting Corn

Sunlight

• Your first consideration is where to plant the seeds. As a grain, corn needs abundant sunlight to thrive, so do not plant the seeds beneath trees or in the shade of your home. Of equal importance is a consideration of the corn itself providing shade. A full-grown cornstalk will often stand as tall as an adult, casting strong shade on the plants to the north. If your garden hosts a diversity of plant types, bear this in mind when selecting the corn's neighbors. Plant shade-loving plants to the north.

Soil

• Corn grows best in loose soil, as the thin roots have a difficult time spreading through hard dirt such as clay. Additionally, corn needs a great deal of nitrate to thrive, and when selecting fertilizers or compost, select ones that are nitrate rich. Alternatively, you can companion plant with beans, as the bacteria in the beans' root system naturally replenish nitrates within the soil. In return, the beans' vines can climb the corn stalk to reach more sunlight. Often, these companions were planted along with squash by Central Americans. Together, they were known as "The Three Sisters" and continue to be upheld today as a model of companion planting.

Spacing

• Research by S. Riahinia and S.M. Dehdashti, published in the Journal of Biological Sciences, shows that for the highest yield, corn rows should be spaced at a distance of .35 m, roughly 13.5 inches. Rows should also run east-west. This reduces the amount of shade cast by corn in the row immediately to the north. Within the row, individual seeds should be planted at a distance of 9 inches. This will allow their roots to spread without excessively interfering with their neighbor.

Depth

• In a tightly planted garden, the depth at which you plant your seeds is of particular importance. Seeds that emerge even a day later than their neighbors will ultimately become stunted as the plants around them grow faster and take more sunlight. To prevent this from happening, Delta Farm Press magazine, quoting E. Nafziger, professor of crop sciences at the University of Illinois, maintains that uniform depth in planting can result in the highest yields. In most conditions, each seed should be planted at a depth of 1.5 to 1.75 inches.