How to Grow Soybeans and Corn Together

Farmers have interplanted corn with other vegetables for centuries to save space. Corn grows tall and slender, up toward the sun, leaving plenty of room around the ground for other crops to grow. Corn is notoriously sensitive to weeds, and gardeners could spend all their time keeping unwanted plants away from their crop. Planting soybeans under the corn is a good use of space and a practical way to cut down on the amount of weeds that steal nutrients from your plants.

Instructions

- 1
  Build furrows or hills with mounds of soil, 4 to 6 inches wide, in early spring once soil is warm enough to work. The space between the furrows should be flat and level.
- 2
  Plant corn seeds 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep, one to each hill. If you are planting corn in furrows, space the seeds 4 to 6 inches apart in each row.
- 3
  Sow soybean seeds between corn seeds, in the flat spaces between plants, 1 inch deep into the soil. Space soybeans in rows 2 feet apart.
- 4
  Watch for the appearance of corn seedlings. When the new growth appears, add another 2 inches of soil to the furrows. Take care not to bury the plants with dirt while doing so.
- 5
  Test soybeans for ripeness once pods appear. If the beans in the pod feel firm, but not hard, you can harvest them. Harvest soybeans before the pods turn yellow.
- 6
  Harvest corn by snapping ears straight off the stalks with a downward twisting motion after the silks appear. The kernels of corn will emit a faintly milky liquid when squeezed when the ears are ripe.

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