Raised Bed Corn

[Doelman]

Last year when I tried to grow corn in my raised bed, things didn't work out so well. I had 6" of uncompacted soil and a weed barrier underneath, all my corn started to fall sideways once they hit about 2-3'. Fast forward to this year, I removed the weed barrier thinking that would let them root better and deeper so they wouldn't be so prone to falling over. Well my stalks that are hitting 2' are starting to get that lean to them. Has anyone grown corn in a raised bed successfully? Any tips? I'm thinking of putting some stakes down at the corners of the bed and dropping some pea netting around them around the base of the plants.

 

[Chuck]

Last year when I tried to grow corn in my raised bed, things didn't work out so well. I had 6" of uncompacted soil and a weed barrier underneath, all my corn started to fall sideways once they hit about 2-3'. Fast forward to this year, I removed the weed barrier thinking that would let them root better and deeper so they wouldn't be so prone to falling over. Well my stalks that are hitting 2' are starting to get that lean to them. Has anyone grown corn in a raised bed successfully? Any tips? I'm thinking of putting some stakes down at the corners of the bed and dropping some pea netting around them around the base of the plants.

Corn under good growing conditions will reach a depth of at least 2 feet. Regular watering of corn doesn't allow for deep growth and that is why your plants are falling over. Don't water so much. Also your corn plants should be no further apart than about 1 foot. Corn roots intertwine and help hold up tall plants plus the taller the plants get the more support is given by surrounding plants. This and a deep root system will keep your plants straight.

 

[Greenhorn]

I have been modestly successful growing a small amounts of corn in a raised bed. In addition to what Chuck says you should be familiar with Corn Pollination. It also has a tie in to how far apart it should be planted, noting Chuck's recommendation of no greater than 1' apart... for both structural stability and pollination.

http://www.aganytime.com/Corn/Pages/Article.aspx?article=910

 

[Doelman]

I'm only watering twice a week, unless it rains then I water less. My soil drains well and I know it's getting down through the soil 6" to the residual, but that residual soil is garbage, has a lot of clay and I know doesn't drain well. I doubt a lot of water is getting through that. We also had rain for 4 days straight a few weeks ago, I guess that could have spread the root system out instead of down as well. Corn plants are spaced at 6" intervals, rows are spaced at 10" intervals, if anything they're too close from what I've read. From what you guys are saying, maybe they'll straighten up when the rest of the plants grow. I'm planting the rows in two week intervals for pollination and harvesting purposes so the two foot plants that are starting to lean aren't getting a lot of front and back support from other plants.

 

[Chuck]

I'm only watering twice a week, unless it rains then I water less. My soil drains well and I know it's getting down through the soil 6" to the residual, but that residual soil is garbage, has a lot of clay and I know doesn't drain well. I doubt a lot of water is getting through that. We also had rain for 4 days straight a few weeks ago, I guess that could have spread the root system out instead of down as well. Corn plants are spaced at 6" intervals, rows are spaced at 10" intervals, if anything they're too close from what I've read. From what you guys are saying, maybe they'll straighten up when the rest of the plants grow. I'm planting the rows in two week intervals for pollination and harvesting purposes so the two foot plants that are starting to lean aren't getting a lot of front and back support from other plants.

One thorough watering per week is more than enough. Frequent shallow watering leads to shallow root systems. When you water soak it and don't water again until it is DRY 2 or 3 inches deep.

 

[Tech]

Sounds like light is the issue.

Also ive grown corn in extremely small pots. Doubt the bed size Is issue

 

[Doelman]

We've received tons of rain here in the southeast, almost two weeks of rain every or every other day. Virtually all corn plants are leaning, some worse than others. I can press the soil around them down a bit and get them to stand a little more straight, but as soon as it rains again they start a heavy lean. I'm thinking of putting a couple stakes down on either side of the rows and doing a Florida weave around the bases to help them stay straight.

Another issue, my tallest plants are about 3' and they're already completely tasseled out. Maybe all this water is stressing them out, hopefully they'll still produce ok. They all look really healthy aside from the premature tassels and gangster lean.

 

[Chuck]

We've received tons of rain here in the southeast, almost two weeks of rain every or every other day. Virtually all corn plants are leaning, some worse than others. I can press the soil around them down a bit and get them to stand a little more straight, but as soon as it rains again they start a heavy lean. I'm thinking of putting a couple stakes down on either side of the rows and doing a Florida weave around the bases to help them stay straight.

Another issue, my tallest plants are about 3' and they're already completely tasseled out. Maybe all this water is stressing them out, hopefully they'll still produce ok. They all look really healthy aside from the premature tassels and gangster lean.

With all of the rain and being tasseled out I would worry about smut. The ears will have started to form and if you see any weird growth with the ears I am afraid your crop will be greatly diminished.

 

[headfullofbees]

Some varieties of corn only grow to three feet or so.
They grow these varieties in Southern Scotland, in sheet mulch. I've seen fields and fields of them on my way to my holiday home.
They are good for short seasons and/or windy aspects.

 

[Doelman]

With all of the rain and being tasseled out I would worry about smut. The ears will have started to form and if you see any weird growth with the ears I am afraid your crop will be greatly diminished.

What's smut? I would normally just google it but I'm at work.... lol
This was before I did a Florida weave, pretty terrible. The weave helps but the taller ones will no longer stand straight no matter what. I really don't understand what I'm doing wrong.

 

[Chuck]

What's smut? I would normally just google it but I'm at work.... lol
This was before I did a Florida weave, pretty terrible. The weave helps but the taller ones will no longer stand straight no matter what. I really don't understand what I'm doing wrong.

Corn smut is a weird fungal disease that can affect the entire plant but normally only shows up on the ears. Google corn smut pictures. Many times after the soil dries the corn plants will stand up straight by themselves reaching for the sun.

 

[Doelman]

Corn smut is a weird fungal disease that can affect the entire plant but normally only shows up on the ears. Google corn smut pictures. Many times after the soil dries the corn plants will stand up straight by themselves reaching for the sun.

Ahhh ok, I've heard of it before. Apparently it's a delicacy in Mexico.

 

[Durgan]

I picked a large amount of corn smut in a commercial field. It is usually present, particularly in wet years. I tried cooking various ways but found it basically unappealing.
Corn Smut (Ustilago maydis)
Posted on August 19, 2011 by Durgan
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZEZSS 19 August 2011 Corn Smut (Ustilago maydis)

Being curious about the edibility of Corn Smut, it was decided to give it a try. In my garden there were four plants infected so these were tried first. The fungus was cooked in butter with garlic and onions and a tomato. It tasted just fine, but really did not give me the flavor of the fungus. The “nut”,my own description, reminds me of a mushroom only grown on corn.

I went to a commercial corn grower and asked to check their field of sweet corn. About a pound of Corn Smut was collected and cooked. This time the Smut was cooked in butter and a splash of soy sauce was added. I ate the half pound, and found it quite good. There was a slight corn taste and the texture was slightly chewy. It would probably make a nice side dish for a typical meal if cooked in the manner described. Apparently the product is touted to be nutritious. There are many recipes touting how to cook on the Internet.

Huitlacoche (WEET-LA-KO-CHEE),(also cuitlacoche), corn smut is highly rated and consumed in Mexico, and is being touted as a nascent gourmet food to the USA.



The membrane surrounding the “egg” if not broken makes for a quality “nut”. Spores form when the membrane is broken, but this portion my be cut away or even utilized.The spores remind me of the billions of spores that emulate from a puff ball,when dry. I will keep some spores and use them to inoculate my corn patch in 2012 to determine if quantity and quality of the smut can be increased.

 

[hummingbird]

My raised bed corn "lodged" in my new bed, too. I kept reading that they would fix themselves. I put straw mulch around them and propped them up a tiny bit. They did straighten out, are strong, and are almost ready for harvest.