Corn not growing...

[masawyer]

Our main garden is in the shade a good part of the day, which for many of the
plants is OK since it is so hot and dry here right now. But our corn is only about 2 feet high and starting to tassel. Will plants that are only this high produce full size/good tasting sweet corn? I'm debating about pulling it out and planting something else. Oh, this corn was planted in April!

I know it is not the seed because I have a corn patch in full sun and the corn is doing great and has passed the first planting even though there was about 6 weeks different in planting time.

Thanks,

Marsha in HOT OK

[Oldcountryboy]

I don't think your gonna get much of a harvest. A lot of people here in N.E. OKlahoma is doing the very same thing. Mine a little bit stunted but it's not doing bad for all the cold rain we had and all the triple digit heat we're getting right now. I try to keep my corn hilled. I till up the soil between the corn rows and then I sprinkle 10-10-10 fertilizer around the base of my corn plants. Then I hill them like you would do potatoe plants. I usually do this twice throughout the growing season. Once when they are about 10 inches tall and then again when they are about 2 or 3 feet tall. Each time you hill the corn the stalk will send out more roots to collect more nutrients and moisture. The hills will hold more moisture in when it very dry.

[masawyer]

Thanks. I'll have to try that. I do wonder if the problem is the shade as
well.

Marsha in OK

[geo in mi]

Sweet corn needs full sun, lots of nitrogen fertility, and lots of water to make big stalks and big full ears(even though there are some varieties of early/small corn). If you are near trees, as well as shaded by them the tree roots may have sucked out all the fertility and moisture. Stunted sweet corn will go through the process of trying to make ears, but usually they are stunted, too(nubbins) and will have few, if any dedeloped kernels.

geo

[masawyer]

Thanks. We're gonna just pull it up and plant...what? It's too early for a fall
garden here. I'll have to look through my seeds. What WOULD like the shade?

Marsha in OK

[geo in mi]

Originally Posted by masawyer

Thanks. We're gonna just pull it up and plant...what? It's too early for a fall
garden here. I'll have to look through my seeds. What WOULD like the shade?

Marsha in OK

Frankly, there's not much that will germinate in this heat, likes shade, and has enough time to develop. I would try sowing some buckwheat for fertility, then wait six weeks so the sun will be lower--then try some fall crops of lettuce, spinach, radishes, etc that might make it. Next year, I would cut down the trees.......

geo