What did you do in the garden today?

[ChocolateMouse]

So, anyone here grow heirlooms corns? I grew Painted Mountain last year and it was my first year actually bringing corn to fruit. I only grew a patch of 4x4 and I interplanted them with radishes. I ran into some problems that I suspect stemmed from lack of pollination where the ears didn't fill out well. I also found that the plants seemed surprisingly small, only growing a couple feet, and once the radishes were pulled they started to tip over and felt too far apart. I hilled them but actually had to stake them up to keep them from collapsing. They just seemed so small compared to the space they were given.

I was growing one plant per square foot and only grew 16 plants. I plan on growing more this year since last year was somewhat successful. I was thinking of planting fewer radishes between them this year and planting them slightly closer together instead, maybe 3 plants in 2 square feet. That way when the radishes come out they are still helping to sort of support eachother. But the other option is to just not interplant at all and hope that by giving them more space and more plants in total that they will grow and pollinate better. I could also try interplanting something like peas instead but our garden in notoriously bad at producing peas. Beans are out of the question... This corn does not get big enough to support the massive production and growth of our beans.

Anyone got any thoughts?

 

[lazy gardener]

Corn is a heavy feeder. It also needs to be hilled. If you don't get it planted early enough, you end up with stunted plants. It needs LOTS of nutrient in the soil, and you can't skimp on the water. And, you need a big block of it so the ears will fill out. Fussy plant, corn is!

 

[sfgwife]

Wait... sparegrass... dead STALKS..... does not compute. . We walk by the bed and grab the shears that might be layin in it.. just might.... cut a few and walk away. Walk quickly away..... with the stolen goods of course.... in our teefs... i will never get enough for a meal this way.

 

[pennyJo1960]

So, anyone here grow heirlooms corns? I grew Painted Mountain last year and it was my first year actually bringing corn to fruit. I only grew a patch of 4x4 and I interplanted them with radishes. I ran into some problems that I suspect stemmed from lack of pollination where the ears didn't fill out well. I also found that the plants seemed surprisingly small, only growing a couple feet, and once the radishes were pulled they started to tip over and felt too far apart. I hilled them but actually had to stake them up to keep them from collapsing. They just seemed so small compared to the space they were given.

I was growing one plant per square foot and only grew 16 plants. I plan on growing more this year since last year was somewhat successful. I was thinking of planting fewer radishes between them this year and planting them slightly closer together instead, maybe 3 plants in 2 square feet. That way when the radishes come out they are still helping to sort of support eachother. But the other option is to just not interplant at all and hope that by giving them more space and more plants in total that they will grow and pollinate better. I could also try interplanting something like peas instead but our garden in notoriously bad at producing peas. Beans are out of the question... This corn does not get big enough to support the massive production and growth of our beans.

Anyone got any thoughts?

our season is so short here so wet last year our corn did nothing but listen to lazy there I did support ours with tomato cages

Corn is a heavy feeder. It also needs to be hilled. If you don't get it planted early enough, you end up with stunted plants. It needs LOTS of nutrient in the soil, and you can't skimp on the water. And, you need a big block of it so the ears will fill out. Fussy plant, corn is!

I did support ours with tomato cages

 

[CapricornFarm]

So, anyone here grow heirlooms corns? I grew Painted Mountain last year and it was my first year actually bringing corn to fruit. I only grew a patch of 4x4 and I interplanted them with radishes. I ran into some problems that I suspect stemmed from lack of pollination where the ears didn't fill out well. I also found that the plants seemed surprisingly small, only growing a couple feet, and once the radishes were pulled they started to tip over and felt too far apart. I hilled them but actually had to stake them up to keep them from collapsing. They just seemed so small compared to the space they were given.

I was growing one plant per square foot and only grew 16 plants. I plan on growing more this year since last year was somewhat successful. I was thinking of planting fewer radishes between them this year and planting them slightly closer together instead, maybe 3 plants in 2 square feet. That way when the radishes come out they are still helping to sort of support eachother. But the other option is to just not interplant at all and hope that by giving them more space and more plants in total that they will grow and pollinate better. I could also try interplanting something like peas instead but our garden in notoriously bad at producing peas. Beans are out of the question... This corn does not get big enough to support the massive production and growth of our beans.

Anyone got any thoughts?

Plant them in a block rather than one long row. Plant a lot more. Fertilize heavily and water a lot. Stand back! They will spring up! Do you add manure to your soil, or compost?

 

[chickmom3941]

We're having a rare January thaw here, low 40's today and tomorrow (then back into the freezer). I've decided to open the pen door and give the ladies an opportunity to get outside for a change, if they want. It's a long winter cooped up here, so when the weather permits, I'm giving them the option to go out.

 

[deepbluesea]

I grow country gentleman corn every couple of years. It's a white shoepeg heirloom--really tasty. Like lazy g said, it is a very heavy feeder. I heavily amend the soil with compost and also give the plants a hit of nitrogen-rich compost when the tassels start to come out. If you plant in a block and rub the heads and tassels together (imitating/supplementing wind fertilization), you may get better fill-in on your ears.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I planted in a block. I plant everything in blocks as close as reasonable because I have limited garden space so I do kind of a lazier square foot/biointensive garden system and plant everything as close together as I can. My beds are heavily amended with rotted animal manure and compost... Mostly hay that I use as feed/bedding for my rabbits that has absorbed a lot of urine, but also a good amount of chicken manure mixed with wood chips, straw and newspaper and a fair amount of kitchen scraps. It gets aged for 6 months-1 year then goes in the beds. I also supplement with drywall scraps and egg shells because we have calcium deficiencies. I mulch with aged (1yr) wood chips from the bottom of my chicken pen and chopped grassy weeds. My lawn is soggy so I plant in raised beds and I don't water often. It REALLY doesn't need it.

I will try the tassels thing and try planting more this year.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Ok, so I did more work planning my garden. I have about 20 square feet I still need to fill. Eight of that is open (big plants OK) but in partial shade. The other 12 is in full sun but is in a row and needs smaller plants.

What should I fill these spaces with? Here's my current list;
Flint Corn x22
Green Beans x38
Marigolds x 12
Paste Tomatoes x57
Sweet peas x96
Kale x8
Carrots x168
Green Onions x6
Head lettuce x8
Leaf lettuce x16
Crown Pumpkin x8
Nasturium x16
Spinach x32
Cucumbers x12
Gem Melon x4
ButternutSquash x8
Zucchini x4
Herbs x12 (Various)
Mammoth Dill x3
Anaheim x6
Jalepeno x8
Cayenne x8
Black Beauty (green) Bell Pepper x8
Swt Choco (red) Bell Pepper x8
Leeks x8
Cauliflower x8
Radishes x A billion (all over the place between other plants, filling in after other harvests etc.)
Potatoes (two 4x4 boxes)
Strawberries and black raspberries and blueberries elsewhere

Tried broccoli last year and it didn't go well.
And I decided to not do bulb onions this year.

 

[Mama Runner]

I just can't seem to help myself. Got back from a nasty nasty nasty nasty deployment, found out I was out of remission, THUS BEING FORCED TO RETIRE,been really cold here. So what would any of you do????

Well I went to Dollar tree were they have seed packs 4 for $1.00. OOPSIE POOPSIE I BOUGHT EVERY SEED IN THE PLACE. Now I have to go get the seed starter Tomorrow. I promise I won't go overboard and buy every bag they have.