Whether you garden in the ground, in raised beds, on the patio, or anywhere else, corn is a great addition or re-addition to your plant family. Read on for simple, straightforward specifics about growing corn.
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Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Does Corn Belong To?
Corn (Zea mays) belongs to the Poaceae family, also known as the grass family.
Some of its relatives include sugarcane, sorghum, and lemongrass.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Corn?
The minimum container depth recommended for corn is 10 inches.
A 5-gallon container can hold 2-4 corn plants.
Learn more in our Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden article here.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Corn?
Some of corn's best companions are as follows:
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Corn?
Corn is not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with corn are as follows:
What Soil Conditions Does Corn Need?
Corn prefers loamy, fertile, well-draining soil.
It does especially well in soil high in nitrogen. This is one reason it is so beneficial to grow it with legumes — such as beans and peas — as companion plants.
How Long Does Corn Take to Germinate?
Corn takes 5-21 days to germinate at a temperature of 55-90°F.
How Much Sun Does Corn Need?
Corn needs full sun. It requires a minimum of 6-8 hours of sun per day.
Sun recommendations can vary by region, and corn grown in especially hot areas or in warmer conditions than the ideal temperature range noted below may need some shade.
How Much Water Does Corn Need?
Corn needs 1 inch of water per week.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Corn?
Corn grows fastest in temperatures of 75-90°F.
This is its ideal temperature range. Although it will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, growth could be slower or even stunted.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. Some corn varieties are bred for later harvests and others for warmer climates.
How Tall Does Corn Get?
The average height of corn is 5-12 feet.
Is Corn Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Corn is an annual grain, meaning that it starts and ends its life in the same year.
How Does Corn Reproduce?
Corn reproduces by seed. The kernels that we eat are also the seeds of the plant.
How Much Corn is Produced Per Plant?
For corn, how much is produced per plant (also called the yield) depends on the type, variety, and growing conditions.
Each corn seed (kernel) produces 1 plant consisting of 1 stalk. Most stalks produce 1-2 ears of corn.
Can Corn Be Ingested?
Corn kernels are edible.
Corn silk has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties and can be used in herbal preparations. The most common preparations are tea and tinctures.
An herb:solvent weight ratio of 1:3 at 95% alcohol is suggested for a tincture made with fresh (not dried) corn silk. An herb:solvent weight ratio of 1:5 at 60% alcohol is suggested for a dried corn silk tincture.
There are no known safety concerns associated with ingesting corn kernels or silk.
See this article for more information about ingestibility in general. See the simple uses article linked below for examples of ways to prepare this specific plant.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of corn rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for corn here!
Corn is featured in these Plant to Plate articles: