Growing Corn

5 / 26 / 23

It’s time to start late spring and summer flowers & veggie’s

Photo: Farmers Almanac

Corn can be fickle, it likes warm weather and the bugs and four-legged critters may eat all of yours before you can get to it. Native Americans planted corn with beans and once the beans sprout they planted squash at the base of the corn. The beans will use the corn stalk as a trellis and the squash leaves will protect the base of the corn which grows very shallow. This is called The Three Sisters or Companion Planting.
Plant corn directly in the garden where it will receive at least 6 hours of sun, water well and help the pollen to reach the tassels. Each tassel that gets pollinated turns into a kernel. To make sure the plant is getting pollinated, shake the tassels so the pollen falls onto them, nature will take it from there. The ears are ready to harvest when the silks turn from light yellow to dark brown.

To cook, grill, steam or pop in the microwave. Leave the husk on the corn if you microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes (for two ears), add an extra minute with more ears. Let them slightly cool and peel the husk and silk off the corn.

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Companion Planting

3 / 21 / 153 / 28 / 15

What is Companion Planting

Two or more plant types as to be beneficial to each other. Companion planting will help with pest control, higher yields, healthier soil and to keep weeds away.

Some flowers (marigolds, nasturtiums) can act as trap crops to attract insects away from vegetable crops. Aromatic herbs (basil, rosemary, lavender, sage) repel many insects away from more susceptible plants (tomatoes)

Umbel flowers, dill, fennel, parsley attract beneficial insects to the garden. The large flower heads provide a place where they beneficials can land and rest while they feed. Be sure to plant extra around the garden and let them go to seed. You may get some volunteers the next year (from all the seed flying around) but you can just dig those up and transplant them, free plants!

Here are some classic combinations.

3 sisters, corn, beans, squash. Plant corn and beans first, squash a couple of weeks later; beans feed nitrogen into the soil for both corn and squash, the squash leaves will protect the shallow roots of the corn and beans will grow up the corn stalks.

Basil and tomatoes are a classic example of companion planting. Plant carrots around the base of the tomatoes, they’ll be ready for harvest before the tomato plants go wild. No brassicas (cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts) with tomatoes. No peppers or eggplant near or within the last year in the same spot. They are in the same family and can transfer soil born diseases.

Plant some of the umbel plants near tomatoes for help with hornworm which helps attract parasitic wasps and their larvae will feed on the hornworms.

Beans and potatoes.

While these grow together well don’t plant the beans near the corn as we talked about before. Another row of beans never hurt to have around so plant away from the squash and plant with potatoes. Potato doesn’t like squash, cucumbers or sunflowers.

Lettuce and radish

Both with tolerate less sun than 6 hrs. and the radish will be ready to harvest before lettuce starts getting big, neither one likes the heat.

Sunflowers & Pumpkins

A natural combination that get along well