There’s nothing like fresh sweet corn from your own garden! Here are a few tips for a successful sweet corn crop…

Folk wisdom says that it is time to plant sweet corn when the oak leaves are the size of squirrels’ ears. If you have no idea how big a squirrel’s ear is, join the club! 🙂  For a more reliable guide, I go by temperature. If you are at least a couple of weeks past your last frost date, and the temperatures during the day are consistently over 70 degrees and the temperatures at night are in the mid-50’s or warmer, it should be safe to plant corn.

Just keep in mind that the cooler the soil is, the longer the corn will take to germinate and start growing, so if in doubt, wait another week. Corn typically is not a super long-season crop, so as long as you have at least a couple of months of warm weather in the summer, you should be able to grow corn – especially if you choose quick-maturing varieties. To get a head start, you can also start your corn indoors or under cover a week or two before planting out, as described in the video below.

Corn likes full sun, and rich soil. It’s a heavy feeder, so you will need to add plenty of finished compost to the bed before planting. Corn also likes plenty of water, especially as the cobs are forming.

For the tastiest sweet corn, harvest just before eating. If you can’t eat all your corn right away, refrigerate as soon after picking as possible, and leave the husks on until ready to peel and eat.

Watch the video here for more tips on growing your own delicious sweet corn: