Ideal Climate & Soil for Corn Growth
Corn (Zea mays) has been a summer staple in American gardens for the past 4,000 years. Home growers today can continue to enjoy this warm-season vegetable, provided that their climate and soil offers good light, optimal fertility and a sufficiently long growing season. By selecting varieties best suited for your climate and ensuring soil composition is nutrient-rich, even inexperienced home gardeners can successfully raise this sweet summer vegetable.
Corn is a summer crop that is best grown in a climate that offers warm weather and long sun-filled days. Seedlings do not transplant well, so the best approach is to plant seeds directly into the soil. However, in areas where growing seasons are short, seeds can be started indoors using biodegradable pots. Corn is sensitive to frost, and if planted too early, an entire crop can be lost. To be safe, do not plant corn until at least two weeks after the last spring frost date. The time for corn to grow to harvest can vary considerably. Varieties such as Earlivee and Seneca Horizon can be grown in just 58 to 65 days, whereas cultivars like Camelot, Platinum Lady and Silver Queen need 86 to 92 days to harvest. Therefore, it is essential that gardeners select corn best suited for the length of their climate's growing season.
Besides warm sunny weather, corn requires rich, moist soil. In addition, before planting seeds, make sure soil temperature ranges between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, corn seeds will not germinate properly. In colder climates, cover the soil with black plastic beforehand to help warm the soil more quickly. The ideal soil for growing corn is well-drained, preferably a sandy loam. Organic matter such as compost, leaves and grass clippings can be added to soil to improve its overall quality and improve drainage, particularly for heavy clay soil. Like most vegetables, corn grows best in soil with a pH between 5.8 and 6.8.
Fertilizer and Amendments
To prepare garden soil for corn, the previous fall add aged manure or compost to your expected planting site, to create a nutrient-rich soil. Corn needs soil with high levels of nitrogen for proper growth and development; thus, additional fertilizer can be added at planting or during the growing season. Yellowing leaves are a common sign of nitrogen deficiency. If this occurs, gardeners should add a side dressing of fertilizer like fish emulsion, chicken manure or compost. In addition, lime or sulfur can be added to soil to adjust pH to an ideal level for growing corn.
Your local extension service can provide testing to ensure your garden soil contains the ideal nutrient levels and is the correct pH for growing corn. The extension can also recommend the best varieties of corn to grow for the local climate.
- The Old Farmer's Almanac: Corn
- Cornell University: Sweet Corn
- National Gardening Association: Sweet Corn
- Organic Gardening: Sweet Corn
- University of Illinois Extension: Corn
- Mother Earth News: All About Growing Sweet Corn
- National Gardening Association: Corn Growing: Getting Started
- Organic Gardening: Corn: A Growing Guide
Rachel Delp has been writing and editing for academic and medical publications since 1992. She is based in the mountains of southern Spain and her work focuses on health care, travel and culinary subjects. Her articles can be found on various websites. Delp holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with a minor in art from Moravian College.