If you are growing sweet corn, you might be surprised at how much of an impact a couple of doses of fertilizer, applied at the right time, can have on your yields. Not only can this lead to healthier plants, but also larger and denser cobs.
There is nothing better than enjoying the incredible flavor of fresh sweet corn in the summer. Especially when it's freshly picked from your own vegetable garden!
The fresh smell of bright green husks. The crunchy, tender and very juicy kernels. And, of course, the lusciously sweet flavor that only freshly picked corn, plucked from the stalks.
Corn is not the most fastidious and difficult culture. But when planting, growing and harvesting, there are a few tricks that can go a long way in helping your crop reach its full potential.
One of the most important tips is proper and timely fertilization. Unlike many other vegetables, it's not easy to spread an all-purpose fertilizer here.
When to fertilize sweet corn
Sweet corn takes up a significant amount of nutrients from the soil as it grows and matures. And without additional fertilization during the season, it can easily become depleted.
Especially if it's growing in garden soil where corn or other nutrient-rich vegetables were planted the previous year.
But unlike many other vegetables, corn's nutrient needs depend on what stage of the growth cycle it is in.
Sweet corn benefits greatly from three simple and timely topdressings.
The first feeding is at planting. This dose, as you will see below, is different from the next two. It is a very light fertilizer that helps the seeds get established quickly without burning them.
The second fertilizer is applied when the corn is about 4 weeks old.
This dose, like the last feeding (at 8-10 weeks), should be more potent so that the plant can grow large stalks and full ears.
Below we'll look at each stage of fertilization, as well as the best options for providing the necessary nutrients at each stage.
Step 1: fertilizing corn seeds and seedlings
Corn seedlings require a lighter and more balanced dose of fertilizer.
This will help the plant to develop good roots, stalks and foliage. All of these are extremely important to create the conditions for ear formation in the husk.
At this early stage, too strong a fertilizer will do more harm than good. Too strong a fertilizer can not only stunt early growth, but can even kill it.
One of the best fertilizer options for seeds and seedlings is pure compost.
Compost is indeed the best natural balanced fertilizer. What's more, it is easy to make for free at home!
Incorporating compost into the planting furrows provides corn with a ready supply of nutrients at the time of germination.
If the corn is already planted, you can simply feed or mulch the young seedlings with compost to give them a boost.
If you skip this step, not all is lost. You can still help your sweet corn crop by applying a second and third fertilizer.
Steps 2 and 3: how to fertilize sweet corn
The second and third fertilizer applications for sweet corn are by far the most important. It is during this stage that the roots of the crop are trying to assimilate as much energy as possible.
And when it comes to sweet corn, the most important nutrient is nitrogen.
Nitrogen can be quickly depleted from the soil by a corn crop. And replenishing it can be a critical part of growing corn to full maturity.
Phosphorus is also very important, as is potassium, but not as much as nitrogen. Both contribute to root and stalk development.
Combined, all three of these elements can have a significant impact on overall productivity and yield.
There are many fertilizers on the market, but the key is to find one that has an N-P-K ratio, meaning it contains more nitrogen but provides phosphorus and potassium.
The N-P-K ratio means nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in that order. That said, it is better to choose a product with a higher nitrogen ratio to get a higher dose of nitrogen.
Step 2: fertilizing corn in the 4th week of growth
By four weeks, the corn crop is already rooted in the soil and can receive its first stronger dose of nutrients, such as urea, nitrophoska or ammonium nitrate.
The method of fertilizer application is of great importance. It is best to apply fertilizer using the side-dressing method:
- Spread the fertilizer into the soil about 10 centimeters on each side of the main stem in the row.
This allows the crop to absorb nutrients at root level and protects the foliage from fertilizer damage.
Fertilizer left on the foliage or at the base of the stem can be too hot and can easily burn the plant.
The dosage indicated on the package by the manufacturer must be strictly adhered to. It can be varied, but only to a lesser extent. An overabundance of fertilizer will also lead to a negative result.
Step 3: fertilizing corn on the 8th week of growth
Finally, in the 8th-10th week of sowing, another dose of corn fertilizer with NPK 16-16-8, for example nitroammophoska (azophoska), should be applied. Again, apply the fertilizer according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
Corn is a fastidious crop, but it is demanded by gardeners and large farmers. Using fertilizers - mineral and organic together - it is possible to get a good harvest.
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