Wow! What a set-up! That sounds ideal! You have seriously given me some ideas – because we have a great raw-milk dairy farm just down the road (Dungeness Valley Creamery), where I have purchased quality manure in the past for my garlic beds. We have 2 of the big totes to collect rainwater off our barn metal roof – but I didn’t think of making manure tea in them. Right now, the overflow is routed to ponds, which overflows to nearby garden areas. Hmm. If I change things up, now is a good time to do it. You got me thinking. Thanks!

Great input Blythe
As mentioned on a previous post I’m a big proponent of cow manure compost in my gardens. A wonderful dairy farmer in Port orchard is my go to supplier, organic, quality product. I usually decompose two years because of the volume I gather annually. I have a dozen 330gallon IBC totes I gravity feed my rainwater to. I use mesh onion bags packed with manure, add them to my totes and produce a wonderful nitrogen based tea for both gardens. At season end I spray the balance on my fields. The collected water is a fire suppression resource as well.
Can’t wait til May 15, my go to corn plant date
Happy gardening

Hey there, Cowboy – I am hoping John sees your comment and gets back to us all. I have the same questions. I gotta say – 20 TONS of manure & compost??? I am having serious compost envy right now!!! We have a dairy farm near us, too, that sells manure and compost (Dungeness Valley Creamery). I plan on hitting them up in the spring. Sounds like you have an awesome farm! Wishing you a great season!

Hi John! I still think you have the best write-up on how to grow corn around here – or just about anywhere with relatively cool summers (and in my case, the big challenges are enough sun, enough soil nutrients, and the wind). I thought maybe by replying again to your comment, you might get a notification and see that “Cowboy” over in Gig Harbor has a few questions for you – as do I! Curious about what variety of corn you are growing these days – and if you have a preference on where to get it. Here in Sequim, my go-to outlet is Sunny Farms. They carry corn, peas, and potatoes in bulk. Thanks!

Holy Smokes. I don’t think that’s a tariff hike! I subscribe to Robert Pavlis’ website, Garden Myths. He recently wrote an article on fish fertilizer — bottom line, extremely expensive source of nitrogen compared with good ol’ manure and compost – and a reminder that when we use organic sources, we are actually feeding the microbes in the soil with an assortment of nutrients. I don’t always agree with Mr. Pavlis, because I am very pro-organic, but I still find his posts informative. And like Mr. Pavlis, I am beginning to re-think my use of fish Fert, which I’ve always considered one of the ultimate garden amendments. It’s one thing if it is a waste product (e.g., fish guts), but quite another if it’s the whole fish (i.e., depleting fish populations). Here is a link to a letter from Alaska Fish Fertilizer on how fish are processed into fertilizer. Interesting that the fish do not come from Alaska, but come from the Menhaden fish that live in the Atlantic and Caribbean. Perhaps something more local that doesn’t require this level of processing is a better option?

I agree. Alaskan Fish emulsion went from 13 bucks a gallon 2 years ago to 32 a gallon at Depot today, even on Amazon.
Anyone have more cost effective recommendations?
Thanks

Thank you for the details of your approach to growing corn on the Peninsula. I’m on the Peninsula as well near Gig Harbor, real Sandy soil.
I found a dairy farmer in Port Orchard so I amend annually. I got about 20 ton over the last 3 years, lol.
Where do you purchase your seeds, and what brand are you planting?
Another season is approaching soon.
Updated all my drip irrigation this week. I have 20-24”x16’ raised beds. Planted some carryover onions and potatoes this week.
Happy Gardening neighbor

This is such a good write-up. Thank you so much, John. I might just have to start growing corn again.

Agree! Thank you, John, for chiming in on Mike’s comment! Good advice!

Then I place 2 seeds in each pot, in opposing corners. I poke at the the soil in the corner, with a skewer stick, under the seed to cause the seed to fall into a small hole I use the skewer to put dirt over the seed. 100 seeds per tray. I make 3 trays this way. I keep these damp to germinate indoors 2 weeks before planting. It’s well above 60mdegrees indoors so they germinate readily. They hardly take up any room at all.

During the two weeks for germination I use a chemical test kit to measure soil potash, potassium, nitrogen, and pH. I make the necessary soil amendments (usually just nitrogen here), and prep the soil as usual.

Before the corn is 4″ tall it goes into the ground 16 inches apart and the rows also 16 inches apart, but staggered such that an adjacent row seeds are not lined up like cars in a parking lot, instead it makes the yield sign shaped pattern, a plant on each point. Because the two seeds were in opposite corners the roots are not entangled so the plant and half of the potting soil from the 2×2 go into the ground.

They go in the ground between May 15 and June 15. When I dig the hole for the plant I make it too deep, add fertilizer to the bottom of the hole and cover up the fertilizer with an inch of soil, then the plant goes in. When it’s ready it can choose when and what to do with that food.

Then I make sure to water and not over water. In three or four weeks if the corn yellows slightly I add more nitrogen. I have very bad nitrogen deficiency here.

I always have a harvest that allows me to supply all my neighbors at Labor Day weekend (Now!) so will harvest and share out around 250 ears today.

My corn plot is in sunniest part of my property, it is 30 ft by 17 feet, I squeeze in 11 to12 rows.

Early weeding is a must, I use a long handled dirt scraper and try as I may not to I always damage a plant or two, but I have backup plants outgrowing the pots on account there is not room for 300 in the garden, only about 250. There are about 20 left because 30 failed to germinate (10%), seems about the average.

When they are too tall to walk amongst I give up on weeding. Some years I have planted spinach between the corn. If your gonna have weeds, why not edible ones?

Anyway, I have to stop typing and start harvesting! It’s corn day! yum!

Cheers!

9/1/2024

I find if I harvest too late, even a little too late the corn is less sweet and more starchy.

Raccoons and skunks can wreck havoc in a corn patch, for sure! I, too, am a big fan of fish emulsion and kelp. Others have also told me that raccoons just can’t resist the fish and will dig up any area they smell it. Some ideas I’ve heard for repelling them: installing strong lighting (they prefer to forage in darkness), solid fences (possibly a used dog kennel around a patch?), solar-powered sound emitters used to repel rodents and small mammals – or how about connecting a radio to a timer?, and spreading blood meal, wood ashes, or predator urine around the perimeter of the garden and re-applying after a rain (or maybe all three–I have heard of people getting good results with deer repellent and that it only smells bad right at first, but the animals can smell it long after we can’t). Or stop using fish & kelp and just use compost. Good luck! Thanks for bringing this up!

Fish emulsion makes the coons and skunks dig out my plants. So does Kelp meal

Sorry! Too many variables & not my expertise. I did not grow corn this year. Best of luck to you, tho!

I agreed! (as you can see by my reply). Kelp, fish fertilizer, mycorrhizal fungi, green manures, compost, and mulch are my go-to soil builders. I notice that Home Depot (for one) carries a lot of Miracle Grow products, many of which say “organic.” Personally, I don’t touch them. The organic label can be confusing. Suffice to say, not all “organics” are made alike! Thanks for your comment, Curt. You make some good points.

Coming from a true Nebraskan, that is quite a compliment! Thank you! Sorry I didn’t take time to respond sooner, because your note seriously made my day! I didn’t grow corn this year for the exact reasons you noted: space, fertilizer, water, pests…and unreliable “heat units.” Not to mention wind. BUT – last year, I traded some seeds with a gardener in Ohio who sent me what I called “magic corn.” I never got around to writing a blog post about it, but maybe I still will, because they were the most spectacular plants in the garden. One visitor said, “Wow. I feel like I’ve been transplanted to Kansas or something!” The variety was “Bloody Butcher.” It grew sky high; the kernels were a gorgeous deep maroon; they can be ground into a wonderful flour or meal; flavor was simply outstanding. (Jeremy, if you are reading this, I was reluctant to plant them, but I am sure glad I did – and I just might make more room for them next year because they were so much fun.)

And I have to add, I am quite impressed with the fact that you practiced dryland farming! We could learn a few tips from you!

Hey, Marv – I’m no expert when it comes to growing corn — I would trust your neighbor! Local knowledge is always the best. Where we live (Pacific Northwest), not enough heat is usually our problem, not too much. That said, when I’ve had starchy corn, it was usually because either I waited too long to harvest it or because I didn’t cook it immediately after harvesting. I don’t really have the room for corn, but a friend gave me some seeds to try this year, so I stuck them in the ground. Zowie! The stuff is 15 feet tall! The kernels are red (“Bloody Butcher” is the variety) and are supposed to be dried and ground into flour. Can’t wait! This corn has been a real highlight in the garden. Maybe you should try a different variety? At least with this dried corn, I have more wiggle room when it comes to that “just right” time to harvest it. And we love having fresh cornbread and polenta over the winter. Course, I agree, when you get it right, there’s nothing like good sweet corn that goes from the garden to the cookpot or the griddle! Hope you have better luck next year!