Sweet Corn Planting & Growing Guide

Choose a garden plot. The area should receive a minimum of seven hours of direct sunlight. Use a spade or similar garden tool and breakup the soil to a depth of 6 inches.

Amend the soil. Spread 3 lbs. of basic 12-12-12 garden fertilizer for every 100 square feet of soil. Mix the fertilizer into the dirt.

Plant the sweet corn kernels. Bury each kernel 1.5 inches deep and separate the kernels by approximately 10 inches. If you're planting more than one row of sweet corn, separate each row by 3 feet.

Water the seeds once a day until they germinate, typically within 10 to 14 days. Reduce watering so that the soil has time to dry out between watering sessions. Use a screwdriver or pencil and check the soil at a depth of approximately 10 inches. Water when the soil is dry at this depth.

Fertilize with 12-12-12 fertilizer a second time once the corn has reached a height of approximately 24 inches. This gives the plants an additional nutrient boost as they prepare to begin producing corn.

Harvest the sweet corn ears when the silky tassels are brown. The ear should feel firm to the touch and have large kernels at the tip of the corn ear. Grab the base of the ear and pull it down and away from the corn stalk to break it off.