Bethany Backer
Varieties for Growing Corn in Containers
As you grow corn in pots, choose a dwarf variety that does not exceed 4 or 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m) height. Some good choices are short stemmed ‘Trinity’ and ‘Sweet Painted Mountain’.
Planting
Sow four to six seeds per pot about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep and rake a bit of soil above them. Don’t worry if the corn is planted together closely in a pot. In fact, sowing seeds closely helps in pollination and allow the corn to fruit abundantly.
Requirements
Sweet corn needs full sun, plenty of water and fertile soil to thrive. It depends on the wind for pollination, which is best achieved when the corn is planted in a block of several short rows.
Mulch around the corn to hold in moisture. Use wood chips, newspapers or grass to help prevent moisture loss. Mulching also keeps weeds to a minimum.
Soil
Corn plants require soil that retains moisture without drying out quickly but drains well enough so it doesn’t become soggy or waterlogged. A peat based potting soil works best for them.
Water
Water the plant every other day, keeping the soil constantly moist. Water is important ingredient to get sweet and soft corns, especially at the time of fruiting you’ll need to water your potted corns more.
Fertilizer
Add fertilizer after 10 weeks from sowing. Dig a hole about 2 cm in depth and diameter around each plant. Pour 1/2 tablespoons of 5-10-10 or 10-20-20 fertilizer per plant, and incorporate the soil.
Harvesting
If you know how to grow corn in pots, you can grow your own corns without the need of lot of space, usually corns are ready to harvest between 60 to 100 days after planting, depending on the variety and weather conditions.
As you grow corn in pots, choose a dwarf variety that does not exceed 4 or 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m) height. Some good choices are short stemmed ‘Trinity’ and ‘Sweet Painted Mountain’.
Planting
Sow four to six seeds per pot about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep and rake a bit of soil above them. Don’t worry if the corn is planted together closely in a pot. In fact, sowing seeds closely helps in pollination and allow the corn to fruit abundantly.
Requirements
Sweet corn needs full sun, plenty of water and fertile soil to thrive. It depends on the wind for pollination, which is best achieved when the corn is planted in a block of several short rows.
Mulch around the corn to hold in moisture. Use wood chips, newspapers or grass to help prevent moisture loss. Mulching also keeps weeds to a minimum.
Soil
Corn plants require soil that retains moisture without drying out quickly but drains well enough so it doesn’t become soggy or waterlogged. A peat based potting soil works best for them.
Water
Water the plant every other day, keeping the soil constantly moist. Water is important ingredient to get sweet and soft corns, especially at the time of fruiting you’ll need to water your potted corns more.
Fertilizer
Add fertilizer after 10 weeks from sowing. Dig a hole about 2 cm in depth and diameter around each plant. Pour 1/2 tablespoons of 5-10-10 or 10-20-20 fertilizer per plant, and incorporate the soil.
Harvesting
If you know how to grow corn in pots, you can grow your own corns without the need of lot of space, usually corns are ready to harvest between 60 to 100 days after planting, depending on the variety and weather conditions.
