Corn Planting Row Spacing
Growing sweet corn in your home vegetable garden will allow you to enjoy this crop all summer long. However, you have to space corn properly for it to pollinate correctly. Corn is usually planted in rows of three or more for optimum pollination efficiency. Because corn is pollinated by the wind, the rows of corn need to be close enough and in large enough quantities that they will get pollinated. When planting, space corn rows about 30 inches apart. This makes it easy for the wind to pollinate the corn and provides the gardener easy access to the pick the fresh corn once it is ripe.
Prepare your garden for planting corn. Plant corn in a square that measures at least 8 feet by 8 feet. You can plant corn in a larger area as well.
- Growing sweet corn in your home vegetable garden will allow you to enjoy this crop all summer long.
- Because corn is pollinated by the wind, the rows of corn need to be close enough and in large enough quantities that they will get pollinated.
Measure your rows lengthwise. Run the hoe as close to the outer edge of your corn bed as possible. Create a 1- to 2-inch-deep furrow in the soil. Make the furrow as straight as possible.
Sprinkle corn seeds into the furrow. Space each seed about 9 to 12 inches apart. Cover the seeds with soil.
- Measure your rows lengthwise.
- Sprinkle corn seeds into the furrow.
Measure from the first furrow about 30 inches width-wise into the corn bed. Start your new furrow here. Keep measuring the space from the first furrow to the second as you make the new furrow with the hoe. Make sure your furrows are evenly spaced. Lay the measuring tape on the ground to get the most accurate measurement.
Repeat steps 2 through 4 until you have planted your entire corn bed.
Tip
Corn row spacing can be up to 36 inches apart and as close as 20 to 15 inches, but 30 inches is standard.
Warning
Planting more corn will result in higher chances of pollination than planting less corn.
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References
Tips
- Corn row spacing can be up to 36 inches apart and as close as 20 to 15 inches, but 30 inches is standard.
Warnings
- Planting more corn will result in higher chances of pollination than planting less corn.
Writer Bio
Hollan Johnson is a freelance writer and contributing editor for many online publications. She has been writing professionally since 2008 and her interests are travel, gardening, sewing and Mac computers. Prior to freelance writing, Johnson taught English in Japan. She has a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada.
