Corn Donation Tracker

🌱 How & Where to Grow Corn:

• Plant in blocks (minimum 4 rows) when soil reaches 60°F – corn is wind-pollinated!
• Space seeds 8-12 inches apart in rows 30-36 inches apart.
• Plant 2-3 seeds per hole, 1-2 inches deep, thin to strongest seedling.
• Block planting ensures good pollination – single rows produce poorly filled ears.
• Sunlight: Full sun (8+ hours) essential for sweet kernels.
• Soil Type: Rich, well-drained soil with pH 6.0-7.0.
• Soil Amendment: Heavy feeder – needs nitrogen-rich soil.

Plant different varieties at least 250 feet apart or 2 weeks apart to prevent cross-pollination!
 

🌡️ Temperature Guidance:

Minimum 60°F standard, 65°F super-sweet. Nights above 50°F.

• Standard corn: Plant when soil reaches 60°F (mid-May).
• Super-sweet varieties: Wait for 65°F soil for best germination.
• Optimal growth: 70-85°F days, nights above 60°F.
• Growth slows dramatically below 50°F.
• Frost kills corn at any stage of growth.

Michigan’s warm summers are perfect for corn – patience in spring pays off with sweet summer ears!
 

💧 How to Care for:

• Consistent Moisture: Critical during tasseling and silk emergence.
• Watering: 1-1.5 inches weekly – increase during silk/tassel stage.
• Mulch: 3-4 inches to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
• Fertilizer: Side-dress with nitrogen when plants are knee-high.
• Weed Control: Keep weed-free until plants are established – corn doesn’t compete well.

📏 Harvest Signs:

Silks brown/dry. Milky juice from kernels. 18-23 days after silking.

• Silk appearance: Dark brown and dry to the touch.
• Ear feel: Full and firm through the husk.
• Kernel test: Pierce with fingernail – milky juice means ready!
• Husk color: Still green but starting to dry at tips.
• Each stalk typically produces 1-2 ears, top ear ripens first.

Morning harvest provides the sweetest corn – sugars are highest before day’s heat!
 

🧺 Harvesting:

Twist and pull downward. Harvest in early morning. Use immediately for best sweetness.

• Grasp ear firmly and twist while pulling down and away from stalk.
• Check one ear first before harvesting all – peel back small section of husk.
• Harvest quickly – corn is only at peak for 3-7 days.
• Cool immediately – plunge in ice water to preserve sweetness.
• Use within hours – corn loses 50% of sugar in 24 hours at room temperature!

🪲 Michigan Pests:

Corn earworm (mineral oil in silks), European corn borer, raccoons.

• Corn earworm: Apply mineral oil to silk tips 3-4 days after silk emerges.
• European corn borer: Look for holes in stalks – choose Bt varieties.
• Raccoons: Electric fence or harvest one day early when they start visiting.
• Birds: Cover ears with paper bags after pollination.
• Corn smut: Gray fungal galls – remove and destroy (though edible as huitlacoche!).

🫱🏽‍🫲🏼 Companions:

Three Sisters: Corn supports beans, beans fix nitrogen, squash shades soil.

• Traditional method: Plant corn first, beans when corn is 6 inches, squash 1 week later.
• Pole beans use corn stalks as natural support.
• Winter squash spreads between rows, suppressing weeds.
• Avoid tomatoes – they attract same pests.
• Sunflowers can be planted on north side.

🌽 Varieties:

Early: ‘Early Sunglow’. Mid: ‘Silver Queen’, ‘Butter and Sugar’.

• ‘Early Sunglow’: 63 days, yellow, good for short seasons.
• ‘Silver Queen’: 92 days, white, classic sweet corn.
• ‘Butter and Sugar’: 78 days, bicolor, very sweet.
• ‘Peaches and Cream’: 70 days, bicolor, SE type stays sweet longer.
• ‘Glass Gem’: 110 days, ornamental rainbow kernels.

🫙 Preservation:

Freeze blanched 4-6 minutes. Pressure can. Dry kernels.

• Freezing on cob: Blanch small ears 7 minutes, large 11 minutes.
• Freezing kernels: Blanch ears 4 minutes, cool, cut off kernels.
• Pressure canning: Only safe method – process according to altitude.
• Drying: Leave on stalk until husks are brown for popcorn/ornamental.
• Fresh storage: Only 1-3 days in refrigerator with husks on.

🧑🏽‍🍳 Recipes:

Corn on the cob, corn chowder, Mexican street corn, corn salsa, succotash.

• Grilled corn with herb butter – leave husks on for steaming.
• Fresh corn and tomato salad with basil.
• Elote (Mexican street corn) with mayo, cotija, and chili.
• Corn fritters – use fresh kernels in batter.
• Traditional succotash with lima beans.

✋🏼 Michigan Tips:

• Wait until Memorial Day weekend for main planting.
• Succession plant every 2 weeks through June for continuous harvest.
• Choose early varieties for first planting, main season for later.
• Michigan’s humidity can increase disease – space properly.
• Plant on north side of garden to avoid shading other crops.
• Consider isolation distances if saving seeds.

🧠 Fun Facts:

• Corn is actually a grass – the tallest annual grass!
• Each silk connects to one kernel – 800 kernels means 800 silks.
• An ear of corn always has an even number of rows.
• Corn is native to the Americas – developed from teosinte 9,000 years ago.
• Michigan ranks 11th in U.S. corn production.
• Corn is used in over 3,500 products including fuel and plastics.
• The world record corn stalk was 45 feet tall!
• Popcorn pops because moisture in the kernel turns to steam.