Guide to Growing Sweet Corn 

The following tips and guidelines are designed to help you maximize the emergence of your sweet corn seed.

Soil moisture/preparation

Avoid moisture extremes such as heavy, poorly drained soils or extremely light, unevenly moist soils.

Seed beds must be well-prepared to maintain sufficient moisture at shallow planting depths.

• Sweet corn seeds are most sensitive to cold, wet conditions during the first 24 hours after planting

• Avoid planting right before a cold front and heavy rain

• Provide adequate, even moisture

Soil temperatures

Warm soil temperature is recommended.  Planting sweet corn seed too early, in too cool soil is probably the single most common reason for a poor stand.  Sweet corn varieties exhibit the best emergence when soils can maintain 60 F to 65 F.  At 50 F seed will imbibe water but won’t grow.

Planting depth

Plant the seed no deeper than needed to reach moisture and not more than 1.5 inches.

Best emergence occurs when seed is not planted too deeply.  Uniformity of planting depth is important.  Check for proper seed placement.