Here is today's harvest, thanks to a little gardener named Jonathan for reminding me to go check on these! A few are a tad large, lol, but they aren't all bad...
Now on to the help I need... Here's the deal: I want to grow corn this year. I really don't want to dig up a patch for it and have to mow around it (although I will if I have to), and I definitely don't want it taking up residence in one of my raised beds. In doing my morning "walk of the estate" I noticed that the "junkyard" in the back by my shed was in full sun! This has always been an extremely shady part of the yard with nothing but some Virginia Creeper on the fence. Did the new home owners cut down a tree? I don't remember seeing them do it, but I peered through the fence and saw that they cut down 2, evidenced by the really big stumps left behind. I have heard that corn can tolerate some shade in the afternoon, and if that is so, this would be the perfect little corn stand. It is in full sun until about 1 pm, then filtered for another hour or so, and then shade. The photo is facing south, and the trees on the right are east, so you can see that as the afternoon wears on, there is more shade. The bonus would be that I don't have to rip out thick Bermudagrass turf, I would only need to move the trailer, add some amendments, and cultivate a bit. What do you think? Anyone experienced with fitting in corn in unlikely spaces or dealing with light shade for half the day? Oh, yeah, the other thing making me hesitant is that the fence you see behind the trailer is the one the occasional squirrel uses to come down from a tree, is planting corn there asking for trouble or do squirrels find it wherever it is? Help!
Corn does like heat, but if you get 6 hours of sun on it a day it should grow. It's really important to grow it in blocks (or groups)for pollination, and when you think about it, the corn stalks in the interior of those blocks don't get much (if any) sun, so I don't know why it wouldn't work to put them in that spot. LOL, I'm just using "Granny logic" here, not speaking from experience or actual knowledge.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking radishes! Jonathan would be so pleased!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year growing corn as well. Since most of my yard only gets about 5 to 6 hours of firect sunlight, I'm sort of in the same boat you are. I say give it a try because you won't be sure any other way.
Squirrels like artichoke plants??? Thanks for giving me the heads up. Oh, I'm with you on the pipe dream.
I'd sure give it a try there, Erin. As Annie's Granny said, think of a huge cornfield. The stalks of corn shade each other so maybe the warmth is more important than direct sunlight all day long. I could definitely see your squirrel pilfering the ears of corn when they start to form, but there is a solution to that problem, right? Corn. Squirrel. Corn. Squirrel. Sometimes decisions have to be made. ;o)
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to go for it! I should be able to get a decent plot back there, I'm thinking 9 or 12 rows separated by a skinny walkway every 3 so I can get in there to harvest. It won't be a huge harvest, but with hubby gone, we'll have enough to eat fresh and freeze a few for later. Mama Pea, that's funny about the squirrel, too bad hubby will be gone this summer, he is just dying for a reason to camoflauge himself and hide out with a BB gun! Thomas, I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't caught him doing it! He was 4 feet to the left of a nice accessible platform birdfeeder bu bypassed that to munch on the artichoke! Had huge bites taken and another entire leaf he dropped when I saw him, LOL!
ReplyDeleteWhat's to lose with trying the corn- a few seeds and a growing season if it doesn't produce well. But then, you may have a bumper crop! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteJudy
That looks like a great spot for some corn Erin. I say go for it!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend. :)