The Shed

The Shed
The Shed

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

FARM GIRL'S CORNER - Sweet corn

Hi I’m Farm Girl, welcome to Farm Girl’s Corner! I help Uncle Mac in the garden and around the shed and things. Some times he needs more help than others. Why, just the other day he called to me;

“Hey Farm Girl!” he yelled, “Look at THIS!”

“Oh Mac you nut!” I told him, “It’s not time for the worm census! You just put that away before it freezes. Men!”

But today I’m here to tell you about one of the huge successes in last year’s garden, Ambrosia Hybrid sweet corn.



Ambrosia sweet corn is a hybrid bicolor with large 9” ears growing two to each seven foot tall stalk. It is a mid season corn, which means it could easily be phased with Early Sunglow and Silver Queen for a long and delicious corn crop. Kernels are extraordinarily tender, juicy and sweet; this corn really needs to be tasted to be appreciated.

Wait a good 4 weeks after the last frost date to plant Ambrosia. Work a great deal of compost into the corn patch, and if you suspect that the compost may be nitrogen rich, add some organic phosphorus and potassium additives as well, this corn is a voracious feeder. Intensive spacing of 12” from one plant to the next will work well if the soil nutrients and water supply are ample.

When plants are a foot tall weed closely and mulch deeply with sifted compost.

When ears first appear immediately apply powdered eggshell and Epsom salt as a side dressing for a boost of calcium and magnesium. Water well from this point on. The corn should be ready for the pot in about 75 days.



Raccoons love Ambrosia corn and it may be necessary to leave the pit bull out overnight or possibly to electrify the corn patch if you want to actually enjoy any of this fabulous corn.

Ambrosia is available from the Burpee Seed Company as well as other sources and is highly recommended.

And that is our segment on sweet corn, thank you as always for joining us at Farm Girls Corner! 


          

5 comments:

Raymond Alexander Kukkee said...

Great pick for corn, and great pics, Mac! Ambrosia it is! Farm Girl sure knows how to pick the best!

Glorygarden@msn.com said...

I remember you vigilantly watching your corn last summer... waiting for Mr. Raccoon and his buddies to take it! Glad to know you got some for yourself.

Mac Pike said...

I got about half, the fat boisterous raccoon mob got the rest, and didn't even take me particularly seriously when I tried to chase them out. Possibly they were congressmen in raccoon suits.

Mike W said...

Racoon for dinner?

Mac Pike said...

With yummy corn!