Sometimes, you can get stuck in a garden rut with a certain type of plant (in this case, maybe it's corn) that just doesn't seem to grow year after year no matter what you do. It could be the fertilizer, weather, soil or even the number that you plant in a row. Use these secrets from experts to increase your chances of having plenty of corn in your garden:

Patti said: “Fertilizer is key – and for some crazy reason, you need to plant a minimum of 3 rows.  They don’t have to be LONG rows, but there’s something true about needing the corn in 3 rows.  Also, don’t replant in exactly the same place the next year.  Crops need to be rotated.”

Amber said: “Work a good nitrogen fertilizer like fish bone meal into the soil before planting, and side dress again when the stalks begin to tassel.”

Tanya said: “WATER, lots of water!”

Debi said: “Grow it with green beans (they climb the stalks and aerate the roots) and squash (keeps away bugs and weeds). This was called the three sisters method, because they did better together.”

Beth said: “Plant multiple short rows together, rather than, say, two long rows.  They need to be kind of in a square-ish formation to best pollinate with each other.”

Emma said: “All of my info is tried and true.  Handed down generations.

1) Hoe out your rows.  You will need at least 4 for good pollination. 

2) Your mini trench needs to be about 3 or 4 inches deep.

3) Sprinkle fertilizer down your row.  I use 10-10-10.

4) Walk down your rows dropping 3 seed every foot step or so.  Then lightly cover with your dirt.

5) If you don’t have bees for pollinating, just shake the stalks when they start tosseling. That ensures each kernel is pollinated and will be full ears.

6) Don’t use sevens dust, it will kill bees.

7) Plant just one kind if you don’t want it to cross pollinate.”

Mark said: “I read a link somewhere that said to avoid worms, to rub Vaseline on the silk when it appears. Tried it and had no problem with worms!”

Jennifer said: “I plant my corn in raised beds.  I use a “lasagna” gardening, or layered gardening technique when setting up my beds, providing plenty of nitrogen in the soil.

The biggest tip is plant the corn EARLY.”

Starla said: “We grew corn in our back yard where we also had chickens.  The corn grew like crazy.  Not much rain that season, but the chicken poop was amazing fertilizer!!”

And finally Dina said: “Cow poop!  No joke.”

Do you have any other advice or tips when it comes to growing corn?

Article Source: The Frugal Girls