Re: Corn Problems

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: : : : I planted Silver Queen corn about 13 days ago and half is doing really well.  However, half of the crop hasn't come up yet.  These are all located on one end of the garden, each day I see one or two popping up down there, but the top of the garden is way ahead of the bottom.  Am I being impatient or do I have a problem?

: : 
: : : Hi Ron,
: : : You don't state your zone, but I suspect you are in 7 or lower.  You also say "the top of the garden is way ahead of the bottom."  I'm thinking that the garden is on an incline or hill.  Cold air is heavier than warm air and the seeds at the bottom of the hill will have cooler soil and take longer to germinate.  Am I on the right track here?

: : : Newt

: : Actually, I live in Pennsylvania and probably shouldn't have planted it yet but we are having good weather here and I decided to take a chance on it.  The garden is on a slight incline and the corn that hasn't came up yet is at the lower end.  I may end up reseeding after we get our Memorial Day frost, but if we don't get it I'd hate to have four half rows of corn.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks.


: Hi Ron,
: Pennsylvania has zones 4 to 7, so I really couldn't say if you've planted too early. Here's a zip code zone finder.
: http://www.gardenweb.com/zones/zip.cgi

: You could contact your local extension service for information on when is the best time to plant. 
: http://www.extension.psu.edu/ 

: I still think that as long as there is a temperature difference in the soil due to it's lower elevation, there will be a difference in germination rates.  I think your corn will germinate, but take longer.  Try digging up one of the seeds in an area where it hasn't sprouted to see if there is any activity.

: An option to warm the soil would be to cover it with red or black plastic.  With all this rain we're having now, you're going to have to wait until it stops.  You will also need to cut holes where there are sprouts or seeds planted so that you don't fry them.  

: Another option is to consider the unsprouted areas as a lost cause and cover with the plastic once the sun comes back out.  This will warm the soil and you could replant in a few days.

: Another option is to cover the area at night with a blanket or sheet (not plastic)when it's not raining.  This will keep the cooler air off the area at night.  Uncover in the morning.

: Hope this helped,
: Newt



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