Corn is one of those crops that if you have the space, you just have to grow your own. Nothing beats the superior, sweet flavors of a freshly harvested, homegrown cob.

Plan to plant your corn 2 weeks after your average last frost date in spring or when the soil reaches 16F. For best pollination results, ensuring full cobs, plant in a block instead of in long rows. The absolute minimum planting is 40 plants, with the ideal being 80+.

If you want to save some seed from your crop for the following year’s planting, bear in mind that Corn is one of the hardest heirloom crops to keep pure and uninfected by GMOs. The most critical aspects that will assist in keeping your seed pure and well pollinated is your stand size: you need to plant at least 40 plants, ideally 80 or more, and they must be planted in a block.

This will ensure that you have delicious, full corn cobs to eat and pure seed for planting in the following season.