FAQ

GOOD
TO KNOW
Corn is picky about its soil. Make sure your soil has a lot of organic matter, and fertilize
before you plant the corn. Good soil preparation is very important. For best results, work
in aged manure or compost the fall before planting and let over winter in the soil.
18
DR. EARTH® GARDENING GUIDE
19
DR. EARTH® GARDENING GUIDE
How to Grow:
A nutritious, hardy leaf vegetable that can grow in tough
winters. Ask local nursery which varieties are best for your
area. Choose semi-shady, moderately sheltered site. Soil pH
should be near 6.8. Add lime, if needed. Amend soil by mixing
in plenty of well-aged compost, manure or a planting mix rich
in organic matter. Kale likes cooler weather but still grows in
warmer climates during cooler months. In cooler areas, sow
seeds outdoors in late spring for fall and winter harvesting. In
warmer areas, sow seeds outdoors through early fall for late
winter and spring harvests. Create shallow drills as long as
desired, spacing each drill out by about 2.5 feet. Plant seeds
half inch deep and 2 feet apart within rows. Cover with a thin
layer of soil and water regularly. During growth, handpick
or hoe out weeds out as they appear. Mulching helps deter
weeds and holds in moisture. Harvest young and softer leaves
from the center of the plant as needed, not all at once. Larger,
tougher leaves are great for cooking.
Insect Control:
Kale is generally less susceptible to pests than other crucifers.
See Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower for general
pest control. Others include cabbage root maggot¸ cabbage
butterfly and club root. Cabbage root maggots can be
stopped by applying small plastic or foam ground covers
that tightly wrap around the base of seedlings. Butterfly can
be stopped by hand picking caterpillar and rubbing eggs off
leaves. Club root is an incurable soil disease that can last 10
years. The only way around it is to transplant well-developed,
resistant seedlings.
Tips:
For continuous harvest, make successive sowings through
start of growing seasons.
Human Health
Kale is highly nutritious, with large variety of vitamins, minerals
and phytonutrients. An ideal, all-in-one vegetable to add to
your regular diet. Phytonutrients containing sulfur help activate
detoxifying enzymes, which act synergistically to remove
potentially toxic/carcinogenic chemicals. Other phyotchemicals
in crucifers, like glucosinolates, metabolize to isothiocyanates,
which inhibit development of many cancer cells. Great for
vision and an excellent source of fiber, which promotes healthy
digestion and regulates cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
How To Grow Healthy Kale
TIPS, HEALTH
& ALL AROUND
INFORMATION
ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE
COMMON VEGETABLES
How to Grow:
Among the oldest, most widespread foods, corn grows in warm
weather. Young corn is very sensitive to frost and transplants.
Start outdoors after the soil warms up. To start earlier, use peat
pots so roots are undisturbed when transplanting. Choose
plot with full sun in area where they will not shade other
crops that need sun. Amend the soil well with aged compost
or very fertile plant mix. Corn prefers slightly acidic pH. If
below 5.5, add lime or dolomite to raise. Pollinated by wind,
so plant in rectangles with rows close together. To ensure
good pollination, plant 6 or more rows together in a group.
Plant seeds outdoors (two in every one-inch deep hole) when
temperature rises above 70˚F. Space holes 8-12 inches. Cover
holes with soil and compress a bit. Water thoroughly. Seeds will
start showing after week one of watering. Keep weeds away,
especially while plants are young. Cover surrounding area with
mulch. Water regularly, especially on hot days. Corn is fully-
grown and ready to harvest in about 3 months, when the top
hairs turn brownish and kernels are plump.
Insect Control:
Corn grown in highly fertile soil usually
has few problems. Most common pests are
flea beetles, earworms, cutworms and corn
borers. Flea beetles are most damaging to young
crops by chewing many small holes in leaves. Apply
parasitic nematodes to soil. In extreme cases, spray with
insecticide like rotenone. Corn borers enter the stalk below
the tassel. Look for sawdust-like material next to small holes.
Squeeze stalk to kill pest. Earworms feed on ear tips when little
hairs emerge from the tips forming tassels. Look for them then
and dispose. Cutworms chew on the plant base just under the
surface. Attract ground beetles to eat them by growing ground
cover nearby. Dig up area surrounding plant and hand pick or
use cutworm collars on transplants.
Tips:
Birds and raccoons can also be a problem during seed sowing
and harvest. Aside from installing row covers, deter birds
by getting rid of standing water, planting mulberry trees
to distract them, removing trash and introducing an owl/
scarecrow. A barrier (like taping ears to the stalk), night lighting
or electric fencing will deter raccoons.
Human Health
More than just a source of starch and carbohydrates, corn
contributes to heart health, lung health, energy production,
metabolism and memory. Yellow corn higher in
carotene lutein than white corn, hence yellow
color. Lutein great for eyes. B vitamin folate
helps prevent birth defects and lowers
homocysteine in blood, a molecule
linked to cardiovascular problems.
Phytonutrient beta-cryptoxanthin
found in corn (also oranges and
red bell peppers) may protect
lungs from carcinogens.
B vitamin pantothenic acid
helps maintain energy by
breaking down carbohydrates, fats
and proteins. Thiamin helps provide energy and
contributes to brain health by helping synthesize
acetylcholine, a crucial neurotransmitter for memory
and neural function in general. Fiber aids healthy
digestion and lowers total cholesterol. Whole grain foods
like corn and wheat are rich in antioxidant phenolics,
which work in synergy to help deal with adversity and
prevent many diseases.
How To Grow Abundant Corn