Young corn plant

Corn requires warm weather to germinate and grow, and it’s highly susceptible to frost. If you have a short growing season in your area, you may want to start seeds indoors or purchase seedlings so you’re ready to go once the chance of frost has passed. However, corn doesn’t transplant well, so it’s best to choose biodegradable seedling containers that can be planted directly into the ground.

For growing corn from seeds, you’ll need the tools and a disciplined process for getting from seeds to plants that will produce a good harvest for you.

Besides your seeds, tools might include:

• Starting soil
• Containers
• Widger (a spatula-like tool for lifting seedlings without damaging them)
• Germination station
• Grow lights
• Heat mats

Depending on your setup, you might not need all of these items—or you might be able to do-it-yourself (DIY) on some things. If you choose to grow your corn from seeds, take advantage of the options to select the varieties that you really want.

Have you grown your corn from seeds or seedlings? Have you had any big successes—or failures—to share with other food gardeners? Tell us your experiences with getting your corn garden started.