Corn can be grown in hydroponic tubs, and is usually planted six per tub. The corn should be planted directly into the tub because it does not transplant well. The corn plants will produce about three ears of corn per plant, or about 18 ears per harvest. A harvest usually occurs within 8 to 10 weeks of planting. That means that the average production of corn is about one ear of corn every four days in each tub.
Corn is an ancient South American plant which was engineered perhaps from a grass called teosinte.
The corn is planted about one inch below the surface, and usually germinates in about six days. The places where corn does not grow should be replanted to ensure six plants per tub.
Hopi Blue corn has about 12% more protein then sweet hybrid corn, so if the corn is raised for nutrition, it makes sense to plant an Native American corn.
Corn is nitrogen hungry and usually kept on grow nutrient until after the top has tasseled and the silk has formed.
When the corn tassels, the pollen has to fall from above onto the leaves below and into the fold of the leaf. If all the silk is pollinated the corn kernels should all form.
Corn pollinates the silk coming out of the corn from the tassels at the top of the plant. Ears of corn that are not fully filled out is a result of not enough pollination. Planting several short rows is better than one or two long rows. This will ensure proper pollination. In a very small garden you can take a tassel and go around tapping some of the pollen on each of the silks to increase the chances of pollination.
Corn can grow very tall in hydroponic culture. Expect the corn to grow to seven feet tall. Also, with corn, at least 50% of the plant is stalk and not edible. In hydroponics the corn is often a smaller percentage. There is a loss of nutrient in this process. However, corn stalks make a viable paper product and can be used to wrap food. They are also excellent in composting.
Hydroponic Nutrients: Corn likes a high nitrogen so it should be kept on Grow nutrient throughout the life cycle. For field crops apply fertilizers high in nitrogen and phosphorous with moderate amounts of potassium.
Diseases: Bacterial wilt, Corn smut, Mosaic, and Rust.
Harvest: Check an ear of corn by pulling back the shuck at the end of an ear to see if its filled out. Juice from a kernel should spurt out when poked at with a fingernail. Generally, when the silk turns brown and the ear is firm when squeezed it's time to harvest the corn.