Growing Corn Like A Wild Child
Mar 25, 2025
Do You Have To Grow Corn in Rows?
Absolutely not! Corn is a shallow-rooted plant, which means it doesn’t need deep soil—just a wide enough space to support its tall stalks and ensure good pollination. The key is choosing the right size container and giving your corn what it craves: nutrient-rich soil, plenty of water, and a little neighborly love from companion plants (more on that below). You can grow corn in your raised beds, or my favorite method, in a grow bag!! I am going to show you how to do that in this blog post!
What You Need to Get Started:
✅ A 10-15 gallon grow bag (or a deep container at least 12 inches wide and 12 inches deep)
✅ Rich, organic soil and good compost (corn is a heavy feeder!)
✅ Slow-release organic fertilizer (or compost tea every two weeks)
✅ Full sun (corn needs 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily)
✅ Multiple plants (because corn is wind-pollinated—one plant alone won’t give you cobs!)
Corn Is A Memory Maker
In the wild child gardening world we love to plant what we call memory makers. Certain plants evoke precious and foundational memories- corn can absolutely be one of those plants. Corn is magical and draws us in. And we have several tricks to help you grow corn in a limited space successfully! Let corn be a part of your gardening plan this spring and enjoy the nostalgia.
Corn In Containers
Corn is traditionally grown in rows but the wild child gardening method of growing corn is in a container. We love the ability to manage the quality of our soil. Corn is happy to grow in containers and can be paired in your garden plan along with tried-and-true varieties of bush beans, squash, zucchini and even melons. When you grow corn in a container, you can literally grow it without a garden. So are you ready to grow some corn? Let's do it!
Start Corn By Seed
Corn does not like to be moved so start corn directly by seed in the ground. Corn does not need to be soaked and it doesn’t need stratification to sprout. What it needs is well draining soil! This is why I love growing it in raised beds. We have had 5+ inches of rain this week. For in ground or row gardeners, this is disaster. For raised bed wild child gardeners, it is business as usual. So get a pack of corn seeds and get to growing!
Companion Planting: Who Plays Nicely with Corn?
Corn thrives in a little community, and no plant plays better with it than beans and squash—also known as the legendary "Three Sisters."
The Three Sisters Method (Wild Child Style!)
Corn acts as a natural trellis, giving beans something to climb.
Beans fix nitrogen in the soil, feeding the corn.
Melons or pumpkins sprawl across the soil, acting as a living mulch to retain moisture and block weeds.
How to do it in a container:
- Plant 4-6 corn seeds in the container.
- Add bush beans seeds around them.
- Plant one pumpkin or melon to cascade over th e edges giving it plenty of room to roam.
To learn more about growing corn like a wild child, start with my free plans by clicking the image below!! There are so many ways to grow corn in your garden!! And it is so fun!!
Troubleshooting Corn in Containers
Problem: Your corn is tall but not producing ears.
Solution: Poor pollination! Hand-pollinate by shaking the tassels over the silks every few days.
Problem: Yellowing leaves.
Solution: Corn is hungry! Feed it compost tea or an organic liquid fertilizer every two weeks.
Problem: Stalks falling over.
Solution: Stake them with bamboo poles, or plant in a more sheltered spot.
Wild Child Favorite Corn Recipes
Street Corn
Street corn is a favorite way to enjoy corn from the garden.
Street Corn Recipe - Thank me later!
Mexican Street Corn Salad
This recipe was shared with me from my friend Katie! You can find the recipe HERE on her on Instagram @deeplyrootedkitchen. This recipe is a staple in my kitchen all summer!!
Give it a go! Recipe here!
