What Do You Plant Between Corn?
To help save space in your garden plant some vegetables together. You can plant vegetables together that mature at different rates or you can plant vegetables together that benefit each other. Corn takes a long time to mature, anywhere up to 120 days depending on the variety. By planting other vegetables between your corn stalks, you can save space and provide benefits to vegetable plants. Does this Spark an idea?
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Pole Beans
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Planting pole beans between the corn stalks allows the beans to have the necessary support they need. Pole bean plants grow in long vines, where the tendrils reach out and attach the the corn. The beans also provide nitrogen to the soil, which is something corn needs to develop ears. Bush varieties of beans do not work as well growing next to the corn since they do not need anything to climb on. The climbing pole beans will not damage the corn stalks. Plant the corn first and wait until it is about 6 inches tall. Then plant the bean seeds. Beans grow quicker, so give the corn a little bit of a head start to give the beans something to climb on.
Squash
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Squash is something you can plant in between corn as a sort of defense for the corn. Animals, such as raccoons and squirrels, will climb up the stalks of unprotected corn, tear off the ears and then eat them before you get a chance. However, these animals do not like the fact that many squash plants are a little prickly. If a raccoon or squirrel gets poked by the squash plant, they will usually not return. Plant all types of squash in between the corn stalks, including zucchini, yellow squash, patty pan or even cucumbers.
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Peas
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Peas are similar to pole beans in that they must have support to grow properly. Plant the corn at the appointed time and allow it to grow. Plant the peas planning for a fall harvest as peas like to mature in cooler weather. Peas are also similar to pole beans in that they provide some much needed nitrogen for the soil. After the corn is harvested, leave the stalks, even if they are dried out and brown, for the peas to climb on. After harvesting the peas, turn the pea vines directly into the soil where they can decay completely adding that nitrogen.
Melons
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Melons are another crop that can be planted in between the corn. Melons grow much like squash plants on vines, many of which are a little prickly. Melons also need support and some training or they will grow and take over the garden. As the melon vines begin to get longer, wrap some in a circle, with a 12- to 18-inch diameter around the corn stalks while other vines grow up the corn stalk for support. Allowing melons to grow using support also keeps developing fruit off the ground.
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- Photo Credit Corn on the stalk image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
