I don’t know where “knee-high by the fourth of July” came from, but we are about eight feet by the tenth of July!
The tall patch flowering.
I have been enjoying watching my corn grow. It has grown in fields around me for many years, but there is something about having it in your backyard that makes you notice all the little details!
There are six patches of corn and, as I noted before, the section in the middle remains the tallest. It is about 8′ tall now and the rest are about 6′. It is only slightly ahead in development (maybe a day or two) but way ahead in height, and it remains a darker green. Wish I could remember what I did differently with that soil! Wonder if the corn cobs will show any noticeable difference.
Tassels have appeared on the stalks. It’s fun to watch the progress up close.
My hope is that by growing this in the backyard where the dog and his scent always are, we will avoid predation by the deer (which we are overrun with) and raccoons with their legendary love of sweet corn. Will have to wait and see on this.
The hugel/raised bed overflowing. Corn in the back right by the fence.
One thing I am really enjoying with my garden is just watching the miracle of it all. I plant a very small kernal/seed which consists of a small dose of food and a start-up manual (dna). You mix with sun, water and dirt, and end up with a huge plant! Those little instructions are enough to direct the building of structures capable of converting sunlight, water, and CO2 into a massive quantity of green biomass AND many times more seeds each with their own instruction manuals. All this and they taste good too. God is very clever!
From your lofty abode you water the mountains;the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.
You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart. (from Psalm 104)
What a beautiful garden Julie. That H bed looks fantastic!
I am looking forward to hearing how that corn turns out. My mom used to make a little fence with some string and brightly colored coffee lids dangling from the string. The deer never set foot in her plants after that. I’ve heard of people doing the same thing with CD’s.
Thanks, Mike. That is a great idea–I can imagine the Cds flashing would look like big predator eyes.
Awesome, Julie!
Thanks for the idea of the cd’s. Maybe that will help with my groundhog/gopher issue.
We enclosed our garden with an electric fence a few years ago and havent had any deer in it since. The try to reach over it and pull the corn out but have not gotten in to it. Before the fence they loved to each all my green peas. Good luck Julie, thanks for sharing.
BEAUTIES!!!!! I have heard that planting squash/pumpkins with your corn will deter coonie bears from invading it as their feet are sensitive to the prickly vines.
There is squash at the base–these are 3 sisters plots (corn, beans and squash). So that would be cool if it keeps coonies off!
That is the prettiest compact garden I’ve ever seen and I lave that you have a chair right beside it so you can watch it grow in comfort!
Thanks Glory. The benefit to compact, of course, is no room for weeds! And actually, other than the grass that was in the topsoil, I haven’t found a single other thing that shouldn’t be in there.