companion planting potatoes with corn??

has anyone tried companion planting potatoes with corn?

I have read that they are good companions, but I have not found anyone who has done this....

we are going to try this method in one of our 6x8 beds, planting a late Indet potato (russet) first sometime at the end of February beginning of March depending on the weather in a trench between each square, hilling up as needed

 then planting the corn 1 per square sometime in May again depending on our weather

happy gardening
rose

I haven't tried this but I love companion planting, I would love to hear how it works out!

I was always thought that the Native Americans planted squash, beans, and corn - hence 3 sisters soup
So I figure they must like each other

2SooCrew wrote:I was always thought that the Native Americans planted squash, beans, and corn - hence 3 sisters soup
So I figure they must like each other

Frankly it often doesn't work out as well as the imagination or the legend would lead you to believe.

I grew potatoes and corn together one year. It was only a 3x4 patch. The potatoes along the edge did better than those in the center of the patch. I over planted the corn, which was good because I lost most to a late frost. So by harvest season they had essentially segregated themselves into 2 areas close to each other. I think if I try it again I would do a checkerboard pattern of planting alternating corn and potatoes and not over planting either one. They are both pretty heavy feeders but corn likes fresher stronger manures than potatoes. So far my favorite companion planting with potatoes is in hte middle of a bed of broccolli. For corn, sunflowers and tomatillas.

With the several months head start you are doing for the potatoes will the corn have enough room to sprout and get moving? You might need to transplanted corn seedlings in to deal with that.

I am curious to hear how your experience goes.

According to the "Organic Gardener's Home Reference" pg. 43 and 63
Corn allies: beans, chickweed, clover, giant ragweed, peanut, pigweed, sheperd's purse, soybean, sweet potato. Incompatibles are:  tomatoes

Potato allies: beans, catnip, coriander, "dead" nettle, eggplant, flax, goldenrod, horseradish, onion, nasturtium, pansy and corn. Incompatibles: cucumbers, pea, pumpkin, squash, spinach, sunflower, tomato, raspberry.

Hope this helps.

Have NO luck with corn where we are at (8500 feet in the Rockies). Granted, we have a very short growing season, but no luck in the greenhouse either.
Had infestation of what looked like little black no see ums, not sure what they were. All over the corn. Next year, tried again and everything stunted. My little ears of corn were about 4 inches long and then the frost hits. Argh. I have a pretty good green thumb, but me and corn don't git along   
I am envious that you all can start so early in the season planting outside! Nothing outside up here until after Fathers day, and we can still get frost....

Boy do you sound like a candidate for row cover or a hoop house!

Bailey, what is your last & first frost dates? What is your USDA hardiness zone?

baileyhermit wrote:Have NO luck with corn where we are at (8500 feet in the Rockies). Granted, we have a very short growing season, but no luck in the greenhouse either.
Had infestation of what looked like little black no see ums, not sure what they were. All over the corn. Next year, tried again and everything stunted. My little ears of corn were about 4 inches long and then the frost hits. Argh. I have a pretty good green thumb, but me and corn don't git along   
I am envious that you all can start so early in the season planting outside! Nothing outside up here until after Fathers day, and we can still get frost....

I hear ya on the corn!      I got my love of gardening from my dad, who always grew the most beautiful corn.  He grew up in MN and his family raised corn and cows.  I inherited the 'tool gene' as my sister calls it, the itch to design and build things, his green thumb in most other aspects of gardening, BUT I CANNOT GROW CORN!!!  I can, however, grow a GREAT crop of corn smut!!!  

baileyhermit:
I have a hoop house that I will be placing my plants in - otherwise I would be waiting until after frost date usually 1st week of June.

I can certainly understand your desire for a longer season....

I am hoping to retire and move to the Southwest very soon..... cold weather is really getting to my bones...

Will look up the high elevation and companion gardening and see what I can come up with.

Goosegirl wrote:... I CANNOT GROW CORN!!!  I can, however, grow a GREAT crop of corn smut!!!  

A delicacy in some circles. Maybe you can sell it to your local upscale restaurant. 

We are zone 4. Live S/W of Denver in the mountains. Rule of thumb, nothing outside until after Fathers Day. Keep row covers handy in case of late frosts....  Then end of August, beginning of Sept can get frosts. Have had snow beginning of Sept.  Usually one unexpected early frost in Sept, then 2 weeks of good weather then we are done for the season.
We have a local website for gardeners similar to this one which helps to be prepared. I have about 15 frost covers and ordered 2 of the fleece grow tunnels I am gonna try this year.

Will try a different type of corn this year when we get new greenhouse set up, and want to try sweet potatoes. Hubby callin me a bonehead for trying them, but I am a stubborn gardener   
Have grown beefsteaks maters up here, and dinnerplate sized Dahlia's but corn and me just don't get along     

 I don't have corn smut, but some fine stubby decorations for fall. Or the pup likes to run around with the stalks after I cut them down, she taunts me with them the little brat.

camprn wrote:

Goosegirl wrote:... I CANNOT GROW CORN!!!  I can, however, grow a GREAT crop of corn smut!!!  

A delicacy in some circles. Maybe you can sell it to your local upscale restaurant. 

   If there were any!

Goosegirl wrote:

baileyhermit wrote:Have NO luck with corn where we are at (8500 feet in the Rockies). Granted, we have a very short growing season, but no luck in the greenhouse either.
Had infestation of what looked like little black no see ums, not sure what they were. All over the corn. Next year, tried again and everything stunted. My little ears of corn were about 4 inches long and then the frost hits. Argh. I have a pretty good green thumb, but me and corn don't git along   
I am envious that you all can start so early in the season planting outside! Nothing outside up here until after Fathers day, and we can still get frost....

I hear ya on the corn!      I got my love of gardening from my dad, who always grew the most beautiful corn.  He grew up in MN and his family raised corn and cows.  I inherited the 'tool gene' as my sister calls it, the itch to design and build things, his green thumb in most other aspects of gardening, BUT I CANNOT GROW CORN!!!  I can, however, grow a GREAT crop of corn smut!!!  

there are a lot of different types of corn out there.....if you have a short growing season, then you need to grow a corn that's an early corn.  Most from that I have found something that grows under 70 days to maturity should work. 

Corn is a heavy feeder so make sure you are planting it in some good age compost it also likes to be fed something like fish emulsion or dried blood meal when its about 6 inch high and again at knew high and once more when you see that its starting to tassel

corn needs to be planted in blocks at least 4 wide and four long for a good pollination anything less then that then hand pollination will need to be done and that wont guarantee a good out come either......

if you have more room you can try something similar to a three sisters garden by planting in mounds.....this is how we planted our corn a few years ago and it was the best harvest we got of corn   

here is the chart we used that year


http://www.suburbanhomesteading.com/three-sisters-gardening/garden


hugs
rose

FamilyGardening wrote:

Goosegirl wrote:

baileyhermit wrote:Have NO luck with corn where we are at (8500 feet in the Rockies). Granted, we have a very short growing season, but no luck in the greenhouse either.
Had infestation of what looked like little black no see ums, not sure what they were. All over the corn. Next year, tried again and everything stunted. My little ears of corn were about 4 inches long and then the frost hits. Argh. I have a pretty good green thumb, but me and corn don't git along   
I am envious that you all can start so early in the season planting outside! Nothing outside up here until after Fathers day, and we can still get frost....

I hear ya on the corn!      I got my love of gardening from my dad, who always grew the most beautiful corn.  He grew up in MN and his family raised corn and cows.  I inherited the 'tool gene' as my sister calls it, the itch to design and build things, his green thumb in most other aspects of gardening, BUT I CANNOT GROW CORN!!!  I can, however, grow a GREAT crop of corn smut!!!  

there are a lot of different types of corn out there.....if you have a short growing season, then you need to grow a corn that's an early corn.  Most from that I have found something that grows under 70 days to maturity should work. 

65 day, 69 day, and 70 day varieties, in 4x6 blocks, extra organic fertilizer, and help with pollination...all busts and since sweet corn can be bought off the back of a truck very inexpensively here, I AM GIVING UP ON CORN!!! (more room for carrots and 'maters!)

GG

I know they are supposed to be companions, but I've given up on corn. It takes a lot of food and water, and I haven't had much luck finding a variety that doesn't blow down in the wind. Perhaps the spuds will anchor the corn in the loose mix we use.

Yardslave wrote:I know they are supposed to be companions, but I've given up on corn. It takes a lot of food and water, and I haven't had much luck finding a variety that doesn't blow down in the wind. Perhaps the spuds will anchor the corn in the loose mix we use.

know what ya mean. It is dry dry where we live, and takes a lot of water. Will try on more time this year, then will give up if no success this time! Will try some of the rec's that were posted above, they may have been my problem!

Turan, Do you have any corn advice? I think you grown Indian heritage corn??

In companion planting, you can grow beans, cabbage, horseradish and marigolds with corn.  It's best to grow corn and potatoes by themselves because they are such heavy feeders of nitrogen.

Painted Mountain is a very cold hardy short season variety but it is not a sweet corn. You can pick it at the green stage for fresh eating but it is never as sweet.

Turan wrote:Painted Mountain is a very cold hardy short season variety but it is not a sweet corn.  You can pick it at the green stage for fresh eating but it is never as sweet.

Turan glad to hear the Painted Mountain corn is cold hardy....that's the corn our son picked out to plant in our SFG three sisters garden this year   I was a bit nervous to try as we are in the PNW, but we went a head and bought the seeds.....we are going to try and grind our own flour and also we wanted to feed it as treats to our new hens   
we are still planning on companion planting one of our 6x8 beds with sweet corn and potatoes.....I hope to get enough russet seed potatoes to plant and we plan on leaving them in the ground up until the corn is done so not to disturb the corns roots

....our other 6x8 corn bed will have just corn....this way we can compare the one bed to the other.....I sure hope it works out well....this would be another way of getting more food out of one bed.....  

happy gardening
rose

 p.s. great link

Okay, after going to the site for Painted Mountain, I may just have to give corn one more try!

GG

FamilyGardening wrote:

Turan glad to hear the Painted Mountain corn is cold hardy....that's the corn our son picked out to plant in our SFG three sisters garden this year   I was a bit nervous to try as we are in the PNW, but we went a head and bought the seeds.....we are going to try and grind our own flour and also we wanted to feed it as treats to our new hens   

It is the hardiest corn I ever tried to grow. It has not been bred to strict homogeneous yet so is very adaptable. In my garden the purple/red plants did best and so I saved those seeds. I am going to mix then half and half with a new packet and see how this year goes.

It has a very hard kernel. How are you planning to grind it? I was warned it can break some grinders. I soaked it over night and then cooked it whole in bean stews. In the ancient past when my sons were little we would soak the kernels over night and then grind in the blender to make tortillas that fell apart a lot. This year I tried out making hominy. That is a lot less chewy and apparently more nutritious for us and is much easier to grind and the resulting flour is easier to make tortillas from.

How are you going to keep the sweet corn from crossing with the field corn? Staggered plantings? Or just accept that some of the sweet corn will be chewier (my solution).

GG, I think I understand that some of the parents of Painted Mountain are the Mandan and Hidatsa varieties native to the Dakotas. Soooo if any corn is going to do well for you it should be this.

Victory Seed Company (Oregon) lists in their catalog a Painted Hills Sweet Corn ( http://www.victoryseeds.com/corn_painted-hill.html ) described as: "A very interesting sweet corn variety developed for cooler shorter growing seasons.  Ears are about 7 inches in length and filled with multicolored, flavorful kernels on stalks that are 5 to 6 feet in height"  A sport of Painted Mountain corn?  Lists it as maturing in "75 days."  Also, this variety is listed in the Siskiyou Seeds printed catalog, but I'm unable to find it in their online catalog.  Nonna