Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →

How to Germinate Corn Seeds

...
sweet corn. image by Tom Oliveira from Fotolia.com

Whether you wish to grow sweet corn, popcorn, novelty-colored corn varieties or field corn, providing corn seeds with the appropriate temperature and moisture conditions will greatly improve their germination rate. Corn seeds must absorb about 30 percent of their weight in water before they will resume active embryo growth, according to Purdue University. And germination is also more successful when the seed’s environmental temperature is 65 degrees F or higher.

Outdoor Corn Germination

Once garden soil has reached a temperature of least 65 degrees F, soak corn seeds in tepid water for approximately an hour.

Plant seeds outdoors in prepared garden soil. If your soil is heavy, with lots of organic matter, plant seeds about 1 inch deep. If your soil is sandy, plant seeds about 2 inches deep. Seeding depth varies because you want to plant seeds at a depth with uniform soil moisture. Create a trench of the desired depth, and place the seeds 8 to 12 inches apart in the row, with rows about 30 inches apart. Cover the seeds and firm the soil after planting.

  • Whether you wish to grow sweet corn, popcorn, novelty-colored corn varieties or field corn, providing corn seeds with the appropriate temperature and moisture conditions will greatly improve their germination rate.

Watch for seeds to emerge in about seven to 10 days.

Indoor Corn Germination

Soak seeds in tepid water about an hour.

Dampen a paper towel and place soaked seeds on it. Put the paper towel with seeds into a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and set it in a warm place (between 65 and 75 degrees F) away from direct sun.

Check on the bag of corn seeds periodically during the following week to 10 days. Add additional water to moisten the paper towel if it becomes dry. Plant sprouted seeds as directed in Step 2 of Section 1 above.

  • Watch for seeds to emerge in about seven to 10 days.
  • Dampen a paper towel and place soaked seeds on it.

Tip

Plant only fresh seed corn. As corn seed ages, its germination rate continues to decrease.

Related Articles

How Many Pounds of Corn Seed to an Acre?
How Many Pounds of Corn Seed to an Acre?
How to Prepare Corn Seed for Planting
How to Prepare Corn Seed for Planting
How to Tell If Sunflower Seeds Are Ready to Harvest
How to Tell If Sunflower Seeds Are Ready to Harvest
Steps to Planting Corn
Steps to Planting Corn
Should Cucumber Seeds Be Soaked Before Planting?
Should Cucumber Seeds Be Soaked Before Planting?
How to Grow Wheatgrass Seeds
How to Grow Wheatgrass Seeds
How to Soak Seeds in Clorox
How to Soak Seeds in Clorox
How to Grow Habanero Peppers From Seeds
How to Grow Habanero Peppers From Seeds
How to Grow Bodacious Sweet Corn
How to Grow Bodacious Sweet Corn
How to Soak Corn Seed Before Planting
How to Soak Corn Seed Before Planting
How to Grow Corn in a Greenhouse
How to Grow Corn in a Greenhouse
How to Harvest Wheatgrass Seeds
How to Harvest Wheatgrass Seeds
How to Speed Up the Growth of Morning Glories & Moonflowers
How to Speed Up the Growth of Morning Glories & Moonflowers
Germination of Bean Seeds Without Soil
Germination of Bean Seeds Without Soil
How Long to Plant Grass Seeds After Using Fungicide?
How Long to Plant Grass Seeds After Using Fungicide?
Garden Guides
×