Hi Tonya,

Now is a great time to plant sweet corn! With the warmer weather and soil conditions we have been getting in the Willamette Valley, it's a great time to plant all summer crops like corn, tomatoes, peppers, etc.

In raised bed environments, it is difficult to do much interplanting. Corn is a heavy feeder, and interplanting will create competition for nutrients. Corn also needs to be planted in a block in order to pollinate itself and produce ears, so incorporating it into mixed plantings isn't advisable. One common corn companion planting choice is beans, which fix nitrogen and help feed the nitrogen-hungry corn. I have tried interplanting corn with runner beans. The main challenge is one of timing - if you plant your beans now, they will not have enough of a trellis to climb up. It's best to wait at least a month after the corn is in to plant beans, if that is your aim.

Good luck with your garden this year!

Sarah Bronstein, Master Gardener '22