Vegetable Program
Crops

Corn, Ornamental and Popcorn

Ornamental corn is a flint type corn that was grown for food by the Indians of both North and South America. Today it is grown for ornamental purposes. Ornamental corn will grow in any sunny, well-drained, fertilized soil that will grow field or sweet corn. Adequate moisture, especially after the ears form, is necessary. Isolation is suggested. Bird damage can be a concern. Use fertilizer recommendations for sweet corn.

For Current information on production methods (including varieties, spacing, seeding, and fertility), weed, disease, and insect management, please visit the New England Vegetable Management Guide website.

Below you will find additional information on managing this crop, including photos of insects and diseases in this crop, fact sheets, articles, and power point presentations, when available.

Insect List

• European Corn Borer
• Common Armyworm
• Fall Armyworm
• Corn Earworm
• Corn Flea Beetle
• Corn Leaf Aphid
• Cutworm Black
• Cutworm Veriegated
• Seedcorn Maggot
• Wireworms
• Twospotted Spider Mite
• Japanese Beetle
• Stalk Borer
• SAP and Picnic Beetles

Disease List

1. Corn Rust (Puccinia)
2. Corn Smut (Ustilago Maydis)
3. Corn Stewart's Wilt (Erwinia)
4. Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus (MDMV)

Articles

• Growing Corn From Transplants
• Weed Control: What's New and Effective?
• Cutworms in Seedlings
• Corn Oil Can Cause Underdeveloped Kernels at the Tip of the Ear
• Using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Products for European Corn Borer Control in Sweet Corn 1994-1996 On-Farm Trials: Final Report
• Timing and Efficacy of Corn Oil and Bt as a Barrier to Corn Earworm