Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Soak Corn Seed Before Planting
How to Soak Corn Seed Before Planting. Soaking your corn seed before sowing will increase the water content in the seed, which will make the seed germinate more quickly once it is planted in the ground. Soaking your corn seed before planting--also known as priming the seed--can decrease the amount of time between planting and harvest. The process...
Soaking your corn seed before sowing will increase the water content in the seed, which will make the seed germinate more quickly once it is planted in the ground. Soaking your corn seed before planting--also known as priming the seed--can decrease the amount of time between planting and harvest. The process is simple and requires little time.
Things You'll Need
Large bowl
Water
Corn seed
Colander
Paper towel or dishtowel
Place your corn seed in a large bowl. The bowl should be large enough to hold the seed you are priming with an inch of water standing on top of it.
Fill your bowl with warm water. The water should be at least an inch deep above the seed you are soaking.
Let the seeds set overnight, no longer than 12 hours.
Drain the water from the seeds using a colander.
Dry the seed on a paper towel or dishtowel.
Sow the seed. It's important that this be done the day after the corn seed was soaked. If you wait longer, the seed may start to germinate, which shouldn't occur until the seed is in the ground.
Tips & Warnings
In addition to increasing the speed at which your crop will germinate, soaking corn seeds provides additional benefits to your crop. If a heavy rain comes shortly after sowing seed, corn seed that is not primed may come to the surface of the soil. The primed seed is heavier and is more likely to stay in the ground. Another good reason to soak your corn seed is that it must germinate quickly once it's in the ground or it will rot. Speeding up the germination gives your seed a better chance for survival.
Do not soak your corn seed longer than the recommended amount of time. Your seed will germinate in the water if left in their bath for too long.
