Sweet corn

Sweet corn is wind pollinated, so it is planted in a block of several short rows rather than one long one; a single row pollinates badly and gives gappy ears. It is a heavy feeder and shallow rooted, which makes it unforgiving of dry spells at tasselling. Fall armyworm pressure in this region is heavy enough that the late-summer planting needs watching from the whorl stage.

From the guide: UF/IFAS gives the North Florida planting dates for this crop as March to April, and again August. It gives 65–90 days from seed to harvest, 6–8 inches apart in rows 28 inches apart, sown 1–1½ in. deep. On the crop itself it says: Requires space; plant in blocks of at least 3 rows for good pollination. Isolate different varieties by cross-pollination. Sucker removal is not beneficial. Harvesting in the early morning maintains sugar content. Scout for corn earworm.

Where these dates come from: the North Florida column of the UF/IFAS Extension Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103/VH021), which defines North Florida as everything above State Road 40. Walton County is well inside it, and the Central and South Florida columns of the same table give different months. The guide is written for home and market gardens, so its spacing and days-to-harvest figures are a starting point for a field planting rather than a commercial schedule, and days to harvest varies by variety.