Crows and Fresh Planted Sweet Corn

I have always had problems with Crows "plucking" corn planted from seed in my large garden.

Last year I had great success planting seedlings started in 2" soil bag/pots...  time consuming for sure.

This year I planted big!   Direct seed.     The crows decimated a patch of corn 200' long and 20 ft. wide.   My only salvation was to pluck the plants that survived the massacre on the fringes of the patch and replant as seedlings in groups of 3 hoping to promote positive pollination in a small patch.   I always plant more than I can eat and usually have plenty after the wildlife gets their due share from the land.  

Has anyone had any experience or success planting a seedbed of sweetcorn and then transplanting into rows???  

No, but apparently this was a thing back in colonial era America. I have read reports from early growers who used beds to start corn in northern areas with short seasons.

I have also read that farmers would soak a bucket of grain and dump it out near the field edge to give the crows something else to eat.

What I do is plant about 5 seeds for every one I want to grow. Then thin them if too many grow.

I usually start corn in trays with small cells- each cell is about 13/16" wide, then transplant the plants once they're a few inches tall. Another method is to plant the seed corn in a nursery bed, cover with a row cover, then transplant once they're big enough. The row cover keeps the birds away and it helps heat the soil a bit to speed up germination. But look out for mice and other rodents getting underneath the row cover, they can be a problem as well. Seems like everything likes to eat corn. I even had a cat once that loved corn on the cob...

I got zero germination from my sweet corn this year i think it was too cool and wet even in the polytunnel - I probably should have pre soaked and not watered so much...however...

I'm wondering if there is an overwintering plant that could be used to disguise the sweetcorn seedlings? I understand that corn generally doesn't get on with competition (the other two sisters are planted later) but maybe something that would die off in summer heat might work.

Had the same problem with cool wet soil killing germination this year. Starting in small cells indoors and transplanting once they have a bit of height seems to be the most reliable approach, even if it adds work. The row cover idea is good too, just keep an eye underneath for mice.

I put up electric fence post string monofilament and hang cd,s from the strings crows do not like the spinning and flashing
This stopped my problem
Tim

I plant the corn seeds a little deeper so when the sprouts make it to the surface, the kernel is used up a little and not as good to them anymore. They don't want the grassy part, just the kernal. I also hang a few aluminum pie pans from a cane pole stuck in the ground. The crows come early in the morning on the day the corn hits the surface so I don't put any scare crows like that up until just before the corn hits the surface so they don't get used to them. When the crows swoop in to investigate the aluminum pie pans  move in the still morning air. I also make a temporary scarecrow out of a coat on a clothes hanger and a hat for that sensitive week of germination. There are only about 3 days crows want the corn so those are the scarecrow days. After that nothing bothers it. Planting a little deeper also prevents lodging better and helps with drought I think but maybe not.

I've never had crows pick the seeds or sprouts, but I did have them attacking the ripe ears once they were all grown. I cultivated a flock of bluejays by feeding them peanuts most days and they run the crows off if they start to linger.