This year I experimented with double row planting to maximize yield within an alloted space. Pairs of rows were planted 10" apart with 32" between pairs. Silver Queen to the front, Spring Treat (60 day) behind it.
The first problem I encountered was the inability to pull enough soil to the stalks as much as I usually do. I could only pull some soil (not as much as I wanted to) to the outside of each double row. That might have contributed to the blow down problem and, I believe, the pollination problem resulting in unfilled rows of kernels.
Second, when the corn blew down, the rows in the middle didn't fully right themselves. They're still leaning more than the outside pairs. I think there was just too much mass around them for them to get enough of the sunlight needed to pull themselves up.
Third, it was hard to get through the patch to fertilize the rows and an even bigger mess going through to pull ears.
However, my fears about pollination problems seem to be confirmed. The Silver Queen corn blew down twice in storms and it was right during pollination too. No sooner had it righted itself after the first one, here comes another blow down. This is what the six rows finally look like:
The ears on the right are representative of what usually grows. The ones on the left are showing the same problem the earlier Spring Treat had. I've never had this problem before:
In addition, there are a lot of shorter ears and one or two ears so far with a few yellow kernels showing a hint of cross pollination with the 'Buhl'. Both being 80 day corns, the Silver Queen was planted three weeks after the Buhl to avoid cross pollination. However the Buhl was late getting going (lots of replanted skips) and so a few grains of pollen evidently went visiting.
My conclusion is that while I scratched the itch to experiment with something new and it was interesting to play with, next year I'll go back to single rows of one variety and 36" spacing even though I'll get only six rows in the space where ten rows and two varieties were grown. Bigger and better ears will make up in quantity and quality for more but smaller and less usable ears.
The jury is still out on growing corn in circles within a bed next year. I've proven to myself that it works. Perhaps I'll do the 60 day Spring Treat in a bed, not a big 80 day corn like Buhl. The Spring Treat has smaller plants more suited to a bed and, being an se corn, they were so sweet, so good and so early that they really were a spring treat while waiting for the Silver Queen.
Tomorrow is the Fourth of July and right on cue the first Silver Queen corn is ready. Yesterday I picked the first 28 ears. It almost seems that no matter when I plant it, it's always ready the week of the 4th. I almost wonder if it's readiness is tied to day length instead of days from seeding. Hmmm....