A pot culture experiment was carried out in a glasshouse to compare the physiology and growth of sweet corn plants (Zea mays L. cv. Honey Bantam) grown under organic and chemical fertilizations with or without microbial inoculation (MI). The organic fertilizer used was fermented mainly using rice bran and oil mill sludge, and the MI was a liquid product containing many beneficial microbes such as lactic acid bacteria, yeast, photosynthetic bacteria and actinomycetes. The application amounts of the organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizers were based on the same rate of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Sweet corn plants fertilized with organic materials inoculated with beneficial microbes grew better than those without inoculation. There were no significant differences in physiology and growth of the sweet corn plants between treatments of chemical fertilizers with and without MI. Among the organic fertilization treatments, only the sweet corn plants with organic fertilizer and MI applied 4 weeks before sowing had similar photosynthetic capacity, total dry matter yield and ear yield to those with chemical fertilizers. Sweet corn plants in other organic fertilization treatments were weaker in physiology and growth than those in chemical fertilization treatments. There was no significant variance among chemical fertilization treatments at different time. It is concluded from this research that this organic fertilizer would be more effective if it was inoculated with the beneficial microbes. Early application of the organic fertilizer with beneficial microbes before sowing was recommended to make the nutrients available before the rapid growth at the early stage and obtain a yield similar to or higher than that with chemical fertilizations.