Contents
Young corn is a favorite delicacy of children and adults all over the world. Fragrant boiled cobs will wonderfully fit into the cooking of early autumn, giving a feeling of comfort and joy. But in order to taste juicy corn, you must first grow it. In this article, we will look at how sweet corn grows, discuss its cultivation, and also inform you about the dangers that lie in wait for the plant in the garden.
Features
What is the difference between sweet corn and regular corn? Sweet or milk corn is a dioecious crop with a fibrous root system. The plant also forms several above-ground root nodes for greater stability. The cylindrical stem reaches a height of about 3 meters, rarely exceeding 6 centimeters in diameter. It is by the height of the stem that you can navigate whether the cobs are ripe: the higher the stem, the longer the growing season. Depending on the variety, the cultivation of corn takes from 65 to 110 days, flowering is approximately 50-60 days, and milky ripeness is 75-85 days.
Sweet corn cobs store many useful elements: vitamins B1 B2, B3, B6, C, E, PP; potassium, fluorine, phosphorus, silver, boron, iodine, iron, calcium. They abound in fats, accumulating them up to 7%, while protein is 17% more than in other cereals. Corn also leads in terms of calories – 100 grams of grains contains 85,7 kilocalories. But there is quite a bit of starch in comparison with other types of corn in sugar. The amount of saccharides in this type of culture is half the content in siliceous and tooth-like, which contributes to the formation of a delicate, soft and sweet texture of grains.
Advantages
The obvious benefit of growing sweet corn is its nutritional value. Juicy, sweet grains are exactly what the human body needs at any time of the year. And the overall nutritional value is an order of magnitude higher than that of other varieties of corn, which makes it more beneficial in terms of consumption. The accumulation of sugar also sets it apart.
You can eat both fresh cobs and cooked ones: boiled, baked, frozen, canned. As a useful nutritional ingredient, sugar corn is simply irreplaceable.
Sweet corn varieties are mostly hybrids. This means that they have increased resistance to a variety of diseases, both fungal and bacterial. In addition, they are less whimsical to the type of soil, which allows cultivation in any area.
Popular varieties
The cultivation of corn begins with the selection of seeds of a certain variety. Leaders in sweetness: Spirit, Bonus, GH 5704, Sweet Star, Shinrock.
Gardeners fell in love with the “Trophy F1” variety for its precocity and sweetness of grain. The plant reaches a height of 190 centimeters, cobs up to 22 centimeters long, and the growing season takes only 75 days.
Variety “Spirit” is one of the best corn hybrids. It has large grains, from which excellent seeds are obtained for sowing. This variety grows well through seedlings or under film shelters. The average ripening period is approximately 68-70 days, the height of the bush grows up to 190 centimeters, the length of the cob is about 20 centimeters.
Variety “Dobrynya F1” – another representative of the galaxy of sweet cobs. Early ripe (vegetation period takes only 70 days), it grows up to 170 centimeters in height, the length of the cob is about 25 centimeters. The main advantages of this variety are unpretentiousness to the type and composition of the soil, as well as high immunity to diseases.
And finally, “Boston F1” is a mid-season very sweet variety. In height, the bush rarely exceeds 140 centimeters, but the length of the cob is not less than 21 centimeters, weighing about 200 grams. The high-yielding variety is combined with resistance to many diseases.
Video “Varieties of sweet corn”
This video will introduce you to the features of planting varieties of sweet corn.
Landing
Corn prefers fertile loose soil with high oxygen content and low acidity. Most sweet varieties need a moderate amount of moisture, but in this case a little more is better than less. In the fall, after the previous crop has already been removed from the garden, or in the spring, shortly before planting, it is necessary to plow the site deeply, fertilize well with mineral and organic fertilizers.
Before planting, it is necessary to prepare the seeds so that they germinate well. 5-6 days before planting, they must be soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate for 8-10 hours. Also, you can subject the seeds to hydrothermal treatment: heat water to 50 degrees, place grains in it for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to cold, then again to hot water, alternating for 20 minutes.
Be sure to check the seeds for germination by placing them in a strong saline solution for 10-15 minutes. Throw away those that come up without regret – they will not give a good harvest. But those that have settled at the bottom must be washed under running water and dried before planting.
For sweet varieties, the best time to plant is mid-May. Why? The soil temperature is already reaching the desired 12-13 degrees Celsius, which means the seeds will quickly grow.
Mark holes on the bed measuring 30 by 60 centimeters, moisten them and place the seeds to a depth of 5-6 centimeters, and then water again. 2-3 grains should be placed in each hole to ensure the best germination. If all the sprouts hatch, then simply remove the weakest ones from the garden.
A big plus of sweet varieties is that cultivation is possible for several years in the same place, that is, there are no harsh rules of traditional crop rotation, when the crop needs to be transplanted to a new place every year.
Peculiarities of growing
When the first shoots appear, the main task of gardeners is to regularly loosen the soil and remove weeds. Corn is famous for its well-developed multi-tiered root system, which needs free space and an abundance of nutrients.
It is also important to apply fertilizers in a timely manner: at the stage of 5-8 sheets – potassium salt and nitrate; on the eve of flowering – phosphorus and potassium; during the fruiting period – superphosphate, phosphorus and potassium.
Otherwise, the main thing is to monitor the condition of the leaves, so as not to miss the time of the next watering and subsequent loosening of the soil.
Care
Growing corn requires a certain amount of moisture to form juicy and sweet cobs. This, in turn, requires watering. Some drought-tolerant hybrid varieties can get by with as little as two waterings per season, but most sweet varieties require at least 3-4 waterings to germinate seeds, develop proper root systems, and delight in size and flavor.
However, an excess of moisture should not be allowed, as this will lead to a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the soil and, as a result, the death of roots and roots. That is why it is imperative to loosen the soil in the beds.
Of course, the care also includes the application of fertilizers: organic on the eve of planting and mineral fertilizers during the growing season. The lack of nutrients in the soil is one of the reasons why the crop does not develop well.
It is possible to treat plantings with herbicides only before sprouts appear, since sweet corn does not perceive them well.
Keep a close eye on the beds for weeds.
Otherwise, growing corn is not much different from growing any other unpretentious crop.
Fighting diseases and pests
Growing this crop, whether you used seeds for planting or seedlings, is fraught with the danger of meeting diseases and pests. And they, as you know, are quite difficult to remove from the site so as not to damage the plants.
Among the main diseases that slow down the cultivation of crops were noted:
- Moldy seeds and sprouts, which is characterized by the appearance of a blue or blue-green fungus on the grains. Why does it occur? Because the seeds are stored at low temperature combined with high humidity. Control measures are to treat the seed with fungicides, store at room temperature in a dry room.
- Bubble smut, which affects both young plants and emerging cobs. With this disease, the entire green part of the plant is covered with swellings that are filled with gray or pink spores of the fungus. Why does it appear? The spores of the fungus remain in the soil and plant debris, actively developing after rainfall with prolonged drought. Control measures – disinfection of seeds with fungicides, thorough disinfection of the soil, adherence to the watering schedule during dry periods.
- Fusarium, which not only slows down, but sometimes kills the cultivation of corn in the bud. It manifests itself as a light pink bloom on the cobs, as well as rotting of the roots, followed by yellowing and death of the leaves and stem. Why does it appear? As a rule, due to violation of grain storage conditions, when high humidity and low temperatures contribute to the development of fungal spores. It can also be transmitted through contaminated soil. Control measures, as with all fungal diseases, are disinfection of seeds and soil with fungicides, timely cleaning of plant residues from the garden.
Among the insects that like to settle on corn beds, it should be noted:
- Wireworms are beetles with a body that rarely exceeds 2 centimeters. Their larvae, yellow-brown worms, settle in the seeds and sprouts of corn, eating them clean from the inside. Affected grains do not sprout, and the plant does not develop. As a preventive measure against wireworms, the preparation “Gaucho” and early sowing are used.
- A swedish fly that lays its eggs on the stalks and leaves of corn. Its larvae penetrate the plant, feed on juices and fibers, leading to the depletion and death of corn. To control swedish fly, use standard insecticides, disinfect the soil, and carefully eradicate weeds.
Video “Cultivation of corn”
This video will teach you how to plant and grow corn on your property.