Sweet Corn: Varieties and Cultivation Technology

Sweetcorn is incredibly popular for cultivation due to its taste. It is a natural delicacy, and children love the sweet cobs. And what is very important, this culture is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, contains dietary fiber and other substances useful for the body.

There are various assumptions about how corn was brought to Russia. At first it was grown in large quantities in the southern regions. For a long time it was a fodder plant variety that was used exclusively for the needs of agriculture. For the manufacture of butter, flour and other useful products.

There is another version that corn came to Russia from China, which is why it is so unpretentious and in the conditions of the climate of the middle lane it also gives a good harvest. The culture has become popular with gardeners for growing in home gardens. These varieties are more starchy and less sweet in taste.

And one more kind of corn is popcorn. This is a special variety. Grains of such corn are distinguished by a high content of water and starch. When exposed to high temperatures creates pressure inside the grains, and they crack.

Corn, which many people like for their unique taste, both boiled and canned, is sweet corn. Initially grew in Africa and South America. There, this nutritious culture is considered the second bread. It is frozen, canned, added to most dishes.

The term of ripening, the size of the cob and the grains depends on the variety. Varieties differ in stem height, leaf width, resistance, seed color, starch content and other substances.

Early ripening crops are fast ripening and are most popular with gardeners for growing. Early varieties are best for growing in regions where summer is short. Mid-season ones are characterized by high yield and the fact that they tolerate drought much better. Late ripening yields an even richer harvest and larger cobs, such varieties are more resistant to weather changes.

Hybrids are a selection of different varieties. They were bred by scientists specifically to increase yields. A distinctive feature after crossing was incredible resistance to all sorts of bacteria and fungi. Fertile hybrids are appreciated by Mexican farmers, where corn is an integral part of the national cuisine.

Consider the popular varieties in our region.

Early variety. The period from the time when the seeds have risen to the maturation of the first cobs is about 70-80 days. Medium-growth plant, the stems in height reach two meters. It grows best on well-fertilized and heated soil. Although this variety of sweet corn loves heat, it also has a strong immunity to fungal bacteria.

Variety "Lakomka" has a wonderful taste. Sweet young cobs ripen early and grow to 20-25 centimeters. The shape of the grains of this variety is slightly elongated, and the seeds have a dark yellow color.

Another early variety of corn. A full cycle of ripening is 70-80 days, the height of the plant is 1.5-1.7 m, the size of the cob is 20-25 cm. It has all the same qualities that belong to early-growing varieties. Gives a good harvest. Very sweet and sugar in taste. It is used both for the use in boiled form, preparations, and for all types of processing.

This is a hybrid that has an average ripening period and is grown through seedlings. This feature allows you to get the harvest within 60 days after landing in the ground, the full cycle of growing 90-100 days. It is characterized by large grains with a high sugar content, it has a delicate and sweet taste.

Very productive variety, has strong immunity to many diseases and consistently brings a good harvest.

One more hybrid which belongs to late grades, approximate term of maturing is 130-140 days. A distinctive feature is the color of the grains, they are light, cream-colored, milky in taste and sweet.

Early hybrid, ripening cycle is also from 70 to 90 days. Unlike previous varieties - it is a miniature fruit and a short-growing plant, it reaches a height of only 1.5 meters. The ears are short, 19-20 cm, and wide. The grains, in contrast, are large, golden-yellow in color with remarkable taste, sweet and tender.

Corn is an annual cereal. Refers to herbal subtropical plants. Therefore, many have the assumption that it is possible to grow sweet corn only in the southern regions on fertile soil.

But as it turned out, corn grows well in other regions with a more severe climate.

To grow it on your site, you need to fulfill a number of conditions.

• A landing place should be well warmed and lit, protected from the wind and open to the sun.
• In advance you need to take care of the composition of the soil. It is necessary to fertilize the soil, enter into the composition of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
• Choose a place to plant, where grain crops, sunflowers, legumes, peas, beans, zucchini, melons, potatoes and other root crops grew in the previous year.

The secret from experienced gardeners - choosing a place to plant, distribute it in this way:

• plant a pumpkin next to it; it will protect the corn roots from drying out with its large leaves;
• plant legumes near the corn, as they emit nitrogen, which is needed for growing corn.

It is necessary to start planting seeds in open ground only when the frosts end. This is especially true for early varieties. Everything depends on the region: in the southern regions this is approximately the end of April or the beginning of May, and in the regions of the middle belt it is closer to the end of May. Usually at this time the soil is already warmed up to + 10 ... 12 ° С.

If you use the seedling method, in early May, the seeds must be planted in containers, and planted in the ground in mid-June.

This process begins with the calibration of the grains. For planting it is better to choose the largest and whole seeds.

Next, corn seeds are laid out on a sheet of paper. Placed on the windowsill and under the rays of the sun is heated for about five days.

Then, about one day immediately before planting, the seeds are kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or in a growth stimulator. This is done in order to exclude the development of diseases and give the seeds more strength for further growth.

For the cultivation of sweet corn is not suitable soil with closely spaced groundwater or wetland. Place for landing should not be heavy and clogged.

If the soil is chernozem, then it is better to add peat and sand, if the soil is acidic, then it needs to be lime, if sandy, then add organic matter. The site needs to be dug up, it is possible to enter soddy soil and organic fertilizers.

Seeds are sown in rows, leaving a space of 60-70 centimeters. Grains are simply sunk into the ground 6-8 centimeters deep every 20 centimeters.

There is another way - it is to dig holes, and plant seeds deeper. 3 grains are deepened in the wells, half covered with earth and watered, the second half is dried with dry earth, and mulched on top.

When the first knots start to appear on the stems of the plant, from this moment on the corn grows about 10-11 cm in height every day. Her growth is rapid. During the period of development of the plant itself and the formation of corn cobs, it is necessary to water it, feed it, weed it, loosen it and spud it.

Watering requires abundant, 2-3 times a week. If we recall that corn is a subtropical plant, it is best to create the same conditions for it. Do not allow the soil to dry out and do not overfill, so that the earth does not become lumpy. For the formation and development of cobs will be the perfect combination of moisture, heat and oxygen access to the roots.

Young seedlings need to be loosened very carefully, so as not to harm the plant, but this should be done so that the roots receive the necessary access of oxygen. Weeding is carried out as needed and as an additional loosening.

Hilling is necessary in order to prevent plant lodging. Spud corn even before it grows and is stronger.

Corn has a multi-tiered root system, and much depends on its health. There are important components that add to the growth phases. Phosphorus is introduced 2 times: the first - when planting with organic fertilizers, and the second - in the phase of flowering or the emergence of cobs. Then after two weeks with the appearance of 6-7 leaves, add nitrogen. Potassium is needed throughout the vegetation cycle.

In addition, the stepson maize, remove side shoots, leaving only 2 or 3 cobs for development.

New breeding varieties of corn and hybrids have good immunity to pests and diseases. Observing the right care at all stages from planting to harvest, you can avoid common ailments.

But it is still better to know about some of them in order to prevent it in time. For this, the treatment of plants and soil with special biological preparations is carried out.

We list the most common diseases.

• Dust smut. Distributors are pests that can accumulate in the soil. Helps prevent seed treatment before sowing.
• Fusarium stem. A disease that can appear at the stage of plant nucleation, but will be noticeable only at the growth stage. It is possible to prevent the correct processing of the grain before planting, and also avoiding excessive moisture during planting.
• Fusarium cobs. A common fungal disease that occurs when the soil moisture and rotten soil residues in the soil from previous harvesting of corn or other cereals. This disease can be prevented at the stage of soil preparation, choosing the right place and seed treatment.
• Putrid lesions of the stem and roots. The reason is heavy rainfall, excessive norm or marshy soil. This is a fungal disease that is prevented by the sun's rays.
• Rust. The reason may be a sudden change of drought for excessive humidity. This fungal disease can be prevented by spraying with Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate solution for the purpose of prevention.

Pests appear and spread for the same reasons as diseases. Excess moisture, sudden change of drought to moisture, contaminated soil and poorly treated seeds.

The most common ones are:

• stem moth;
• root aphid;
• cotton scoop;
• swedish fly

Using proven varieties and observing the rules for planting at all stages, not forgetting to prepare the soil and process the seeds before sowing, you can avoid the improper development of sweet corn, grow a healthy plant and harvest a rich crop.

To learn how to grow sweet corn, see the following video.