Early sweet corn: cultivation, fertilizer, care

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

There are many varieties of corn grown by farmers and home gardeners. Some varieties are cultivated for fodder grain, others for green mass. In the food industry, sweet corn is used. You can use its mature cobs both boiled and canned.

Biological features

It is a tall (up to 3 m) sweet corn annual herbaceous subtropical plant with a well-developed root system. The stem of this plant can reach 7 cm in diameter. Female flowers in sweet corn are collected on the cob, male - in panicles. The fruit is a kidney-shaped or rounded caryopsis. It may vary in color depending on the variety. The most commonly grown variety is the yellow-cob variety.

From fodder sweet corn differs in more tender leaves and lower height. The ears on it develop faster. Flowering can begin as early as when the plants reach a height of 20-25 cm.

Benefits of growing

Above was a detailed description of sugar corn. The plant, therefore, is tall, with a developed root system. Of course, in the conditions of the Russian climate, this subtropical crop will need to be given some attention to get a good harvest. However, the time spent will certainly be rewarded a hundredfold. Among the most he althy crops, corn occupies one of the first places. Its fruits contain a third of all trace elements necessary for a person. Also, corn kernels are rich in all kinds of vitamins and other useful substances. Contain the fruits of this plant and a large amount of sugars. Hence the band's name.

Most popular varieties

Of course, a gardener who decides to start growing this wonderful unpretentious crop, first of all, should take care of buying seed. There are many varieties of sweet corn. In the conditions of Russia, in most cases, early-ripening varieties are grown. Ordinary corn in our climate simply does not have time to ripen. The most popular varieties among Russian gardeners are:

• Kuban sugar;
• Spirit F1;
• Gourmet;
• Dobrynya.

Kuban corn: variety advantages

This is an unpretentious mid-early, slightly bushy variety. The Kuban sugar corn ripens on the 92-96th day after germination. This grainvarieties are large and have a bright yellow color. The ears themselves can reach a length of 19-24 cm. The advantages of Kuban sweet corn include, first of all, high taste and versatility. Cobs can not only be boiled, but also preserved for the winter. The variety requires hilling before the formation of panicles.

Sugar corn Spirit F1

This early variety is most often grown by seedling method. When using this technology, cobs can be obtained by the end of July - the beginning of August. Sweet corn Spirit F1, among other things, is characterized by a stable yield in any year. This is also attributed to its undeniable merits. The grains of Spirit F1, like those of the Kuban, are very large and sweet. Many gardeners consider this variety to be the most delicious variety in existence at the moment.

Variety Lakomka

The main advantage of this variety is considered to be a high yield. Also sugar gourmet corn is very resistant to various diseases. Its growing season lasts only 70-75 days. During this time, the ears grow up to 20 cm in length. The grains of this variety are wide, very juicy and sweet. Most often, gourmet cobs are eaten boiled. But canning them is also allowed.

Corn Dobrynya

The advantages of this variety include, first of all, very large cobs. An early hybrid Dobrynya can grow up to 170 cm in height. You can choose this variety for cultivation, including those summer residents whose land on the site is not very good. To the composition of the soil hybridDobrynya is completely undemanding. Also, this early sweet corn is not at all afraid of such common diseases as mosaic and rust. Cobs of this variety ripen on the 70th day after planting. Unlike many other hybrids, they can be harvested not only in the phase of milk maturity, but also dried up.

Seed preparation

So, the variety of sweet corn has been selected, and planting material has been purchased. The next step is to prepare the seeds. In principle, they can simply be planted immediately in the ground. However, the prepared material will rise faster, and the corn itself will grow much he althier and more productive in the future. Pre-sowing preparatory measures are as follows:

• Seeds are laid out on a sheet of paper in an even layer and placed in a sunny place for 5 days.
• The heated material is soaked for a day in a warm solution of potassium permanganate (weak) or a growth stimulator.

Seeds prepared this way will sprout a few days faster.

Where to plant?

Maize can only be harvested well if it gets enough sunlight during the season. Therefore, it is worth placing this plant either on the south or south-west side of the house, or on a flat area, provided there are no large trees nearby. It is very good if there is some kind of barrier (building, bushes, etc.) on the side from which the prevailing winds blow in this particular area. Sweet corn is a tall plant, and the wind can simply break it or “roll it up.”

In most cases, gardeners place corn along the fences or next to the terrace. If desired, this culture can also be used as an element of landscape design. For example, it is easy to make a temporary hedge out of it when zoning a site.

The best predecessors

Sweet corn can be planted after almost any other horticultural crop that has been fertilized. The best predecessors for this plant are potatoes, cabbage and peas. It is not recommended to sow this crop after millet. The fact is that these plants can be affected by the same pest - the corn borer. It is also not recommended to plant this crop after or next to beets.

Very often, corn is placed next to cucumbers and the latter are lashed along its stems and branches. You can plant this plant next to the pumpkin. However, corn stalks under the lashes of this crop should not be adapted. Pumpkin's are too heavy.

What should be the soil

One of the features of corn is undemanding to the composition of the soil. This plant will feel good both on podzolic soil and on black soil or even peat. However, it is best to still plant this crop in light, well-permeable water and air soil, with an acidity of 6-7 pH. The dug up area for corn should be as deep as possible. After all, the roots of this plant are capable ofgo down 1.5-2 m.

Before planting in the furrow, it is advisable to apply organic fertilizers (rotted manure, humus) and some kind of phosphorus mineral dressing (for example, superphosphate at the rate of 10 g/m2).

How to sow

They start planting corn in mid-early May, that is, at a time when the soil warms up to a temperature of at least 10 gr. Sowing time should be chosen taking into account the fact that this crop does not tolerate night frosts at all. Planting sugar corn in rows. In this case, the distance between the bushes should be 25-35 cm. Between the rows leave 60-70 cm of free space.

Deepen the seeds of sweet corn into the ground by about 5-6 cm. They cannot be placed too close to the surface of the soil. The fact is that corn kernels are one of the favorite treats of many species of birds. After planting, the plot, of course, should be additionally watered.

Sugar corn: growing seedlings

As already mentioned, corn is a late plant. And even from early varieties of the harvest, you have to wait a long time - at least 2-3 months. Therefore, many summer residents grow this crop in seedlings. At the same time, gardeners use approximately the following planting technology:

• A special substrate is poured into the boxes, made up of garden soil and compost in a ratio of 1x1.
• Seeds are pre-germinated at room temperature in damp foil paper.
• They are planted to a depth of 3-4 cm.

Early varieties of sweet corn are planted for seedlings in late April - early May - about 25 days before being transferred to open ground. Since corn does not tolerate transplanting very well, special peat cups can be used instead of boxes. In any case, during transportation to open ground, it is worthwhile to carefully ensure that the roots of the plants are not damaged. If there is no need for a very early harvest, it is better to sow corn directly into the soil.

What kind of fertilizer is needed for sweet corn during growth

Like any other garden crop, corn needs to be fed from time to time. This plant is very large and needs a lot of nutrients. Feed sweet corn at least twice per season. When planting, as already mentioned, it is useful to add organic and phosphorus fertilizers to the furrow. Corn also responds very well to products containing a large amount of zinc. It could be, for example, PMU-7.

The second time the plants are fertilized two weeks after planting. In this case, it is better to use products containing a lot of nitrogen.

What fertilizers are needed for sweet corn during growth, they will find out by the state of the bushes themselves. Various kinds of negative changes may indicate a lack of certain elements in the soil. So, for example, a lack of nitrogen will manifest itself in yellowing and drying out of the leaves (subject to periodic watering). Potassium starvation is manifested by a suspension of development and the appearanceon the tips of the leaves "burns". With a lack of phosphorus, the green tissue of corn will turn red.

How to water

Water corn in the process of growth requires quite a lot. It is not recommended to allow the soil to dry out under this plant. Otherwise, the corn will stop growing and its cobs will not develop. It is also impossible to transfuse this culture. This can lead to overconsolidation of the soil. Without oxygen, the roots of the plant will cease to grow well, and the bushes that have received less nutrients will significantly reduce the yield.

In particular, sweet corn, which is relatively easy to grow, needs moisture to form cobs. At this time, it needs to be watered more often. If the plant has enough water, it will surely please the owners with juicy and sweet grains.

Signs of maturation

Corn should be harvested on time. The grains of unripe cobs are not very tasty and do not differ in juiciness. Overexposed fruits become too hard and dry. Corn is harvested usually 20-25 days after the start of flowering - in the phase of milky ripeness. During this period, the fruits of this plant contain the most sugars. The main signs of maturation are:

• shrinkage of the edges of the top wraps;
• darkening pistil threads at the top of the cob;
• tight fit to each other grains;
• uniform color of all fruits.

When pressing on ripegrains, their shell bursts, and the milky-sugar liquid flows out.

Corn is usually harvested for several weeks in a row. Cobs on the bushes are not formed at the same time. The harvested crop should be immediately processed - boiled or canned. The fact is that when stored on the cob, the percentage of sugar content decreases very quickly. It is worth harvesting corn early in the morning. It is at this time that most of the sugar accumulates in the grains. If corn must be stored, it is best to freeze it first.

Diseases and pests

Corn is quite resistant to infection with various fungi and bacteria. However, sometimes this plant still gets sick. The most common problem is seedling mold. This usually happens when the seeds are planted too early. Cold air and soil, subject to high humidity, provoke the development of penicillin fungi. They fight this disease with the help of various kinds of fungicides.

Also, sometimes sweet corn is affected by helminthosporiosis. In this case, leaves, internodes, roots, and sometimes cobs can suffer. This disease usually appears in the second half of summer in the form of large brown spots. For its prevention, it is imperative to burn post-harvest corn residues.

Reviews of gardeners

Of course, in terms of popularity among summer residents, corn is inferior to the main crops, such as, for example, cucumbers or tomatoes. Not all gardeners grow it. However, there are also devoted adherents of this wonderfulplants. Most lovers of this culture explain their love for it primarily by the opportunity to diversify the family table. After all, boiled cobs are really very tasty and also contain a lot of substances useful for the body.

Sweet corn deserves good reviews also for the fact that it can be used to create special growth conditions, for example, for the same cucumbers. Planting beds with this crop with corn allows you to create a special "greenhouse" microclimate. Thus, in the vicinity of this plant, cucumbers develop much faster.