The corn or sacred plant of the Aztecs as it is known in Mexico, is a plant native to Central America. Their culture spread to both sides of the equator, as corn was brought to Europe thanks to Christopher Columbus on his first return from America.
Sweet corn characteristics
Corn is a herbaceous plant that grows every year and belongs to the Poaceae family. Its size is usually variable, the stems measure from 50 centimeters to 4 meters in height sAccording to the type of corn.
The stem is usually unique, however, it is very common for corn to produce secondary or greedy stalks.
These stems have large elongated leaves and a shallow root system, which includes many roots that appear at the base of the stem and then they go down to a meter deep. Corn is an anemophilic plant, that is, pollination is carried out by the wind, bees are also attracted by pollen.
Corn plantation
Sowing of sweet corn is done in spring, between April and June. Its seed can be planted directly in the ground, in line or in pots and the soil should be at a temperature of approximately 12 ° C.
In colder regions, planting can be done in buckets, indoors, with potting soil and some compost. After it sprouts in the buckets it will be replanted in the ground, around the month of May or June.
There are two types of sowing
Line sowing: Corn is sown in full sun after soaking the seeds in warm water for 12 hours.
Then a line is laid and grooves are dug 3 to 5 centimeters deep, leaving a space between each row of 70 cm. The seeds are planted every 10 cm. After this, we cover with fine earth.
Sowing in pots: we can start sowing in a bucket and starting in March, and then transplanting it in May or June in the garden. We are going to sow 2 to 3 seeds about 3 cm deep. We water regularly until they start to sprout.
Culture and maintenance
Al corn likes exposure to the sun, along with a loose and rich soil, therefore we must place compost or compost during its preparation the previous fall to enrich the plot planned for planting. The rotation between two corn crops is approximately 4 years.
However, it is important to plant several rows of corn or grow them in a square to promote good pollination.
In fact, pollen from the male flowers that are at the top of the stem will fall on the female flowers, located further down the stem. This fertilization can be done naturally with the wind or voluntarily, shaking the plants.
When the corn is about 30 cm tall, we have to cover it up to 10 cm high to anchor the ground. We water regularly if it doesn't rain for about once a week, but never on the male flowers during pollination.
Diseases and pests
The corn borer
The caterpillar of the corn borer It is a pest that digs the ears of corn and sometimes the heart of the stems, causing them to break.
To prevent, we must grind the crop residues before use. Make a good crop rotation by not planting corn in the same field before 4 years. In case of a severe attack, we can spray a Bacillus thuringiensis solution, but this solution is not 100% reliable.
Sweet corn harvest
Harvesting sweet corn performed after 80 days of sowing, when the bristles on the ears begin to brown, three weeks after average pollination.
The grains must be well developed, but always tender. To know if they are ripe, we take some from a spike and taste them, we can even crush them between the fingers, they should be slightly milky.
If it is harvested too late, sugar turns into starch and the skin hardens.