Corn is an annual herbaceous plant: cultivation, varieties, description, photo

Corn is a herbaceous heat-loving plant, grown by many summer residents. Of course, in order to get a good harvest of this wonderful culture, one must observe certain agricultural techniques. First of all, you need to choose the right grade of corn. Also, you should determine where exactly it will grow on the site. And, of course, in the process of growing this culture, like any other, you need to properly feed and water.

general description

It is an annual corn of the Cereal family. In nature there are only 6 of its varieties. However, as a garden and agricultural crops, only sugar maize is cultivated . This variety, depending on the variety, can reach a height of 1.5-3 m. Unlike most other cereals, the stalk of corn is not empty, but filled with tissue. Its thickness is usually 3-7 cm.

In the lower part this plant forms the supporting aerial roots. The length of the leaf in maize can reach up to 1 m, and the width - up to 10 cm. The flowers of this plant are same-sex. Men are collected in panicles and grow at the very top of the stem. Female flowers form cobs, located in the sinuses. The color of the corn seeds is usually bright yellow. But there are varieties with white, red or black grains. The shape and size of the seeds of this culture can be different.

Popular varieties

Corn is a southern plant, the ripening of its ears is occurring for a long time. Therefore, for the middle zone of Russia, the Urals and Siberia, it is worth choosing primarily its early varieties. To the most productive hybrids, yielding crops by the middle of August, you can include:

• Sundance F1.

• Trophy F1.

• Sugar F1.

Also, under certain conditions in the country in the middle band, you can get a good harvest of medium-ripened corn. Such, for example, as:

• Cowberry.

• Pearl.

• Mermaid.

Late varieties of this culture are suitable mainly for Ukraine and the southern regions of Russia. The most popular maize hybrids of this group are the Russian bursting and Polaris.

Sort of Sundance F1

This powerful early maturing hybrid gives mature cobs as early as 60-65 days after planting. Grain Sundance F1 in food is usually used in the stage of milk maturity in fresh or canned form. Good reviews of gardeners, this variety was, above all, precisely for the excellent taste of cobs. Also, the hybrid Sandans F1 is praised for drought and frost resistance. However, this sort does not like shading and poor soils. The corn is sown (photo can be seen below) Sundance F1 in early May.

Hybrid Trophy F1

The growing season of this variety is 75 days. Plant the hybrid F1 Trophy in a well-lit location, without thickening. Cobs in this variety are very long (up to 23 cm) and sweet. The grain is honey-colored. You can consume cobs in food both fresh and cooked. Some landladies also preserve the grain of this variety for the winter.

Sugar F1

This is a very popular good grade of corn, the fruits of which begin to ripen already on 70-80 days after planting. The grains of the Sugar F1 hybrid are very delicate, juicy and sweet. The ear of this corn is of medium length (up to 20 cm). Its popularity has earned a variety not only for good taste qualities, but also for resistance to such a disease as a bubble head.

Hybrid Brunnitsa

This medium-ripened corn begins to ripen on 85-89 days after planting. The cob of Brusniki is rather short - 18 cm. But the grain of this variety is very large and has a pleasant bright yellow color. Like many other varieties of corn, Brusnitsa does not tolerate shading at all. The site for it should be chosen with easy fertile soil. In the food of the cowberry cob, it is best to eat it in cooked or canned.

Hybrid Pearl

The maturation period of this maize is 80-85 days. The cobs are of medium length (up to 20 cm) and are bright yellow. Use corn kernels Pearls can be used for cooking or canning. To the advantages of this hybrid, summer residents, among other things, include high yield and resistance to various fungal and bacterial diseases.

Corn Mermaid

This sort is almost the most popular among Russian middle-class dacha residents. Its main advantage is simply phenomenal resistance to diseases. To treat corn Mermaid does not have almost never. Cobs in this variety begin to ripen on the 80-90 day after the appearance of the first shoots. Their length is medium - up to 20 cm. The color of the maize seed of the Mermaid variety is lemon.

Late grades

Hybrid Russian bursting ripens on 90-95 days after planting. The ear is very thin, with a conical shape. A characteristic feature of the variety is the cracking grain of the popcorn. Soils Russian bursting prefer light, fertile, well-moistened. Cultivate this variety usually on flakes and popcorn.

The long (up to 23 cm) cobs of the Polaris hybrid are excellent for canning and fresh consumption. This sort is appreciated by summer residents, including for resistance to diseases and lying. The grain of Polaris is long, it has excellent taste qualities. Plant this corn on light, fertile soils.

How to choose the right place

Corn is a culture that prefers, first of all, very well-lit areas. Therefore, it is usually planted on the southern side of the garden or vegetable garden. In this case, the largest yields can be collected by placing corn on a hill. The best predecessors for this culture are:

• Beans;

• Cucumbers;

• Tomatoes;

• cabbage;

• potatoes;

• Squash.

It is highly not recommended to grow corn after beet.

How to prepare a bed

The area selected for corn is worth digging since the autumn. At the same time, manure and phosphorus fertilizers should be introduced into the soil. Acidic soil is desirable to improve lime, chalk or dolomite flour. In the spring, just before planting, beds for corn need only loosen a little.

When to sow

Planting corn in the open ground is usually made immediately after the air temperature on the street warms up to +12 C. In Ukraine and in the southern regions of Russia - this is about the end of April. In the middle belt, crops are usually produced in mid-May. In the Urals and Siberia, the best time to plant is the beginning of June. A sign that it is time to sow this plant is the flowering of bird cherry and cherry.

Corn is a relatively unpretentious crop, which can be grown as in conventional technology (planted directly in the ground), and seedlings. In the latter case, the seeds are placed in cups with pre-prepared soil in the middle of April (for the middle band). The soil can be taken from a conventional garden, adding to it a well-bred manure. Keep cups with seeds in a very warm room is not recommended. Good corn seedlings can be obtained only at an air temperature of not more than 20 degrees. Installing cups is best on the southern window. If the seedlings do not have enough sunlight, it will begin to stretch and grow very weak.

How to properly prepare seeds

Before planting corn grain, it is necessary to decompose into the sun for about 5 days. Then they need to be placed in warm water for an hour. Next, the seeds are dried. Before the planting, it is desirable to powder the hexachlorane or granozane according to the instructions. This will prevent infection of young shoots with pathogenic microorganisms, fungi or harmful insects.

How to plant properly

Late with the sowing of corn is highly discouraged. This can lead to a significant decrease in yield. The depth of seeding during planting on light soils should be 6 cm, for heavy soils - 4 cm. The optimal distance between individual plants for most varieties is 35 cm. The only exception is a very high corn. Seeds of such varieties are planted at a distance of 45 cm from each other. The space between rows of corn should be approximately 70 cm. 3-4 holes are placed in the hole. Decimation is made after 7-8 leaflets appear on the plants. In this case, the strongest bush is left in the hole.

How to water corn

Soil under this culture should not be moistened too often, but abundantly. After watering, the soil under each plant should get wet at least 10 cm. It is impossible to tolerate a strong drying of the soil in beds. Semi-empty cobs and low yields are the main consequences of insufficient irrigation of a crop such as corn. The photo presented below, the result of drying the plants demonstrates clearly.

How to feed

For the first time, maize is fertilized about 20 days after planting. In this case, a solution of Mullein, cooked in a proportion of 1:11, is usually used. You can also water plants with a dilute bird droppings (1: 20-25). In addition, phosphate-potassium fertilizers should be added to the soil. In particular, this will be useful if the corn leaves on the edges become wavy. This kind of form says just about the lack of potassium.

Weeding and nipping

Corn is a plant, the weeds under which it is usually necessary to remove only in the first couple of weeks after planting. This culture is very strong and it takes a lot of nutrients from the earth. Therefore, no weeds under it usually do not grow. In the phase of active development of green mass in maize, it is necessary to remove lateral shoots. The fact is that they take a lot of vitality from the plant. And this, in turn, greatly affects the yield.

After the corn grows to about 20-30 cm, it is desirable to wallow on the soil in the bed. It is best to use well-worn horse or cow dung for this purpose. You can also close the soil under plants with ordinary dried grass.

Harvest in the country and harvest maize for silage in the fields

When it is best to tear off the cobs - of course, it's the taste of the owner of the site. Some people like unripened sweet corn. Others prefer ripe cooked cobs. In any case, it is not recommended to store fresh corn too long. To consume or conserve the cob should be no later than 20 days after they are ripped off.

In summer cottages, the grown harvest, of course, is collected simply by hand. Farmers, who cultivate this culture on large areas, use special machines for harvesting corn. This technique is something like a small combine harvester with a special reaper. The cutting device is usually located in front of the machine. Since corn is usually grown on cattle for farming, it is cut completely - green mass along with the cobs.