Growing Corn

The taste of sweet corn being roasted or steamed, wafting through your kitchen on cold winter days is enough to warm your heart. And when they are plucked fresh from the garden, well, nothing beats that joy. Fresh food brings to the table unmatched flavor, taste and aroma, fresh corn is no exception. Before we get down to the basic steps to grow corn, a little about plant itself.

Corn Plant

A large crop plant, corn is a variety of corn and a very popular vegetable. Corn cultivation is over 8,000 years old. Primarily, a native annual grass teosinte, it has been domesticated into an edible fruit. The 20th century saw a jump in corn production as people were getting more interested in the health benefits it offered, as a whole vegetable as well fresh or dried grain. A large number of cultivars and hybrids were introduced in an attempt to make corn and yield more uniformed, better quality and disease resistant. The corn we see today is evolved from the teosinte plants that had the largest amount of edible seeds. Unlike its originator, the teosinte, which had very fragile seed compaction, the developed corn is tightly bound to the cob. The individual corn grain is known as the corn kernel, made up of hard and soft starch. As it is monocot, the grains are present in an even number of rows on the cob which is tightly wrapped in leaves called the husk and pistillate flowers known as silk. The husk is generally discarded before cooking the corn.

How to Grow Corn

To grow corn at home, one can choose from several different corn varieties, each with its unique taste and plant growing habits. I have given a generic form of information in regards to growing them in small gardens.

Propagation: Seeds (dried kernels) are the only way to start a corn plant. One can purchase a particular variety or collect and store from last year's harvest. Collect seeds from a healthy ripened cob, and dry them well. Store them in a tight container in a dark cool place.

Soil Preparation: Corn grows very well in well drained fertile soil. Drainage is very essential to the growth, and for ensuring that the seeds do not rot. Ensure enough holes in the container to allow adequate drainage. The soil's pH balance should be between 6.0 to 6.5. Sow seeds (kernels) early summer, directly in the intended location in multiple rows, one inch deep, and 5-8 inches apart. The soil should be well fed with organic compost. Moisten the soil well, and keep it moist until you see sprouts in a week's time. Corn should be planted at close proximity in a group to facilitate pollination.

Watering: The corn plant requires frequent and plenty of water to produce full, healthy cobs/ears. As corn is a summer crop and a fast grower, hence it needs plenty of water. Adequate water ensures that the kernels on the cobs become juicy and plumply. Inadequate water will wilt the leaves, and stunt the size of the corn cobs. Corn have shallow roots, so tend to dry out quickly. While watering, make sure water does not fall on the tassels, to produce the kernels on the cob, pollen from the tassels have to fall onto the corn silk.

Fertilizing: Corn likes plenty of nitrogen based fertilizer. A regular feed of liquid nitrogen based fertilizer should be applied regularly in its peak growing season. Test your soil's requirement before adding the nitrogen measure, excess will burn out your plant. Side dress between the rows.

Diseases and Pests: Corn is primarily inflicted by smut, leaf blight and Stewart's disease. Anthracnose (a kind of leaf blight) can be controlled by treating the seeds before sowing with a little dusting of Thiram or Captan. Pests that routinely attack the corn plant include Corn borer, flea beetle, corn earworm, etc. Most of them just eat right through the corn cob. The use of specific germicides will prevent these diseases and pests from damaging the plant. While spraying any insecticide, make sure you avoid spraying the corn, if possible. A corn full of insecticides becomes unhealthy to consume. Use cultivated corn varieties as they are more resistant to being attacked.

Corn should be harvested at the right time to enjoy its taste. Squeeze the ear, if it feels plumply, pull a husk back, and pierce a kernel, if the juice is milky, it is ready for harvesting and to be enjoyed!