Ornamental Corn Mix

Zea mays - Ornamental Mix

Boiled, salted, or perhaps grilled. Corn is always excellent! It originates from tropical and subtropical regions of South and Central America. Plants grow over 2.5 m tall. Roots penetrate to a depth of 1.5 - 3.0 m. Stems have 8 - 10 nodes. Leaves are arranged oppositely. The male inflorescence is a tassel that grows from the last stem node. The female inflorescence is an ear. Corn varieties differ primarily in plant height, ear shape, grain color, taste, and cultivation purpose.

Sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. Saccharata) is an important type of delicacy vegetable. Seeds contain plenty of sugar, vitamin B, and fiber. Dent corn (Zea mays indentata) is grown extensively in fields for grain. Flint corn (Zea mays indurata) has a different grain shape - shorter, harder, and rounder. It is not grown in our region. Popcorn (Zea mays everta) is primarily known from popcorn consumption. Flour corn (Zea mays amylacea) has soft grains. It is used to produce flour for special baked goods - tortillas, etc. Indian corn is a type with smaller ears and multicolored grains. It is ornamental corn used as decoration.

Corn grains have a high content of B vitamins, especially thiamine (B1), as well as biotin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), and folic acid (B9). All these vitamins are essential for proper organ function and metabolic processes. Among minerals, corn contains mainly iron, magnesium, zinc, manganese, and selenium - again indispensable trace elements.

How to Grow Corn

• We never plant different types of corn in close proximity, as cross-pollination may occur and grains of, for example, sweet corn lose their pleasant sweetness! Plants require warm and moist soils. Sunny location. Windy positions are not suitable.

• Sow seeds from mid-April to the end of May directly at the site. Rows should be approximately 70 cm apart. After emergence, thin to 25 cm spacing. Sowing depth is 60 - 90 mm (depending on the hybrid used and soil).

• Requires warm, deep, sandy-loam soils. Requires deeply worked soils.

• Organic fertilizers are commonly used for corn fertilization. Autumn application is suitable; spring fertilization can only be tolerated on light soils. Doses: N 100 kg/ha, P 25 kg/ha P2O5, and K 90 kg/ha K2O.

  Sweet corn requires soil fertilized with farmyard manure or compost in autumn at a rate of 30 to 60 kg per 10m2. Before spring sowing, supplement the soil with 300 g potassium salt and 300 g superphosphate per 10m2.

  Supplement sweet corn in June with 200 g calcium nitrate and 250 g superphosphate per 10m2, or twice with 200 g NPK fertilizer (in June and early July). Foliar feeding is also suitable.

• Among fungal diseases, corn smut occurs on corn. It causes round tumors on the plant, which should be removed and burned before they disintegrate. Rusts may occasionally occur, with sorrel as their alternate host. Elimination of the alternate host and chemical protection are appropriate. Treat plants preventively with fungicides and treat seeds.

  Among animal pests, European corn borer may occur on plants. Its caterpillars damage plants by feeding. Another pest appearing in June and July is corn earworm. Treat plants against pests with special insecticides.

  Viral infections may also appear on corn - stunted growth, red leaves. In this case, destroy the plants.

• Sweet corn is suitable for consumption at the transition from milk to dough stage. Grains are still soft, but when pressed with a fingernail, the milky juice no longer flows out. Harvest popcorn when the seed surface is glassy and smooth.