How To Grow Corn In A Risky Farming Zone. Part 2

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

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On some aspects of corn farming in a greenhouse

About the features of the root system

The roots of maize are very strong, and in large numbers are located horizontally in all directions within a radius of up to 1 meter. At the beginning of plant development, the roots actively grow mainly in the upper layers of the soil, and then they can penetrate into depths of up to 1-2 m (if, of course, there is a deep arable layer).

In parallel with this, the formation of small roots continues in the upper soil layers. In addition, at the beginning of flowering, corn develops additional aerial roots, which are also introduced into the soil.

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Therefore, to ensure the effective operation of the entire root system, it is necessary to perform a number of agrotechnical measures:

1. The corn beds should be high enough.
2. To maintain the soil in a loose state, it is necessary to either carry out regular loosening, or one or two mulching of the soil.
3. Hilling corn at the moment of aerial roots formation is very effective, although it is possible to start hilling plants earlier.

Formation isn't easy too

In our conditions, given the short warm period, it is advisable to carry out pinching, i.e. removal of lateral shoots when they reach a height of about 15 cm. During the summer, corn is stepson about 2-3 times (as new shoots appear). With good care and sufficient light space, some of the strongest stepchildren can be left - about 1-2-3 on each plant.

Pickling significantly reduces the percentage of unripe ears, which is extremely important in cool climates. It should be borne in mind that in such conditions on a separate plant develops and reaches milk ripeness 1-2, at most, 3 ears. Therefore, keeping more stepchildren will only dramatically reduce your harvest.

Corn diseases

To be honest, it’s safer not to know about corn diseases: their range is too wide. Numerous fungal diseases are especially annoying, which actively develop when rainy cold weather sets in. However, subject to practically the same preventive measures (to which we are accustomed, growing no less "harmful" tomatoes and cucumbers), the appearance and spread of corn ailments can be avoided.

Among the main preventive measures:

• decrease in humidity in the greenhouse (good ventilation, dusting the soil with coal powder or pieces of coal to absorb excess moisture);
• combating destructive condensation;
• increasing the immunity of plants by weekly spraying with the drug "Immunocytofit"; carrying out foliar dressing with preparations of the "New Ideal" type.

Pollination and void ears

To understand the reasons for poor quality corn pollination, you need to know a little about its biological characteristics.

1. Pollination of flowers in maize is carried out by the wind.
2. Male flowers (panicles) bloom 7-10 days earlier than female flowers on the same plant and bloom within 5-6 days. Consequently, by the time the female flowers bloom on the same plant, the male flowers are already fading.
3. Pollination of female flowers with pollen from the same plant (i.e. self-pollination) is observed in maize very rarely (no more than 5% of cases). The virtual absence of self-pollinated ears is a completely natural phenomenon. The reason is simple: usually the flowering of a panicle on a particular corn plant ends before the ear appears on it, which means that the ear simply cannot be pollinated with a panicle from its plant.

As a result, one can name a whole complex of reasons for poor-quality pollination of female flowers and the formation of half-empty ears as a result (ears in which the grains are interspersed with voids). Some of them, one might say, are classic, because are also true for other cultures. Some are purely specific.

Poor pollination can be caused by:

1. Unfavorable conditions during flowering: high temperature (above 30 ° C), dry soil and low air humidity, because in such conditions, the pollen dries quickly and loses the ability to fertilize.
2. Unsuccessful arrangement of plants, which are preferable to plant in 5-6 rows, and not in one (in a greenhouse, the option of 5-6 rows is unacceptable). If corn plants are too far apart, then the chance of male pollen getting on the pistils of female flowers is reduced to a minimum. This means that the only way is artificial pollination.
3. To carry out artificial pollination, you need to manually transfer pollen with gauze from male flowers to female flowers at the beginning of flowering. For such purposes, it is very convenient to use an old fluffy brush for applying blush (I think the fair half will understand me). You will have to repeat this event several times. In addition, it is necessary to regularly spray with stimulants of fruit formation "Gibbersib", "Bud" or "Ovary".

And finally, the long-awaited cleaning

The length of the growing season for maize ranges from 90 to 150 days, depending on the variety and growing conditions. The milky ripeness of the cobs begins 80-105 days after the emergence of shoots.

The cobs are harvested selectively as they ripen. Typical signs of the readiness of the cob for collection can be considered: yellowing of its wrapper, tight fit of the cob with integumentary leaves, drying out along the edges of the covering leaf blades, browning of the pistil filaments of the cob.

It is necessary not to be late with harvesting, as corn does not withstand even weak autumn frosts, and the delay in harvesting reduces the overall yield.

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And now a little about the culinary intricacies

Corn cobs in milk ripeness are always pre-boiled before adding the grains to various dishes. Before cooking, the stalk is cut off the cobs so that the leaves do not fall off, and washed well. The ear is boiled without removing the leaves from it. For cooking, it is dipped in boiling salted water and kept on low heat while boiling for 15 minutes. After cooking, the cobs are thrown into a colander, and after cooling, the leaves are removed and the grains are carefully cleaned, which will go into the intended dish.

And there is a great variety of dishes with corn of milk ripeness. First of all, these are all kinds of salads, stews and soups

For the winter, lightly boiled corn (4-5 minutes) can be frozen and then used in the usual way. It is possible to add corn to various blanks. At one time, for example, I made lecho only with corn. It is prepared in the same way, but it looks more original, and it tastes better.

In our family, as a rule, corn is used to make salads. I will give a couple of salad recipes.

Summer salad with corn

Boil the corn in the usual way. Simultaneously boil the "uniforms" potatoes, peel and chop. Chop 1 fresh cucumber, 1-2 tomatoes and 1 boiled egg. Add finely chopped greens and some green onions. Stir all the ingredients, season with sour cream and add salt to taste.

Corn salad with crab sticks

Boil corn in the usual way, chop crab sticks. Boil 2 eggs hard-boiled and grind them thoroughly. Mix all the ingredients, add finely chopped parsley and season with sour cream or mayonnaise. Add salt to taste.