The delicious, crunchy corn kernels have been a staple diet of the South American Incas for thousands of years. With little effort, sweet varieties can be grown in the garden and even on the balcony. In this guide you will learn how to best grow corn yourself and achieve a rich harvest.
How can I successfully plant corn myself?
To plant corn yourself, choose a sunny location with nutrient-rich soil and sow the seeds after the ice saints. Use lime fertilizer and water regularly, especially during cob growth. Harvesting takes place approximately three weeks after flowering.
Which plants are suitable for growing in the garden?
Although a lot of corn has been planted on German fields for several years, it is forage or hybrid corn. This is not suitable for human consumption. In the home garden, on the other hand, varieties of sugar or vegetable corn are grown, which taste very sweet due to the high starch content. One of the most popular varieties is the golden yellow sweet corn variety Golden Bantam.
Can corn also thrive on the balcony?
The decorative corn plants also thrive on the balcony, provided the plants are placed in sufficiently large and deep pots and are in a sunny, wind-protected place. The plants grown on the windowsill are planted at least 20 x 30 centimeters apart. Small varieties such as strawberry corn, an ornamental corn variety, are best suited for cultivation on the balcony. Please note that corn is a deep rooter, i.e. H. the plant pots should be very deep.
Where does corn grow best?
Corn needs a sunny location that is as sheltered from the wind as possible.
Which soil is suitable for growing corn?
In order to achieve an appropriate yield, your corn plants need nutrient-rich, deep soil. Compost should be added to the soil before spreading on the bed.
Does corn have to be brought forward?
Since the sensitive corn plants can only be brought onto the bed quite late, they should be grown in a protected place. Of course, you can also sow the seeds directly onto the bed, but then you will have to wait longer until the harvest.
When is the best time to apply to the bed?
The plant does not tolerate frost, which is why seeds or early plants should only be brought to the bed after the Ice Saints (around the beginning to mid-May).
Which fertilizer is useful and when?
Before sowing or planting, the soil should be well fertilized with lime. Over the course of the growing season, around three nitrogen applications should also be made. In autumn, the soil can be prepared for planting with doses of phosphorus and potash.
Diseases and pests
If corn is grown in the garden, diseases and pest infestations are rare. To avoid possible damage from corn blight or ear rot, corn should not be planted on the same bed several years in a row.
Harvest time
The corn cobs can be harvested about three weeks after flowering. This is usually the case between the end of July / mid-August.
Tips & Tricks
Corn needs a lot of water, especially when the cobs start to grow. Don’t forget to water regularly and vigorously!
