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Botanical name

Zea mays var. saccharata

Plant Care

Categories

Common name(s)

Sweetcorn (mealies)

Origin

Planting instructions

Grow sweetcorn in short rows next to each other to promote better pollination.Prepare the soil well with organic matter and general fertilizer before sowing seeds directly into rows, 25mm deep and 150mm apart in the row.

Maintenance

Water regularly and feed by applying a side dressing of nitrogen fertilizer when seedlings have started to grow well; repeat when tassels appear.Keep the rows weed-free.

Soil conditions

Prepare the soil well with organic matter and general fertilizer.

Common pests and diseases

Cutworms, caterpillars, streak (a viral disease that appears in late sowing, causing pale, longitudinal stripes on foliage).There is no chemical remedy for streak; destroy infected plants as soon as it is noticed.

Harvest

To check for maturity, choose cobs where the silks have turned brown.Pull open the husk from the top and press the grains with a thumbnail.The cob is ready to pick if the kernels exude a creamy juice.Kernels from overripe cobs are tough and doughy.

Yield

Three 2m-long rows are ample for a family of four.Sow every three weeks in season.

foliage

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