| Botanical name | Zea mays var. saccharata |
|---|---|
| Plant Care |  Deciduous Deciduous – Sheds Its Leaves Annually  Full Sun Full Sun – Prefers 6 or more hours of sun per day.  Frost Hardy Frost Hardy – Can Handle frost without damage.  Moderate Watering Moderate Watering – Requires Regular Watering.  Pruning Required Pruning Required – Needs to be Pruned.  Non Indigenous Non Indigenous – Exotic to South Africa. |
| 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. |
Zea mays var. saccharata (Sweetcorn (mealies))
- Botanical name: Zea mays var. saccharata
- Common name(s): Sweetcorn (mealies)
- Categories: Fruits and Vegetables
Plant description:
Sweetcorn is the home gardener’s version of green mealies, both of which are easy-to-grow, warm-season crops. However, green mealies require much more space than sweetcorn and are not recommended for the average home garden.
Family: Poaceae
Botanical Pronunciation: ZEE-uh
Zea mays var. saccharata requirements and features
info on these icons
Moderate Maintenance
Requires moderate maintenance.
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