How to plant corn: planting methods

Tell me how to plant corn and is it even possible to grow it in the northern regions? Spring warmth comes very late here, so we plant most crops with seedlings. We want to try growing corn next year, but we just doubt whether it will have time to ripen. It often becomes cold from the second half of summer.

Corn is massively grown mainly as a fodder crop, but it can also be found quite often on a private plot. Young cobs are a favorite delicacy of both children and adults, and ripe grains will be eaten with pleasure by chickens from the subsidiary farm. Do not forget about the beneficial properties of corn, in particular, corn silk. Healing infusions are prepared from them, which have a positive effect on liver function. As you can see, several beds of corn must be in the garden, but in order to get a harvest, it is important to know how to plant corn. Although this culture is considered unpretentious, it has high requirements for heat and light. Its growing season averages about 120 days. Accordingly, not everywhere corn will have time to ripen, if you do not take into account the regional climate and varietal affiliation.

Features of cultivation and methods of planting corn

When planning to plant a new plant on the site, it should be borne in mind that corn grows well only with sufficient heat and light. The most suitable conditions for its cultivation are in the southern regions. Spring comes early there, and summer is warm and long enough. By the time of cold weather, the ears have time to fully ripen. However, even in the harsh northern latitudes, it is quite possible to harvest, adhering to certain rules. Firstly, this is the use of only early ripening varieties, and secondly, planting seedlings.

So, as it has already become clear, there are two ways to plant corn:

• directly into open ground;
• for seedlings.

In addition, maize has a powerful root system that selects nutrients from the soil. Therefore, it is important to timely compensate for their lack of fertilizers. In warm regions, the culture grows well on fertile loams. But in northern latitudes it will be better on sandy loam soil.

When to plant corn outdoors?

So that delicate seedlings do not suffer from return frosts and do not freeze in cold ground, you should not rush to planting. It is important to wait until the soil warms up well to at least 10 ° C warm, and a stable above-zero temperature is established outside. Usually this is the beginning or end of May (in the south and in the middle lane, respectively).

If desired, the seeds can be pre-soaked - this will accelerate the emergence of seedlings at late planting.

In open ground corn can be planted in Siberia, but in this case it will be possible to get only young ears. Seeds are planted in the beds without soaking and not earlier than the end of May or even at the beginning of June.

Seeds are best planted in rows no more than 50 cm apart to allow for cross-pollination. The distance between the grains in a row is up to 35 cm.

How to plant corn seedlings?

The seedling method is used mainly in northern latitudes. It allows you to speed up the growing season for a couple of weeks and wait until the ears are fully ripe. Seeds for seedlings can be planted as early as late March - early April.

Since corn senses have long root rods that are easily damaged during transplanting, the grains must be immediately laid out in separate containers. Peat cups are good for this purpose.

When the seedlings are one month old, they can be planted in open ground. It is better to do this by transshipment method. You should not postpone the transplant for a long time - overgrown seedlings are unlikely to please with a good harvest.

Video about planting corn in open ground