When we think of corn (Zea mays), the image of large fields comes to mind. But if you are interested in growing corn at home and you don’t have a large space, don’t be discouraged because you can plant corn in a pot. In this article we teach you how to sow, grow corn in a pot and its maintenance.
Contents
How to plant corn
For success, sow the seeds directly into the pot, as the roots of young corn plants do not like to be disturbed and do not tolerate transplants well.
When the temperature in the growing area reaches 21 degrees C is the best time to sow the seeds, the ideal time of year is spring and it is best done during the waning moon.
Make a hole 1 cm deep in the ground, put one or two seeds in each and cover them with a light layer of soil. The distance between each plant should be between 10 and 15 cm.
After sowing, water so that the seeds quickly adapt to the new environment.
Sunlight is a very important factor in growth during corn seed germination, so to make sure they get enough sunlight, find a spot where they get as much sun as possible.
The germination time is about 10-14 days, as long as the temperature exceeds 20 degrees C.
Grow corn in a pot
suitable pan
Clay or plastic pots and large containers work well, but don’t stop there. If you’re creative, you can use a laundry basket, wooden crates, barrels, trash cans, and whatever else you think might work.
The container or pot should be large enough to provide enough space for your corn plants.
The recommended minimum diameter should be 30 cm. Keep in mind that each container of this size can hold up to four corn plants.
The minimum depth of the pot should be around 30cm, this way the plant can stand upright and will have no problems.
Avoid planting more than 3 or 4 plants in the same container. Growing corn needs space, adequate nutrients and drainage. The availability of all these factors will lead to satisfactory performance.
Where to place the pot with corn plants
As we already mentioned, the corn is grown in a big pot, so it is not easy to move it. Therefore, you should choose a suitable place where they will receive plenty of sunlight.
Select where your plants get enough air for respiration and sunlight to produce the best yield.
Corn plants like to grow in warm weather, which means they need plenty of sunlight for healthy, proper growth.
ideal type of terrain
Soil is a very important factor for the growth of any plant. Make sure your plants are getting all the basic nutrients or they won’t give you a healthy yield.
To grow potted corn successfully, it is advisable to use a loamy potting soil because this mixture contains all the nutrients it needs.
Corn plants are heavy feeders, so add nitrogen and phosphorus as these nutrients will increase their yield.
You can increase the richness of the soil by adding compost, chicken manure, grass clippings and fish emulsion. These things will strengthen the potting mix before sowing the corn seeds.
Mix the compost very well with the soil. This way your corn plant will get all the basic nutrients when it starts to grow.
Caring for Potted Corn
Keep in mind that corn can be a little tricky if you grow it in containers. Your attention is essential to get a good harvest.
Irrigation
The soil must remain moist at all times until the seeds germinate. This process will take two weeks.
Once they have sprouted, you should water the plants about every other day, but be sure not to overwater, just enough to keep the soil moist.
Overwatering is not good for corn plants, best done when they need it. To know when to do it, you can bury a finger in the ground and check the humidity below, because the surface dries out before.
If you notice that the soil is wet, do not water and wait a few days. Remember that your plants need more water when they are fruiting.
Fertilizer
Fertilizers will help in healthier plant development. After 10 weeks of planting the seeds, you can apply fertilizer, make sure it’s organic, because you’ll eat it later.
Your corn plants only need half a tablespoon of 5-10-10 or 10-20-20 fertilizer each.
The best way to apply the fertilizer is to dig a small hole near the plant and sprinkle the fertilizer in there, after mixing it with the soil.
If you don’t have fertilizer you can amend the soil by applying compost, do this at planting time then when the plants are about 10cm tall then apply a little more when they start to produce ears.
apply mulch
Humidity is very important for the growth of corn plants. Although they are grown in a pot, that does not mean that mulch cannot be applied to them.
Add it to the soil around the plants, it helps to retain moisture in the soil and prevent the growth of “weeds”.
You can use wood chips, grass clippings, or newspaper, or buy ready-made garden mulch.
common pests
By growing maize in a pot, there is less danger of pests and diseases. But that doesn’t mean you’re exempt. You need to watch your plants so that these little ones don’t affect your harvest.
Aphids: Aphids are very troublesome pests that cause the destruction of many crops. The plants are covered with black mold.
Beetles: If you see small circular holes in the leaves, that’s a clear sign that flea beetles are affecting your plant.
Harvest corn in pot
The ripening time of sweet corn is between 60 and 100 days, but it depends on the climatic conditions.
The tips of the cobs will tell you if it’s time to pick or not. If the ear is pointed, the corn needs more time.
If you see that the tip of the cob is rounded and the hairs are dry and brown, it is time to harvest.
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