What are the varieties of corn and how to choose the best one for yourself

Corn belongs to the family of cereals, contains a lot of useful vitamins and minerals. The culture is actively used in cooking, medicine and cosmetology. Gardeners prefer to grow corn both in the greenhouse and in the open field, depending on the region of planting. In the article, we will consider what delicious and high-yielding varieties are.

Varieties of corn

Corn is tacitly called “the queen of the fields”. Different types of crops differ from each other in taste, shape and color, cultivation method.

Breeder scientistsdivide corn into the following varieties:

1. Dessert - has a sweet taste and juicy pulp. It is not easy to grow dessert varieties, as they are very sensitive to mineral and organic fertilizers and require regular pinching and hilling. Dessert corn is mainly used in cooking: added to salads, boiled, baked with vegetables.
2. Waxy - can be yellow, white and even red. It is mainly used in the production of starch. Most varieties are mid-season with excellent taste. Waxy maize is especially good when boiled.
3. Siliceous varieties grown by gardeners around the world. Flakes and cereals are made from cereals, therefore, flint corn is often produced on an industrial scale. The color of the grains can be lilac, brown, yellow. Most varieties are late-ripening, fruitful.
4. Tooth-shaped - is a long and large ear with deep yellow grains. The plant is unpretentious in care, shows a stable yield even in difficult weather conditions. Toothed varieties are not only eaten, but also grown for use in the production of starch, flour, and even alcohol.
5. Bursting - has a high protein content and an original grain shape, which bursts when heated. Its main purpose is the production of air flakes and popcorn.
6. Mini corn It is a cone-shaped, light ear with small grains. The taste does not differ from ordinary corn, the yield is stable.

Interesting. The birthplace of corn is Mexico. It was there that the first corn grains were found, which were grown by local residents more than 5-7 thousand years ago. In Europe, corn became popular only in the 15th century, and in Russia - by the end of the 18th century.

Popular varieties of corn

There are about fifty corn varieties in Russia... Let's consider the characteristics of the most famous of them.

Poltava

It is a mid-early hybrid that is grown not only in Russia, but also in neighboring countries.

The plant easily tolerates drought and a prolonged absence of the sun, it is not demanding for watering. The bushes reach a height of 2.5-3 meters.

The variety is resistant to pests and major crop diseases.

The ear has a cylindrical shape, the length of which is 25 cm. The grains are tooth-like, yellow.

Corn Poltava reacts positively to organic fertilizing and mineral fertilizers... Top dressing with urea, Urea preparation, and fresh manure is especially effective. Fertilizers are used at different times of the year, since they have different periods and effects on the crop.

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Orzhitsa

Produces a rich harvest even outdoors... It is grown not only in warm and fertile regions, but even in the Urals and Siberia.The height of the bush varies from 230 to 250 cm.

The cobs are small, their maximum length is 22-24 cm... Orzhitsa is resistant to sudden changes in weather, diseases and pests. The hybrid is planted by seeds or using seedlings. The latter method is more suitable - this way the plants adapt faster to external conditions.

Before planting, Orzhitsa seeds are washed and disinfected. with the help of the preparation "Fitosporin +", which destroys dangerous microbes on the surface of the seeds. If this is not done, the risk of plant disease increases. Seedlings are planted in any convenient container, placed on a sunny windowsill.

Seedlings are watered every 7-10 days with warm, settled water, 1 time in 2 weeks feeding with liquid organic fertilizers.

Megaton

The Megaton f1 crop hybrid is a variety of sweet corn, which is distinguished by its high taste. It is mid-season, summer residents harvest in 82-85 days from the moment of planting. The bushes reach a height of 220-240 cm.

The ears are conical, dark green in color. Megaton is ideal for processing, corn is used to make delicious and healthy soups, cold snacks, side dishes and desserts.

Interesting. Megaton is ideal for making corn muffins, mousses and tartlets. In addition to their sweet taste, grains are rich in fiber, fatty acids, ascorbic acid, thiamine and beta-carotene. Corn is indispensable for those on a healthy diet or diet.

Bonduelle

An early sugar variety that is valued all over the world... The weight of one ear is about 200 g, the grains are large and yellow.

Bonduelle is sown in early April, the distance between seedlings is at least 30 cm.

After a month, the beds are thinned out, leaving only the strongest and longest stems. Further care consists in timely watering, weeding and loosening of the soil.

The vegetable responds well to organic fertilizersespecially for manure and liquid manure. Organics are introduced not only in spring, but also in autumn before planting.

After a month, add minerals, nitrogen-containing, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers... The procedures not only increase the plant's immunity, but also improve the taste of the grains.

Honey princess

An early ripe sugar variety is used both fresh and after heat treatment.

It got its name from its juicy and sweet taste. The height of the bush varies from 130 to 155 cm.The ear weighs about 200 g and reaches 17 cm in length.

The skin of the Honey Princess is thin and delicate, the grains are yellow-orange... Corn gives a good yield: on average, gardeners harvest about 5 kg of vegetables from 1 square meter.

In order for the plant to develop effectively and bear fruit well, experienced summer residents recommend regularly loosen the ground... This will allow more oxygen to flow to the roots. Loosening is combined with the removal of weeds.

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Gourmet

The early maturing variety grows best in prepared soil... To do this, in the fall, the beds are dug up, peat or humus is added, all weeds and the remains of old plants are burned. With the arrival of spring, the soil is re-dug up and wood ash or lime is added to it. They help reduce soil acidity.

Corn Gourmet grows in 70-85 days... The average height of the bush is 170 cm. The length of one cob is about 20 cm, the average weight is 230 g. Gourmet is a resistant variety, rarely gets sick with root rot, powdery mildew and other diseases.

Spirit

A high-yielding hybrid will mature in 80-90 days. Height - about two meters, length of the cob - 20 cm... Corn has large and even grains of yellow color, excellent taste. Spirit is consumed fresh and boiled, as well as delicious and healthy canned meals.

Interesting. Canned corn retains all the vitamins and minerals that are in the fresh product.It contains a lot of fiber, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive system, and magnesium in the composition of the product is indispensable for the normal functioning of the heart.

How to choose a corn variety

Among all the variety of corn varieties, it is important not to be mistaken with the choice... If summer residents want to get a tasty and sweet harvest, then they prefer sugar varieties: Bonduelle, Lakomka, Megaton. The taste qualities of these species are high, and will appeal to any gourmet and culinary specialist.

If the priority for the gardener is simple care and unpretentiousness of the variety, then you should pay attention for corn Orzhitsa, Dobrynya or Spirit. Plants require a minimum of attention, are grown outdoors or in a greenhouse. Unpretentious crops rarely get sick and are not attacked by insect pests.

Important! The choice of a variety depends largely on the growing region. Most corn varieties are suitable for warm regions with a favorable climate, and only cold-resistant varieties are selected for cultivation in the north of the country. An excellent option is the Pionerka Severa or White Night variety.

Reviews

To find out if a particular variety is good, first you need to study the description of the variety and reviews from other gardeners. Here are some of these reviews as an example.

Olesya, Kurgan: “My favorite corn is the Honey Princess. I have been growing it for the fourth year already, I am very pleased with the result. The harvest grows delicious and beautiful. Boiled corn is especially good, we eat this delicacy with the whole family ".

Alina, Voronezh: “I tried planting Spirit last spring. Planted with seedlings in warm and sunny beds. The result exceeded all my expectations. I received about 4.5 kg of harvest from 1 sq.m. I will definitely grow more ".

Evgeniy, Krasnodar:“I planted Bonduelle for the first time. I hoped to get large and sugar grains, but in the end I got hard, slightly yellowish grains. I grew it according to all the rules, but the result leaves much to be desired ".

Conclusion

Corn, like any cereal crop, is a very healthy product, especially if grown on your own plot. It is not difficult to choose the right variety - the main thing is to take into account several points: the growing region, taste and care requirements. Corn is good both fresh and after heat treatment.