Harvesting on time: when to harvest corn and how to store it after harvesting

When to Harvest Corn

The goals for planting corn in fields and small areas often vary. In the first case, this is the industrial cultivation of a crop for animal feeding (the product is used to make silage). Owners of their own land plant crops in their dachas for personal consumption.

Harvest when the cobs contain the maximum amount of sugars: from August to October.

often used, which ripen by the end of July . For drying, the crop is harvested when the stems and leaves are completely dry.

Seedless method of growing sweet corn

When sowing seeds in cool soil (below 10°C), the seeds rot and do not germinate. Therefore, there is no need to rush, it is better to wait until the weather warms up, when the soil temperature reaches plus 13°C. It usually warms up by mid-May. Subsequent cooling of the air is less critical for seedlings. Seeds are sown according to a pattern of 70 x 30 cm. Sowing depth is 4 cm. Deeper on sandy soil.

The place for corn should be sunny and protected from the wind. This crop is more productive if fertilized and watered regularly.

Corn is an excellent compactor plant, allowing you not only to make the most of the area of ​​your beds, but also to act as a curtain, support or fence. Corn can be planted together with cucumbers, zucchini and pumpkins. I get along well with beans and peas. Experienced gardeners in the Rostov region did not advise me to plant corn together with sunflowers.

What determines the timing of harvesting?

Corn is a southern plant that came to our country after the Russian-Turkish war and grows almost everywhere today.

Harvesting time depends on several factors : variety, planting time and region of cultivation (for example, in the Krasnodar Territory, the crop ripens earlier than in the Moscow region, due to the mild and warm climate).

Several dozen different varieties of corn have been developed . Among them there are early-, mid- and late-ripening ones. Each is characterized by individual timing of the appearance of the first ears. So, for the early ones this happens on the 70th day from the first sunrise, and for the later ones - on the 110th.

Harvesting directly depends on the purpose for which the crop will be used . For food it is better to use grains of milky ripeness, for making silage - milky-waxy.

Features of growing supersweet corn

Supersweet corn germinates less well if the soil temperature is below plus 12°C. Its seeds are smaller than those of other types of vegetable corn, so when sowing they are not buried (2.5 - 3.5 cm). They germinate at high soil moisture. These hybrids require regular watering not only during the period of seedling growth. Mulching (grass, hay, etc.) helps maintain soil moisture when there is a shortage of water in the area. When choosing a place for super sweet corn, make sure that other types of sweet corn are no closer than 5 m from it.

How to determine when it's time to harvest corn

There are three degrees of culture ripeness : milkweed, waxy and biological.

Dairy

At this stage, the cobs contain a maximum amount of sweet white liquid and a minimum amount of dry matter (no more than 35%).

Reference! The grains are soft, pale yellow, and when pressed, juice is released abundantly.

The panicle at the base acquires a brown tint, the leaves fit tightly to the cob.

Milk ripeness

Wax

The proportion of dry matter at this stage increases to 50% . There is practically no juice in the grains; it is converted into starch. They feel harder to the touch and when pressed they leave dents.

The color of the grains is bright yellow. The panicles turn completely brown, and the leaves are removed from the cobs without much effort.

Waxy ripeness

Biological

The grains become hard, almost orange in color, and contain no more than 25% moisture . The leaves on the cobs begin to turn yellow and dry out.

Experienced summer residents
determine the harvest time according to certain criteria :

• panicles on the cobs acquire a dark color;
• when pressing on the grains, white juice is released;
• the end of the cob becomes rounded and elastic.

To determine the degree of maturity of corn, it is recommended to slightly unfold the leaves on the cob and check the color of the grains. It should be yellow or pale yellow, but not white. White grains indicate the immaturity of the crop. After inspection, it is important to wrap the leaves back to prevent birds from eating the crop.

The cobs do not ripen at the same time, so those that sprout from the top of the stem are collected first .

Planting corn in open ground in the Moscow region

It should be noted right away that growing sweet corn through seedlings in the Moscow region is more common than the seed method. But most novice gardeners are interested in various methods of agricultural technology, including how and when to plant their favorite corn in open ground in the Moscow region.

Corn is a demanding plant. The gardener must carefully select the planting site and also analyze the composition of the soil. It is advisable to start preparing the site in the fall; for this you will need to add an impressive amount of rotted manure to the soil. The most suitable predecessors of corn: cucumber, cabbage, zucchini.

The soil temperature must be at least 12 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, it is necessary to cover the bed with agrofibre, which will warm the soil, creating a greenhouse effect.

Planting corn in open ground in the Moscow region

Seeds are sown by making holes in the film or agrofibre for planting material. In the process of its development, culture will begin to grow through them. Seed material is sown at a shallow depth (no more than 4 cm). The intervals between the rows are about 30 cm. From 3 to 5 seeds can be placed in one hole.

Corn is pollinated by gusts of wind. Therefore, when planting sweet corn, spatial isolation between different species must be maintained.

Corn harvesting time

Corn is harvested when the kernels are sufficiently mature and have a moisture content of 25–40%..

Harvesting directly depends on the purpose of further use.

For food

The most delicious and juicy corn for fresh consumption is milk corn . It is harvested when the grains are filled with juice and the panicles begin to darken. At this stage, the cobs contain the maximum amount of sugars and nutrients. They are collected exclusively by hand.

For silo

To use corn for animal feed, it is harvested at the milky-waxy or waxy stage of ripeness . Such grains have high moisture content and remain sweetish.

Reference! Harvesting the crop too early is not recommended. It is better to do this closer to the waxy stage of ripeness, when the grains contain a sufficient amount of nutrients.

For grain and further planting

To harvest grain, harvesting must be done when the cobs have a maximum dry matter content (approximately 60–70%). It is not difficult to determine the degree of readiness for harvesting: the grains become hard and smooth, and a black dot forms at the base.

For popcorn

You can't make popcorn from just any corn . For this purpose, special varieties and hybrids are planted (Gostinets, Ping-Pong, Zeya, Vulcan, Vnuchkina Radost), the grains of which burst when heated and turn into an airy delicacy.

Corn is harvested for popcorn only during the period of biological maturity , when the stems and leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out, and the panicles begin to darken.

It is not recommended to harvest popcorn in late autumn: frosts can ruin the harvest and the corn simply will not pop.

Rules for collecting cobs

Corn harvesting methods vary significantly depending on its further purpose. In summer cottages, harvesting is carried out manually, in the fields - mechanized.

For food

Vegetables that have reached milky ripeness are harvested selectively, starting with the top cobs, which ripen first. The finished fruits deviate sideways from the main stem, the tops acquire a rounded shape. If the corn silks are wet and have a reddish tint, the vegetable is not ready for harvest.

The event is held in the morning, in dry, clear weather. The cob is separated from the stem by hand, it is squeezed tightly and sharply turned around its axis. It is better to wear clean gloves on your hands to avoid damaging the skin. Ripe corn is easily separated from the stalk; you can do without cutting tools.

Corn should not be allowed to overripe on the bush. Over time, the grains lose their juiciness, the shell hardens, and the taste of the fruit decreases.

For making popcorn

Corn is harvested at the stage of biological maturity, as late as possible, but before the onset of frost. Harvesting is done by hand, carefully breaking off the ears from the dried stem. The readiness of the fruits for harvesting is checked experimentally: remove one cob and heat the grains in a frying pan. If the seeds open completely, the corn has reached the required maturity.

Harvesting corn for silage and grain production

In agricultural production, up to 95% of crop plantings are harvested using special equipment. Corn harvesting for grain is carried out using combines; the share of crushed grains does not exceed 6%. The process involves peeling the husks from the cobs.

Harvesting corn for silage is carried out using agricultural machines equipped with special devices. The plants are mowed at a level of 20 cm from the ground, the green mass is crushed to particles 6 mm in size, and the grains are crushed.

Storing cobs and grains after harvesting

Both cobs and grains that have reached biological maturity should be stored in a dry (humidity no more than 15%), well-ventilated area.

The cobs are pre-dried, the leaves are removed, and only then put into bags. Grains are stored in plastic containers or cardboard boxes, sometimes fabric bags are used. If the rules are followed, the harvest can be stored for up to 2 years.

Reference! Corn retains its properties and flavor better when stored on the cob rather than in the kernels.

Young corn at the stage of milk maturity cannot be kept fresh for a long time . Maximum: 1 week if stored in the refrigerator. The cold will slightly slow down the conversion of sugar to starch and preserve the flavor of the cereal.

On a note! You can enjoy delicious boiled corn in winter, as if it had just been picked from the garden, only by first freezing it.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Prepare 2 containers of water: one with hot boiled water, the other with ice.
2. Dip the peeled cobs three times, alternately, first into hot, then into cold water, holding in each container for a couple of minutes.
3. Dry the corn on a dry surface.
4. Place in bags or wrap in cling film and place in the freezer. The shelf life of the product is from 8 months to 1 year.

The third way to store young corn is canning . This is the most labor-intensive option, but it preserves the grain for up to 3 years. To do this, the cobs are boiled and kept in the refrigerator for 3 days to preserve the juiciness of the grains. Then they are separated from the rod and placed in pre-sterilized jars, salt is added and filled with boiled water. The containers are rolled up and stored in a cellar or refrigerator.

Fertilizer

For the formation of the root system, good growth of the above-ground part of the plant and the development of cobs, the crop requires good soil fertilization. Fertilizer for corn must consist of:

• phosphorus, which helps grains germinate;
• potassium in order to strengthen immunity to numerous diseases and promote the growth of green mass of the plant;
• nitrogen to support leaf and stem growth;
• calcium, which reduces soil acidity and promotes the formation of root hairs on corn.

For the first time, fertilizers are applied before planting, during deep plowing. For 1 square meter of land you will need: 50-60 g of organic fertilizers, 200 g of potassium, 400 g of superphosphate.

Organic fertilizers themselves in the form of manure help corn actively develop, saturating it with all the necessary elements. First of all, they promote the development of beneficial microorganisms in the soil, which facilitate the absorption of nutrients.

If corn is grown in a country house in overly acidic soil, liming should be done. To do this, use 3 kg of lime per 10 square meters.

How to collect for grain?

This can be done in two ways:

• cutting the cobs (with or without cleaning);
• threshing of raw materials (using corn harvesters).

The first method is used for harvesting food and seed corn, and the second - for feed.

Regardless of the specific method, the farmer must comply with agrotechnical requirements and, based on the results of all work, carry out quality control.

Agricultural technology

Before you start cleaning, you should consider the following requirements:

• When harvesting cobs, the completeness of their collection must be at least 96.5%. The maximum proportion of broken cob cores is 2%, and damaged grains in cobs is 1%.
• When harvesting without cleaning, the peeling of grains in the cobs should not be more than 1%, and when harvesting with cleaning - no more than 2%. In the second case, the degree of purification of the cobs from the wrappers should not be less than 95%.
• When harvesting corn with threshing, grain loss behind the combine should not exceed 0.7%, and under-threshing - 1.2%. The crushing rate should not be more than 2.5%, and the presence of grain in the silage mass should not be more than 0.8%. In general, during threshing, grain damage should not exceed 2%. The minimum rate of their purification is 97%.
• When harvesting with chopping and collecting leafy stem mass, the stems must be cut at a height of 10-15 cm. In this case, the completeness of collection cannot be less than 98%. In addition, it is important to prevent loss and contamination of the mass during its loading into the vehicle. The content of particles up to 50 mm in size in the crushed mass is at least 85%.

If grain combines are used, the surface of the grains on the cobs cannot be more than 6%, and if corn harvesters are used - no more than 1.5%.

Collection machines and traffic pattern

The following combines are most often used for grain harvesting:

• Khersonets-200;
• Khersonets-7;
• KOP-1;
• KSKU-6;
• grain harvester with PPK-4 attachment.

In combination with this equipment, a header is used, which helps improve the technological process and reduce losses. If necessary, it can be replaced with a 4-8-row corn harvester, which allows you to cut the cobs and throw the straw into the field in crushed form. It will be automatically crushed by cutting elements built under the combine.

In order to comply with all agrotechnical rules, the direction of movement of the harvesting machine must coincide with the direction of sowing. In this regard, farmers use three main methods of moving the unit:

• tone – the retractable pen is reduced using a right turn;
• headland - the swath width is increased by turning left;
• combined - the two above methods of movement are used simultaneously.

What each method represents can be seen in the diagram below:

“a” – tone method, “b” – ground method, “c” – combined; 1, 2 and 3 – pens; C is the width of the pen.

Let's look at the scheme in more detail using the driving method as an example:

1. Before harvesting, mow on all sides and divide into paddocks with swaths, starting from the joint row spacing.
2. The number of rows in the paddock should be a multiple of the working width of the seeder, and the width of the swaths between the paddocks should be equal to the working width of the sowing unit. For example, if there are 8 rows of crops, you need to mow 4 rows on each side of the inter-row spacing.
3. The width of the longitudinal edges should be sufficient for the first pass of the machine (3-6 m), and the edges of the headlands should be no less than the width of the headland when sowing (25-30 m).
4. The permissible aspect ratio of the pen is kept in the range from 1:5 to 1:1. If the length of the paddocks is above 1000 m, a transport route 6-7 m wide must be mowed across the paddock.

In the following video, the farmer will tell you how he collects corn for grain:

You can clearly see the process of harvesting corn cobs and threshing grains in the video below:

Quality control

The quality of operation of a corn harvester can be assessed by several indicators - grain loss, damage to cobs, degree of cleaning and cutting height.

To calculate grain losses, you need an area of ​​10 square meters. m collect cobs and free grain, determine the average value of their mass and, knowing the yield, find the percentage of lost grain per 1 hectare.

To determine the degree of peeling of cobs from wrappers and their damage in the form of broken cores, it is necessary to find the ratio of the number of unpeeled cobs and broken cores to the total number of cobs in the sample, presented as a percentage.

Video “Determination of corn maturity”

There's nothing better than flavorful sweet hot corn. After green peas, they are considered the second summer delicacy. There is probably not a single person who has not tried it at least once in their life. Some people buy it already boiled, others prefer to cook it themselves. How to cook young corn on the cob correctly and for how long, learn all the secrets from this article.

Many people buy canned or frozen corn for salads, soups, and stews. This is a healthy food product recommended by nutritionists. It is low in calories, rich in protein, starch, and contains vitamins and minerals.

Good for health: normalizes digestion, removes toxins and other harmful substances. Corn silk is an excellent remedy for removing salts from the kidneys.

Cooking time

For cooking, choose corn cobs with grains of milky white or light yellow color.

You should know. The richer the shade of the grain, the older and tougher the corn.

The grains inside the cob should sit tightly in place and be the same size. The correct cob is soft and elastic to the touch. Young milk corn releases a white viscous liquid when the kernels are pressed. If the grains on the cob have dimples, then such a vegetable is not suitable for cooking.

Advice. Before cooking, soak the corn for one hour in cool water - this will soften the grains.

Young cobs are boiled for 20-30 minutes . Cooking time for more mature, hardened fruits is up to 40 minutes. They are eaten hot, immediately after cooking. As they cool, they quickly lose their softness and juiciness.

Sowing technology

Sowing corn on a site in the Moscow region begins on May 25. By this time, the soil should be fertilized, treated with herbicides against weeds, and the seed itself should be processed and hardened. The soil temperature should be +10-12 °C.

First of all, make markings for planting. There should be about 45-50 cm of distance between the holes so that the root system of each plant does not interfere with the development of its neighbors. There should be at least 4 beds nearby to ensure good cross-pollination for the plants.

Grain is placed in a pre-moistened hole, 2-3 pieces at a time, to a depth of 3 cm for reliability. The holes are re-moistened and then covered with film until the first shoots appear.

If you need an early harvest, then the grain is sown in the middle or at the end of April to a depth of 4-5 cm. The planting pattern is the same as for conventional cultivation. You can also grow low-growing varieties in a greenhouse, then the crop is ready for planting from the beginning of April, as soon as the air temperature is uniformly warm.

Remember that hand sowing is only possible in small areas, for larger spaces you will need a corn seeder.

How to Know It's Harvest Time

The time when it is time to harvest corn varies for different varieties.
The most important thing is to correctly determine the time of ripening of the cobs, which depends on a number of factors:

• growing season of a certain variety;
• climatic features of the growing region;
• corn planting dates;
• seasonal weather conditions.

In addition, it is worth considering for what purpose you are growing corn: for fresh consumption of the cobs, for making popcorn, for sowing or for silage.

Mechanical unit for grain processing

Corn harvesting headers are a high-performance device for grain harvesting of domestic or imported production.

Such a unit is capable of performing many functions:

• harvesting;
• cob threshing;
• chopping, scattering stems and leaves across fields.

The bow of the combine is capable of picking up cut corn, thereby ensuring high quality and economical reduction in harvest losses.

Corn headers differ from other units in that the device for processing stems and leaves takes up smaller dimensions. This means that the technological process itself is less energy-intensive. This allows you to increase cleaning productivity by more than 10% and saves fuel consumption.

Performance Pros:

• stem cutting height 7 cm;
• reduction of grain and cob losses regardless of weather conditions;
• hydraulic adjustment of the distance between the cob peeler plates.

Nutritional value of corn seeds per 100 grams

100 g of corn seeds contain 360 kcal. Protein content 9 g, fat 5 g, carbohydrates 70 g, fiber 7 g. Nutrients include vitamins (B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E), micro- and macroelements (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium) , amino acids (alanine, valine, methionine). In addition, the composition includes saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

The appearance of the plant will tell you when it is best to harvest the corn. The leaves become light green, the edges dry out. The cobs are harvested selectively, as they do not all ripen at the same time. The collection lasts about two weeks. Don't harvest the cobs too early or too late.

You can store corn on the cob. The cobs should be kept in a cool, dark place where the air humidity is no more than 15%. The cobs are cleared of leaves, sorted and dried. The bulk of the harvested grains from dry cobs should be easily separated from the base.

It can also be stored in grain. With this storage method, you need to prepare plastic or glass containers, cardboard boxes or fabric bags in advance.

Seed corn should be stored in a cool place, protected from pests and diseases. If the grains are intended to be used as planting material, then it is better to collect the cobs by hand.

How to grow it correctly?

Sowing of seedlings occurs at the end of April . The first shoots will appear in a week, and after a month they can be planted in open ground.

Do I need to do calibration?

Calibration is a technique for selecting seeds by weight. It is used in large farms for sowing large areas.

It should be noted that seeds purchased in a store for planting in the country do not need to be calibrated.

Before sowing, corn seeds need to be sorted and damaged and small grains should be discarded.

Seed preparation

Done a week before the intended sowing:

1. Dilute 2 tablespoons of ash in a liter of water.
2. Soak the grains in this solution for 12 hours.
3. Soak a napkin in the ash solution and wrap the seeds in it.

After a few days, when small roots appear, it will be possible to sow in prepared containers with soil.

The soil

You can buy ready-made soil in the store, or you can prepare it yourself. To do this, mix:

• 2 parts humus;
• 1 part sand;
• 1 part peat;
• a little ash.

Capacity

The plant does not like transplanting, so the best container for seedlings is a peat pot. Can be used:

• special containers divided into sections;
• pots;
• yoghurt cups;
• paper cups;
• Some gardeners place sprouted seeds in a box of damp sawdust.

Immerse the seeds to a depth of 2-3 cm and water with warm water. To disinfect the soil, you can use a weak, pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. In 1-2 weeks the first shoots will appear.

Care

Growing shoots need good lighting. A window sill facing southeast or east is well suited for them. The temperature in the room where the seedlings grow should be 18-20 degrees. Seedlings need good watering, but excess moisture should not be allowed. The soil should be moist.

If fertile, loose soil is used, then fertilizing is not required . A week before planting in open ground, hardening of the seedlings begins - you should take them out into the open air, into a shaded place, for 10-15 minutes, gradually increasing the time.

Corn seedlings are not picked; they tolerate transplantation very poorly.

How to plant in open ground and sowing dates

The timing of planting seedlings depends on the weather. If it becomes warm at the end of May, the seedlings can be replanted. If there is a threat of frost, it is better to postpone this procedure until mid-June.

At low temperatures, our heat-loving plant will die. Each seedling must have at least 3 full leaves.

1. The bed, prepared in the fall, is loosened, sawdust or chopped straw is added, and leveled.
2. We make holes in the ground at a distance of 50 cm from each other. It is better to plant corn in several rows, the distance between them is 1.5 meters. Later, you can plant pumpkin or beans in the spaces between the rows.
3. Water the seedlings well and remove them from the container along with a lump of earth. It is very important not to damage the roots! If the seedlings grow in peat or paper pots, there is no need to remove them. Corn needs to be planted in the ground a little deeper than it grew in the container.
4. After planting, the ground is well watered and mulched with hay, grass, sawdust or other plant materials.

Further content

The culture needs careful care. It consists of:

1. glaze;
2. protection against diseases and weeds (what herbicides are used to protect against weeds?);
3. mandatory hilling.

If corn is not hilled, it will develop a weak root system and will develop poorly. This procedure is carried out after rain and watering. It is imperative to remove weeds, especially in the first weeks after planting.

In the second half of summer, the plant produces stepsons. As soon as these side shoots appear, they need to be cut off immediately.

If corn blooms in cold, wet weather, it may lack pollination. You can strengthen it by tearing the plumes from the top and shaking them over the cobs. It is also necessary to loosen the soil and fertilize it.

Watering

Corn is a moisture-loving crop, but it also does not like waterlogging . It is enough to water it generously 1-2 times a week. When the plant's cobs begin to ripen, watering is halved.

If it is not possible to regularly water the plant, it is necessary to loosen the soil around the bush. Mulching also helps retain moisture in the soil.

Fertilizer

The plant needs fertilizer throughout its entire growth period:

• After planting seedlings, organic fertilizers are well suited - solutions of mullein (10%) or chicken droppings (5%). They should sit for several days. Apply them only after abundant watering.
• After 2 weeks, it’s the turn of mineral feeding. Potassium salt and superphosphate (20 grams per square meter) are added between the rows.
• From the moment of planting until the seeds ripen, the cereal needs nitrogen fertilizing. Water it with urea 2 times a month (50 grams of fertilizer per 10 liters of water).

Corn has shallow roots, so fertilizer is applied in small doses.

Plant care

Corn requires regular watering, weeding and loosening. Hill up the plants after rain and watering, as this promotes the formation of additional roots and, accordingly, better nutrition and growth of the plants.

Corn is very sensitive to fertilizers. Plants require the most nutrients during flowering and ear formation.

With a lack of nitrogen, corn leaves turn yellow and dry out, with a lack of phosphorus, they turn red, and with potassium starvation, corn stops its growth.

Twice a month, plants need fertilizing with complex fertilizers. Watering should be done in small doses, since the corn root system is superficial.

When the stepsons on corn reach 15 cm, they are removed. 2-3 ears are left on each plant.

Pests and diseases of corn

I must admit, corn is susceptible to both diseases and pests. She can get fusarium, helminthosporium, stem and root rot, rust, red rot of the cob, blister and loose smut.

This usually occurs as a result of contaminated seed entering the crops.

You can prevent diseases: use fungicides to treat the seeds before planting.

The most common pests: wireworm, false wireworm, cutworm, meadow or stem borer, oat fly.

To protect your crops from pests, use crop rotation, weed between rows, and do not forget to remove plant debris.

To combat emerging pests, use special products sold in gardening stores.