Ornamental strawberry corn: description, cultivation, care and application

Description of culture

Strawberry corn is a mid-season variety. The harvest is harvested every 80-90 days, from late summer to early September.
The ornamental crop has fibrous roots that penetrate deep into the ground to supply moisture. The stem is durable, and 2-3 ears are formed on it. The leaves reach 30-70 cm in length and 4-8 cm in width - they are thin and rough. During periods of heavy rainfall, shoots form on the lower part of the stem, which are removed for better formation of cobs.

The flowers have a unisexual structure:

• male ones in the form of a panicle are located at the top of the plant;
• female ones are formed in the axils of the leaves and have characteristic stigmas on thread-like columns.

One of the features of the decorative corn variety is its longevity. Dry cobs can be stored for a long time without spoiling.

Appearance

The plant reaches one meter in length. Thin green leaves have an oblong shape. The surface of the leaf is covered with white stripes. Decorative corn cobs are small, no more than 10 cm in length and 8 cm in diameter. The wide base turns into a narrowed top, which makes the corn look like a strawberry. Purple small grains have a slight point at the ends. The cob becomes visible from under the leaves already at the ripening stage.

There are other, no less interesting varieties of corn, including bright colored and blue Hopi.

Is it possible to eat: taste qualities

Corn is edible, it is consumed boiled - it is soft, juicy and sweet. However, most often grains are used to produce flour or cereals. After full ripening, the cobs are cut off and the grains are ground.

Due to the original color of the product, flour is used as a food coloring, adding it to various baked goods.

Description of the Strawberry decorative corn variety, its planting, cultivation and care

Strawberry corn, the seeds of which began to be sold recently, belongs to the decorative varieties of agricultural crops. The plant loves warmth and sun, and feels normal in regions of Russia where climate conditions are suitable for cultivating sweet corn.

Appearance of the variety

The stem of an annual ornamental grass grows a meter in length, in rare cases one and a half. The oblong thin leaves are covered with white stripes. Small cobs shine through against the green background, standing out with an unusual purple hue for corn. Their length does not exceed 10 cm, diameter is up to 8 centimeters. The cob has a wide base, tapering upward, like a strawberry.

At the stage of milk maturity, cereal grains have a sweet taste; they are enjoyed by children and consumed by adults. The harvest ripens in August and early September.

How is it used?

Strawberry corn serves as a hedge for summer cottages; beautiful bushes are used as a background for other ornamental crops. Amazing flowers are cut out of leaf wrappers and appliqués are made. Small purple cobs, shaped like pine cones and berries, are used to make winter bouquets that do not lose their color for years.

Beneficial substances are retained in strawberry corn even after cooking. It contains many vitamins of different groups, and contains components without which the body cannot function normally:

• potassium and calcium;
• magnesium and manganese;
• iron and copper;
• zinc and phosphorus.

When grinding the grains of the strawberry variety, flour is obtained, which has a natural dye. It is used for baking pies, cakes, biscuits.

Preparing and fertilizing the soil

Growing strawberry corn is no more difficult than a regular sugar or fodder variety. After harvesting beans, legumes or grains, the soil in your dacha or garden needs to be dug up and fertilizer added. After 2 weeks, using a harrow or cultivator, they begin to cultivate the soil, due to which the weeds sprout in smaller numbers.

When the ears are forming, corn is in particular need of nitrogen. With a lack of this microelement, the leaves turn yellow and dry out. With phosphorus deficiency, they acquire a reddish tint. Feeding with potassium helps:

• increasing disease resistance;
• increasing productivity;
• acceleration of growth.

Calcium is needed to reduce soil acidity. In autumn or spring, before planting corn, superphosphate and potassium salt are added. The culture responds well to organic fertilizers - manure, compost, wood ash, and loves the sun.

Planting methods

Strawberry corn is sown in the garden at the end of April, in early May, when the air temperature reaches 13 degrees. 3 grains are placed in each hole to a depth of 7 cm. The distance between plants should be no more than 40 centimeters. When the first shoots appear, 2 sprouts are left in the nest. The strawberry variety is wind pollinated.

In regions of Russia where summers are short, the crop is grown using seedlings. The grains, heated in the sun for several days, are sown to a depth of 3 cm in peat peas, filled with soil, sand and compost, and wood ash is added to the mixture. Seedlings are fertilized once every 8–10 days, and the soil is regularly moistened.

Care and treatment

In order for decorative corn not only to decorate your summer cottage, but also to reward you with a harvest of miniature cobs with sweet grains, you need to carry out simple agricultural work on time:

1. Loosen the ground.
2. Remove weeds.
3. Thin out the seedlings.
4. Feed the soil with organic matter and mineral fertilizers.

When side shoots appear on the stem, it is better to carefully tear them off. Planting strawberry corn during the growing season is treated with fungicides, since wireworms, moths and other pests may appear.

Growing seedlings

1. The seedling method of growing a heat-loving crop is best suited for cold regions.
2. For seedlings, purchase paper cups 6-8 cm in size, at least 10 cm deep, and prepared soil is poured into them.
3. Seeds begin to be planted in April.
4. After a week, the first shoots appear, while the final formation of seedlings occurs after a month.
5. In May, when the frosts recede, the seedlings are transferred to open ground. The air temperature should not be lower than 17°C, and the soil temperature should be 13-14°C.

Seed calibration and preparation

Proper preparation of seeds for sowing guarantees vigorous germination and protection from diseases:

1. seeds are selected by appearance: grains with unhealthy spots and discolored are removed;
2. calibrated planting material is disinfected using a solution of potassium permanganate or special preparations;
3. the seeds are pre-soaked and left in water for 12-24 hours.

Treated and soaked grains will germinate faster and will be more resistant to external influences.

Soil selection

Garden soil is used to grow corn for seedlings. It is mixed with humus, making the soil fertile. Peat, manure and ash are also added to the substrate, which provides it with looseness. Hard soil is flavored with sand, but not more than 10% of the total volume.

How to sow?

1. The harvested seeds are immersed to a depth of 2.5-3 cm in moist soil.
2. Place 2-3 sprouted grains in one hole, cover with soil and water with water or a disinfectant fungicide solution.
3. During planting, it is necessary to maintain the air temperature within 18°C.

After 7-8 days, the first shoots appear.

Growing in open ground

Growing a decorative species is no different from planting conventional varieties of cereal crops. Corn is grown in open ground in southern regions with warm climates. The start of sowing is tentatively scheduled for the end of April, when the soil warms up to 13°C. For a bountiful harvest, the land is fertilized in the fall, adding phosphates and organic matter.

Proper growth is promoted by fertile, mineral-enriched soil. The place for planting corn should be sunny and protected from winds. First, the soil is dug up, fertilizers are applied and watered.

Considering that the growing season of corn lasts quite a long time, in the northern regions the crop is cultivated only by seedlings. Cool summers, high amounts of precipitation and sudden temperature changes can negatively affect the development of corn.

Which location on the site should I choose?

The best place for growing grain crops will be the area where they grew:

• potato;
• beans;
• beans;
• alfalfa.

After harvesting the previous harvest, it is recommended to carefully dig up the ground and get rid of old tops. The heat-loving crop needs an unshaded place on the south side of the site. Corn is a wind-pollinated plant, so it is recommended to form mass plantings. A large number of bushes around will ensure abundant formation of grains on the cobs.

When using the crop for decorative purposes, it is necessary to remember that the growth of the plant can be higher than the flowers in the flowerbed, so it is best to plant corn to form a general background.

Landing

Before sowing, the grains are heated in the sun and then left to soak in water. It is not recommended to thicken plantings. Grains are planted in open ground as follows:

1. 40 cm are left between the holes, while the distance between the rows should be at least 60 cm;
2. corn seeds are buried 5-6 cm;
3. Several grains are placed in one hole to ensure germination.

After the sprouts appear, they are thinned out two weeks later, leaving two shoots.

What does strawberry corn look like?

Modern gardening is characterized by the cultivation of decorative varieties of vegetables and fruits. Along with black, yellow and white raspberries, similar ornamental varieties of corn appeared. This heat-loving crop has long taken root on Russian soil, where gardeners have mastered varieties of sugar, waxy, popping (for popcorn) cereal. Of course, the whole point of growing corn is to produce a bountiful harvest of edible grains. This is why strawberry corn is finding more and more fans. After all, it can be a wonderful decoration for a flower garden, bears fruit well and is tasty at the stage of milky ripeness.

Strawberry corn is slightly lower than traditional varieties. It usually reaches a little more than a meter in height. 1.5 meters is already the limit of her height. Both leaves and cobs have decorative properties. The oblong leaves are mottled with whitish stripes, and the dark purple cob is not hidden so deeply in the many wrappers. As soon as it begins to ripen, the unusual color is already visible through the thin, parchment-like layer of the upper leaves.

Although the diameter of the cobs of strawberry corn differs little from their counterparts (5–8 cm), they grow no more than 10 cm in length. Surprisingly, they actually resemble strawberries in shape: wider at the base and narrower at the top. Some compare them to cones. Florists quickly found use for this decorative variety in compositions made from natural materials.

The leaf wrapper, called talash, is used to make appliqués and three-dimensional flowers. Moreover, the miniature cobs of strawberry corn themselves also look good in a dried bouquet that is timeless. While the corn grows and ripens in the garden, it serves as a low fence, an interesting backdrop for other ornamental plants and flowers in the garden. And then it finds use in cooking and in winter bouquets.

As for culinary delights, strawberry corn can not only be boiled in salted water and eaten, but also ground in a coffee grinder and added to regular wheat flour. Thus, the baked goods will acquire an unusual pink tint without the use of chemical dyes. Decorative corn has all the beneficial qualities inherent in other varieties.

Growing and caring for them are no different either. The grains are planted in April in a greenhouse shelter or in peat cups, and in early May directly into the ground. Strawberry corn is responsive to sunlight, warmth and abundant watering. It won’t hurt to feed it with complex mineral fertilizers. This is especially important during the period of flowering and fruit formation.

Care

The decorative variety of corn does not require special care, however, to obtain a stable harvest and protection from diseases, it is necessary to regularly carry out agricultural work:

1. loosen the soil to saturate the soil with oxygen;
2. weeding;
3. thin out sprouted plantings;
4. Fertilize periodically.

The plant needs a complex of fertilizers, including:

• phosphorus;
• magnesium;
• nitrogen;
• potassium;
• zinc;
• sulfur

Nutrients contribute to the active formation of cobs. After the appearance of side shoots, it is recommended to carry out the pinching procedure, then the cobs will grow large.

In the summer, during flowering, corn is fertilized; it is during this period that it needs feeding. When growing crops in central Russia, no additional watering is required; natural precipitation is sufficient for corn to grow and develop.

In dry summer conditions, the plant can be watered by pouring water between the rows, protecting the roots from being washed away.

Diseases and pests

Strawberry corn exhibits instability to fungal diseases:

• bubbly smut - large gray swellings appear throughout the plant, reaching 15 cm, they are located on the leaves, stems, cobs and lead to the death of the crop;
• dusty smut - black sooty masses form on the cobs, which lead to damage to the crop;
• fusarium - manifests itself in the form of a pink coating spreading over the entire surface of the crop;
• stem rot - usually appears at the end of summer, while the stems become pink and soft, become covered with spots and subsequently die.

Before planting in the spring, the soil must be disinfected and the seeds treated with fungicides. Suitable for this purpose:

• universal "Granivit";
• contact and systemic action drug “Lanta KS”;
• combined disinfectant "Vitavax".

Corn is attacked to a small extent by harmful insects. It can be:

• Swedish flies;
• root aphid;
• bollworm

In case of significant damage, chemicals are used to control pests, such as the broad-spectrum insecticide Ditox.

Harvesting

Harvesting, which will subsequently be used as food, takes place from August to mid-September. Then the corn reaches the stage of milky ripeness, which makes it suitable for use in cooking. The readiness of the cobs can be determined by the white liquid released from the grains when pressed.

Cobs that have been picked for consumption are stored in the refrigerator. Technical ripeness of corn occurs in early autumn. The hardened cobs are broken off and stored in a dark room with good natural ventilation.

When dry and solid, grains can be stored for several years.

Medicinal properties of strawberries

Strawberries are used in folk medicine:

• As a means of prevention for anemia
• Prevention and treatment of colds
• To prevent cancer

Strawberries remove toxic substances from the body and are an antiseptic for skin diseases. It is also used for diabetes, sleep disorders and problems with the nervous system, and is also a very good diuretic and choleretic agent.

There are also minor contraindications

The following categories should use strawberries with caution or completely exclude them from their diet: people with urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, severe allergies, people with gastrointestinal problems, as well as children under 1 year old.

Application

During the period of milk maturity, corn is harvested for consumption. When unripe, the cobs are given to livestock feed (read about other fodder varieties of corn here). The plant is considered decorative, so it is very often used for other purposes:

• dried, used to make autumn bouquets;
• planted densely in large flower beds to complement the composition;
• a crop sown in the form of a wall acts as a bright and interesting fence;
• A plant with green leaves with white stripes located along the fence becomes an excellent background for a variety of flowers.

There are many other varieties of corn, and the most popular of them are sweet corn. Read about such sweet varieties as Sweet Nugget F1, Summer Sweet F1, Pioneer and Lakomka Belogorya.

Strawberry corn does not require special care; it needs to be provided with a large amount of sunlight and protection from the wind. Compliance with all agrotechnical rules will ensure a good harvest, and the appearance of the original crop variety will decorate the summer cottage.

Corn

direct sunlight

Corn came to Europe from America at the end of the 15th century, but became known in Russia in the 17th century. At first it was grown as a garden plant; in the early 60s there was an attempt to cultivate it on an agricultural scale, but it failed. Since then, corn has been mainly consumed in its prepared form. Although growing corn in your garden is not too difficult. And this is worth doing for several reasons.

Firstly, during the period of milky-wax ripeness, corn surpasses almost all vegetable crops in nutritional value. It is rich in sugars and starch, contains a significant amount of protein and fats valuable for the human body, as well as vitamins C, B1, B2, PP, yellow grain varieties - also carotene. True, milk ripeness lasts only two to three days, after which the sugar content in the grains quickly decreases and the taste deteriorates.

Secondly, corn silk is used in the treatment of many diseases, from diabetes to obesity, and in homeopathy for heart diseases accompanied by edema. And the raw materials obtained from our own garden do not raise doubts about their environmental friendliness.

And finally, this plant is quite impressive; it will decorate any garden, and when planted with a dense wall, it will protect its “countrymen” - pumpkins and tomatoes - from the wind.

There are several botanical groups of corn: flint, popping, starchy, sweet, etc.

Sweet corn (Z. m. Saccharata) is a very tall plant, usually reaching 1.5–2.5 m, the stem is straight, dense, and sometimes bushes. The fibrous root system penetrates the soil to a depth of a meter or more. Supporting roots, thick and strong, protect the corn from lodging.

Decorative corn reaches a height of 150–200 cm. The stems are geniculate, succulent, covered with ribbon-like variegated leaves with stripes of green, yellow, pink and red. They can be used in the flower garden and vegetable garden to create high groups, hedges, and camouflage. But this corn bears fruit well. It has a very pleasant taste at the stage of milky ripeness. The uniqueness of decorative corn lies in the fact that the grains of the cobs compete with the flowers in their multi-colored appearance. But, unlike flowers, they do not fade, but retain their decorative effect in dry bouquets.