Vegetables

Red corn: description of varieties, cultivation and care with photos

Anonim

Red corn is a rather exotic plant in the gardens of our country. Not even all summer residents know that there is such a variety of it. But she is already more than 7 thousand years old. The plant was first grown and consumed in the Andes. The cob was eaten and used as a dye for drinks, foods, alcohol. This corn gave a beautiful hue to the famous Mexican alcoholic drink called Chicha morada. For a long time it was considered sacred, its abuse was recognized as a grave sin.

Features of red corn varieties

It is to maize that America owes the development of agriculture. Among the famous Mayan tribe, the Maize God was central to religion. Therefore, the best varieties of red corn, which is a representative of maize, were bred in America. In Mexico and Peru, this variety occupies an equal position with regular corn.

There are already many varieties of red corn in our country, every year summer residents pay more and more attention to it due to the mass of useful properties. The following deserve special attention:

  • Early pink glow.
  • Oaxacan red.
  • Strawberry.
  • Red Arrow.
  • Wonder bump red.
  • Ruby garnet.
  • Bloody butcher.

Early pink radiance is a representative of super-early varieties. Cobs ripen 60 days after germination. Plant height up to 1.5 meters. The length of the cob is up to 15 cm. The grains of this red corn are sweet, not too large. The yield is high. After cooking, it has the highest taste.

Oaxacan red is not only tasty, but also medicinal. The plant reaches a height of 2 meters, the ears ripen 3 months after planting. Head length up to 25 centimeters. The grains are small, with a high content of nutrients. Suitable for processing into flour or cereals. After cooking, it tastes great.

Strawberry red corn belongs to mid-season varieties. Plants reach a height of 1.8 meters. The length of the cob is up to 22 cm. The grains are similar to fig. Groats, flour are made from Strawberry, used as food for birds and animals. If the harvest is harvested at the stage of milky-wax ripeness, then boiled cobs will be very tasty, sweet and juicy.

Red arrow comes from China, belongs to the early ripe varieties of red maize. The plant grows up to 1.5 meters. The yield is very high, up to 5 large cobs are formed on each trunk. The grains have a black-burgundy-red color, a slightly elongated shape. Suitable for popcorn and flakes.

Wonder bump red is another native of China. Magnificent early ripe grade up to 1 meter high, bushy. Up to 10 cone-shaped cobs up to 13 centimeters long can be formed on one plant. The grains are small, in maturity they have a dark red color. Red maize is used for popcorn and flakes.

Ruby pomegranate - a variety bred by Russian breeders. The height of a powerful plant is up to 2.5 meters. Cobs are formed large, up to 30 cm long. 2-3 heads of cabbage are formed on each trunk. The grains are also quite large, shaped like a horse's tooth.At maturity, their color is dark ruby.

Bloody butcher is a truly unique variety of red corn. The purple color in which its grains are colored is very rare in the plant world. He says that the product has a high content of antioxidants. These substances help slow down the natural aging process in the body, and also prevent the development of many diseases.

It is thanks to this that doctors called red corn a pill for all diseases. With its help, you can cope with tumors in the digestive organs, strengthen blood vessels, normalize sugar content, and stabilize blood pressure. This variety is early maturing. The plant reaches a height of 1.6 meters, the length of the cob is up to 30 cm. The grains have a very sweet taste. On one plant, 2-3 heads are formed. Good to eat boiled.

Features of cultivation

For growing maize, you need to choose a well-lit area with fertile soil. Corn has a shallow root system, so it needs good protection from the wind. Sowing seeds should be started no earlier than a couple of weeks after the last frost has passed. The soil must be warmed up to at least 13 ° C. If earlier sowing is required, then it is carried out directly under the film.

The beds where it is planned to plant red corn must be pre-treated and prepared. For this purpose, 3 kg of organic fertilizers are applied for every 30 linear meters of the site. When planning plantings, one should take into account the fact that red maize is pollinated by the wind, therefore it is planted not in one long row, but in several rows one after another. The distance between the rows is 0.6 meters, and between the plants - 25 cm. The planting depth of the grains is 5 cm.

After sowing, it is recommended to cover the beds with agrofiber or other coating until germination. Otherwise, birds may peck at unsprouted red corn grains. In order to be able to harvest longer, planting is done at intervals of 2 weeks. Planting several varieties with different ripening dates is practiced.

It must be remembered that at low temperatures and adverse conditions, red corn seeds tend to rot in the soil. To prevent this, experienced gardeners advise pre-soaking the seed. As soon as the sprouts hatched, he was immediately sent to the garden. Large roots should not be allowed to form. In this case, it will be very easy to damage them, and the plant will not grow well.

Features of care

Irrigation of red corn is recommended to be carried out under the root, especially during the flowering period.If you water the beds from above, then the pollen is washed off and the occupancy of the cob will be poor. The frequency of watering depends on weather conditions. If the weather is rainy, then the beds can not be irrigated at all, and in a drought it is worth focusing on how the top layer of soil dries. Fertilize with fish emulsion every couple of weeks before the plants drop their panicles and begin to bloom.

Nitrogen fertilizers are applied twice a season. The first time the procedure is carried out when the corn has not reached half a meter in height, and the second time - when silk begins to appear on it.

Red maize beds need to be weeded all the time. To reduce their appearance, you can mulch the soil with cut grass or prepared compost. This will help prevent the soil from drying out and help retain moisture.

Reviews of gardeners indicate that red corn requires a little more attention than the usual white or yellow.But it contains many valuable substances for the human body that help fight diseases and increase immunity. The unusual appearance of red corn and excellent taste qualities allow chefs to create culinary masterpieces from it. That is why it is worth allocating a place in the garden plot and planting such an exotic and unusual plant for our summer residents.