Decorative strawberry corn: variety description, planting, cultivation and care with photo

Strawberry corn, the seeds of which have recently become available, is an ornamental crop variety. The plant loves heat and sun, feels fine in the regions of Russia, where climate conditions are suitable for the cultivation of sweet corn.

Appearance variety

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

In the stage of milk maturity, grains of cereals have a sweet taste, they are enjoyed by kids, adults use them. Harvest ripens in August, early September.

How is it used?

Strawberry corn serves as a hedge for suburban areas, beautiful bushes are used as a backdrop for other ornamental crops. Amazing flowers are cut out of the sheet wrapper, applications are made. From small purple cobs, which are shaped like cones and berries, they make up winter bouquets that do not lose their shade for years.

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

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

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

Preparation and top dressing of the soil

Growing Strawberry Corn is no more difficult than a regular sugar or fodder variety. After harvesting beans, beans or cereals, the ground in the country house or garden needs to be dug up and fertilizer added. After 2 weeks, with the help of a harrow or cultivator, they begin to cultivate the soil, due to which weeds sprout in smaller numbers.

When the ears are formed, corn especially needs nitrogen. With a lack of this trace element, the leaves turn yellow and dry. With a deficiency of phosphorus, they acquire a reddish tint. Potassium supplementation contributes to:

• increasing disease resistance;
• increasing yields;
• accelerate growth.

Calcium is needed to reduce soil acidity. From autumn or spring, superphosphate and potassium s alt are added before planting corn. The culture responds well to organic fertilizers - manure, compost, wood ash, 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 well 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 pollinated by the wind.

In the regions of Russia, where the summer is short, the crop is grown in seedlings.Grains warmed up in the sun for several days are sown to a depth of 3 cm in peat peas, filled with earth, sand and compost, wood ash is added to the mixture. Seedlings are fertilized every 8-10 days, the soil is regularly moistened.

Care and treatment

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

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

When side shoots appear on the stem, it is better to carefully cut them off. Planting Strawberry Corn during the growing season is treated with fungicides, as wireworm, moth and other pests may appear.

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