Oh, for the love of corn! Let me count the ways. Corn on the cob, roasted corn, whole corn, creamed corn, corn relish, corn soup, cornbread, popcorn, tortillas, corn pudding, johnny cakes, corn muffins, hominy, grits, and plenty more. Corn has been a staple in the Western hemisphere for, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, 10,000 years originating in the region where Mexico is today. Even corn smut (a product of a fungal disease) is considered a delicacy in some cultures. History tells us that the Indians the Pilgrims met when they landed at Plymouth Rock showed them how to raise corn by burying fish in their rows. Similar to the fish emulsion that we use for fertilizer today. It is the most important grain crop in the United States and is second only to wheat worldwide. Since its introduction to Europe by Christopher Columbus it is now grown in most countries with a crop being harvested in every month of the year somewhere in the world.
Corn is actually a variety of grass that produces a large seed. In some regions it can reach a height of seven feet. But don't look to find that here. Not much in Wyoming will reach its full potential size. Corn here, depending on the variety, may reach five to six feet. Some, as the dry-land corn in Nebraska, may only reach about four feet. As you drive through several states, my example would be Nebraska, you can see huge piles of corn being stored outside under tarps. When I say huge, I mean half the size of a football field and maybe, I'm guessing, 30 feet tall or more. That's what is excess and won't fit in the grain elevators. A good bit of that will be going toward animal feed or to biofuels (we're the only country in the world that burns its food sources for fuel). Some will go to products such as corn oil, corn starch, and corn syrup. Corn syrup is used as a sweetener in quite a few food products, including pecan pie (my favorite). And let's not forget an all-important economic product of past generations, alcoholic beverages. Just a quick note of history, moonshine (corn-based alcohol) started in the Appalachian Mountains as a cash product from corn in the early 1700's. It wasn't necessarily that the intent was to produce booze, but it was easier to transport corn out of the mountains as a liquid rather than as grain. But it did make for a better profit. Even in the "roaring 20's.
The health benefits of corn have been controversial, even though it's one of the more widely eaten grains in the world. It contains many nutrients that are necessary to good health but it has one attribute that can be detrimental. Corn is very high in carbs (41 grams in one cup) and these carbs break down very quickly, potentially causing a spike in blood sugar when they are converted to sugar in the body. For diabetics this could be an issue. So check with your physician if you have any questions. Corn is relatively low in calories, only 177 in one cup, and high in vitamins, minerals, fats, and fiber. Corn can keep you full longer, making it easier to help some people loose weight. Just don't overeat because it can go the other way, too. Moderation is the key.
A few weeks ago I had someone tell me that corn wouldn't grow here in Laramie County. I had to take exception to the comment because it grows very well here. I know a few farmers who grow corn as a regular crop. I grow corn as part of my routine crop rotation and it does well. The only year I had a crop failure was in the garden that I killed with the bad compost. I've discussed that several times before. I have had a problem on occasion with ground squirrels digging up the seed and eating it. Not often, though, and they usually don't get it all. Corn does require a lot of water and fertilizer throughout the growing season and routine weeding.
If you want to plant corn understand how much you will need, how much space it will take, how you'll use it, and what variety you want to grow. To get the best results corn should be spaced 12 inches apart in rows 24-36 inches apart. Good pollination (corn use wind for pollination) requires five rows of five plants in each row minimum. That amounts to at least 50 square feet for a plot. Other research suggests three square feet per plant but that appeared to be for container gardening. The article I read was ambiguous but the photos were all containers. If you read the seed packet it will tell you to plant the seeds one inch deep. The farmers I know have told me to plant four inches deep. I tried that and it did work better. The plants were more secure in the ground with less tendency to blow over in the wind.
There are several types of sweet corn available with the sugar content being the primary distinction. The following sugar content descriptions are from Burpee Nurseries. Standard sweet corn is the easiest to grow and is best when picked young. Normal Sugary (SU) is the most vigorous and tolerant of the early season varieties and doesn't require isolation. Sugar Enhanced (SE) has a high sugar content (sweetness), it's tender, and stores well in the refrigerator for at least a week. No isolation required. Supersweet (Sh2) has an ultra-sweet flavor but only lasts 4-6 days in the refrigerator. This variety requires isolation from other varieties to preserve its tenderness. Synergistic (SY) corn combined the SE and Sh2 traits to form a variety that has super sweet flavor, tender kernels, and doesn't require isolation. I've tried several varieties before finally settling on Kool King from Burpee as the variety that I continue to grow whenever I plant corn. My father preferred Silver Queen, but I found that the kernels were smaller, less tender and the flavor wasn't near as good as Kool King. Of you want to grow Kool King, you'll have to do a search on the Burpee web page because it isn't listed as a variety they carry. But they do still have it.
We grow enough corn to last us about four years whenever I plant it. I usually plant about 800-900 plants because we eat a lot of corn and each plant will yield only one or two ears. Most of it will be frozen but we always start off roasting several ears as soon as they are harvested. Corn begins to lose its sweetness as soon as it's harvested so you'll want to process it immediately and not hold it over until the next day. If you don't think you can get it done the day of harvest, don't harvest as much. I also grind my own corn meal. What I've found is that corn meal, too, loses its sweetness soon after grinding and turns bitter. That's why cornmeal recipes call for sugar. The key is to grind small amounts at a time and store what you don't use in the freezer. When using my own corn meal I don't have to add additional sugar. It doesn't sit in a warm warehouse for who knows how long before being purchased.
Corn is a great plant if you have a little bit of room for it. It can be grown in containers if you just want a few roasting ears or in a larger plot if you want to put some up for later. Store-bought corn doesn't hold a candle to what you can grow yourself. If you have any questions ask a Master Gardener. It's what we do.
The Link LonkMarch 25, 2021 at 01:36AM
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Corn - an ageless grain - Pinebluffspost
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Corn
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