Precocious

Saturday, 19 September 2009 14:19

65-75 days. Easily the earliest yellow corn with main season quality! Up to 5 1/2 feet tall, plants yield 7 inch ears filled with sweet, buttery kernels that are plump to the tip even under stress. Picks easily. Good cool-soil vigor and superior flavor. Best eating early corn, fills to the tip even under stress. Taste, sweetness and yield are the chief considerations of most gardeners when choosing corn varieties. Approximately 5 seeds/gram. 'Precocious' is generally mature within 65 to 75 days, and is one of the sweeter early cultivars. The plants produce 7 inch sugar enhanced (SE/se) ears with 14 to 16 rows of kernels. The cobs generally fill even when not in the most quality of conditions. Originally domesticated by Mesoamericans, it is a staple food with many other traditional uses. Home gardeners love to grow corn, and there are many varieties suited to different climates. Plant seeds 1 inch deep in rows or clumps, two weeks after the last frost date. Corn needs rich soil, full sun and adequate moisture to produce good ears. It is wind pollinated, so if you want to save seed, you will need to either stagger the planting time of different varieties, or plant them 1/4 mile apart. Water deeply. Planting instructions: Plant Precocious corn when all danger of frost is gone in a sunny location. The ground should be enriched with organic material then cultivated and loosened for best results. Press soil firmly over seeds and keep moist. Plant in blocks of at least four rows side by side to insure best results from pollination. Avoid one long row style planting. Plant Precocious corn every three weeks for extended harvest. Different varieties of corn should generally be separated by 500 feet to prevent cross pollination. Care: Control weeds weekly by cultivating to form hills around corn. Precocious corn enjoys occasional deep watering in hot temperature areas. Harvesting: pick ears when firm and silk turns sandy brown. The kernels should be milky and tender when tested with thumbnail. Nutritional value: Excellent source of minerals and vitamins. Collecting seed: Leave a few long healthy cobs of Precocious corn on the stalk until the kernels show denting. Pick the cobs and dry the kernels completely before removing them from the cob. Store in a cool, dry area. Best eating early corn, fills to the tip even under stress. Hints: •    The ground must be warm and moist for the corn seed to start to germinate. Early planting does not increase yield. •    Corn can be transplanted. Peat pots can help avoid transplant shock. •    Plants 3-5 seeds approximately 30 cm apart and 2 cm deep in blocks of 4 rows for wind and pollination factors. •    Try 6-10 plants in large [25 litre] black plastic pots. It will keep the roots warm for earlier harvest. •    Harvest when kernels are full and the juice inside them is 'milky'. Go to table of corn varieties

Last Updated on Monday, 21 September 2009 08:40