Red corn is a rather exotic plant in the gardens of our country. Not even all summer residents know that this variety exists. But it is already more than 7 thousand years old. This plant was first grown and consumed in the Andes. The cobs were eaten and used as a dye for drinks, foods, and alcohol. This corn gave a beautiful flavor to the famous Mexican alcoholic drink called Chicha Morada. For a very 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. For the famous Mayan tribe, the God of Corn was central to their religion.Therefore, the best varieties of red corn, which is a representative of maize, were bred in America. In Mexico and Peru, this variety ranks equally with regular corn.
There are already many varieties of red corn known 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.
- The miracle cone is red.
- Ruby garnet.
- Bloody butcher.
Early pink glow is a representative of very early varieties. The cobs ripen 60 days after emergence. 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. Productivity is high. After cooking it has the highest taste qualities.
Oaxacan red is not only delicious, but also medicinal. The plant reaches a height of 2 meters, the cobs ripen 3 months after planting. The length of the head is up to 25 centimeters. The grains are small, with a high content of nutrients. Suitable for processing into flour or cereal. After cooking it has a wonderful taste.
Strawberry red corn belongs to mid-season varieties. The plants reach a height of 1.8 meters. The length of the cob is up to 22 cm. The grains are similar to rice. Strawberry is used to make cereals, flour, and used as food for birds and animals. If the crop is harvested at the stage of milky-waxy ripeness, then when boiled the cobs will be very tasty, sweet and juicy.
Red arrow comes from China and is an early maturing variety of red maize. The plant grows up to 1.5 meters. The productivity is very high, up to 5 large ears are formed on each trunk. The grains have a black-burgundy-red color and a slightly elongated shape.Suitable for preparing popcorn and flakes.
The red miracle cone is another native of China. An excellent early ripening variety 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 and dark red in color when ripe. Maize with red grains is used to make popcorn and flakes.
Ruby garnet is a variety bred by Russian breeders. The height of a powerful plant is up to 2.5 meters. The 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 tooth. When mature, their color is dark ruby.
Bloody Butcher is a truly unique variety of red corn. The purple color in which its grains are painted is very rare in the plant world. It says that the product is high in antioxidants. These substances help slow down the natural aging process in the body and also prevent the development of many diseases.
It is because of 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 levels, and stabilize blood pressure. This variety is early ripening. 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. 2–3 heads of cabbage are formed on one plant. It is good to eat boiled.
Features of cultivation
To grow maize, you need to choose a well-lit area with fertile soil.Corn has a shallow root system, so it requires good protection from the wind. Start sowing seeds 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 it is necessary to sow earlier, then it is carried out directly under the film.
The beds where you plan to plant red corn must first be processed and prepared. For this purpose, 3 kg of organic fertilizers are applied for every 30 linear meters of the plot. When planning plantings, you should take into account that red maize is wind-pollinated, so it is planted not in one long row, but in several rows one after another. The distance between rows is 0.6 meters, and between plants - 25 cm. The depth of planting grains is 5 cm.
After sowing, it is recommended to cover the beds with agrofibre or other covering until seedlings emerge. Otherwise, birds may peck out unsprouted red corn kernels. In order to be able to harvest longer, planting is done at intervals of 2 weeks. It is practiced to plant several varieties with different ripening periods.
We must remember that at low temperatures and unfavorable conditions, seeds red corn have the property rot in the soil. To prevent this, experienced gardeners advise pre-soaking the seed. As soon as the sprouts hatch, they are immediately sent to the garden bed. Large roots should not be allowed to form. In this case, they will be very easily damaged, and the plant will not grow well.
Features of care
It is recommended to water red corn at the root, especially during the flowering period.If you water the beds from above, the pollen will be washed away and the fill of the cob will be poor. The frequency of watering depends on weather conditions. If the weather is rainy, then the beds do not need to be irrigated at all, but in droughts you should focus on how the top layer of soil dries out. Before the plants shoot out their panicles and begin to bloom, they are fertilized every couple of weeks with fish emulsion.
Nitrogen fertilizers are applied twice per 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.
There is a constant need to remove weeds from red maize beds. To reduce their occurrence, you can mulch the soil with grass clippings or prepared compost. This will help prevent the soil from drying out and will help retain moisture.
Reviews from gardeners indicate that red corn requires a little more attention than the usual white or yellow. But it contains many substances valuable to the human body that help fight diseases and improve immunity. The unusual appearance of red corn and excellent taste allow chefs to create culinary masterpieces from it. That is why it is worth setting aside a place in the garden plot and planting such an exotic and unusual plant for our summer residents.
