Sweet Corn
Zea mays var. saccharata
Vegetables Difficulty: Moderate
📖 About this plant
A tall warm-season grass producing sweet, juicy kernels on large ears. A wind-pollinated crop that should be planted in blocks rather than single rows. Sweet corn is rich in fiber, B vitamins, and antioxidants. Harvest at the milk stage when kernels are plump and exude a milky sap when pierced.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Full sun (8+ hrs)
💧
Water
Every 2-3 days
💨
Humidity
Moderate (50-65%)
🌡️
Temperature
18-30°C
🪴
Soil
Deep, fertile, well-draining loam with high organic matter; pH 5.8-6.8
🧪
Fertilizer
High-nitrogen fertilizer at planting (corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder); side-dress with nitrogen when plants are 30 cm tall and again when tassels appear
🌐 Common Names
HI
Hindi
मक्का
BN
Bengali
মিষ্টি ভুট্টা
MR
Marathi
मीठी मकई
TE
Telugu
తీపి మొక్కజొన్న
TA
Tamil
சர்க்கரை வேர்க்கடலை
GU
Gujarati
મીઠી મકાઈ
UR
Urdu
میٹھی مکئی
KN
Kannada
ಸಿಹಿ ಮೆಕ್ಕೆಜೋಳ
OR
Odia
ମିଠା ମକା
ML
Malayalam
മധുര ചോളം
PA
Punjabi
ਮੀਠੀ ਮੱਕੀ
AS
Assamese
মিঠা মাকঈ
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Mesoamerica, Central America
- 📏 Max height
- 150-300 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 30-45 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Yellow, Brown
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Annual
- 📈 Growth rate
- Fast
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic edible kernels and silk. Raw sweet corn may have minor digestive effects; always cook
- 🌱 Propagation
- Direct sow seeds 5 cm deep after soil reaches 16°C; plant in blocks of at least 4 rows for effective wind pollination; thin to 20-30 cm apart
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic edible kernels and silk. Raw sweet corn may have minor digestive effects; always cook
Common issues
- Corn earworm larvae in ears
- Corn smut fungal disease
- Poor kernel development from inadequate pollination
💡 Care tips
- Plant in blocks of at least 4 rows for proper wind pollination
- Kernels are ready when a milky sap appears when pressed
- Requires rich soil and consistent watering during silking stage
- Harvest immediately at peak ripeness for best sweetness
🪴 Add to My Plants
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