Edible Mexican Garden. Rosalind Creasy

      Maxican corn

      How to grow: Corn requires both summer heat and full sun and is generally planted from seeds sown directly into the garden. Corn pollen is transferred by the wind from the male flower (the tassel) onto the pistil of the female flower (the silk). If corn is planted in long single rows, the silks won’t be well pollinated. Instead, plant a block of shorter multiple rows, a minimum of four being needed. Plant seeds in rich soil, 1 inch deep, 4 inches apart, with 3 feet between rows. Thin corn seedlings to 1 foot apart.

      Before planting your dent corns, work a source of organic nitrogen (such as aged chicken manure or blood meal) into the soil. Once the seedlings are established, lightly side dress with fish emulsion. If the leaves begin to pale or the plants aren’t growing vigorously, apply more fish emulsion. (The sweet corns most commonly grown in American home gardens, including the ‘Golden Bantam’ [listed on page 33], are heavier feeders and require higher levels of nitrogen throughout the growing season.) Side dress the dent corns at tasseling time with about half of what you’d fertilize American sweet corns. Most dent corns are drought tolerant. With all corn, however, attention to water at tasseling time helps guard against poorly filled out ears. The dent corns generally grow to 10 to 14 feet, taller than most sweet corns.

      The corn earworm is the most common insect pest. They can be smothered by a bit of mineral oil squirted into the ear just as the silk is beginning to dry, or apply Bacillus thuringiensis to the plant. Other insect pests include corn borers, southern corn rootworms, corn flea beetles, and seed corn maggots. Birds can steal the seeds out of the ground, so cover new plantings. The most common corn diseases are Stewart’s bacterial wilt, southern corn leaf blight, and corn smut. The latter, a fungus, is considered a delicacy in Mexico—think wild mushrooms. Called huitlachoche, the fungus is harvested when plump and gray, before it gets black and dry.

      Sweet corn is ready to eat when the silks are dry and brown and the ears are well filled out. Test for ripeness by puncturing a few kernels with a fingernail. Unripe kernels squirt a watery liquid, ripe ones a milky juice. Most varieties of sweet corn begin to lose their sweetness as soon as they are picked, so it is best to harvest ears as close to cooking time as possible.

      Harvest dent corns for grilling and fresh corn tamales after the silks turn brown and the kernels are milky and still sweet. For dry dent corn, leave the earS on the plant until the kernels are dry. If the weather is very wet, cut the stalks after the husks begin to turn brown and store them in a dry place. When the corn is completely dry—which can take weeks—husk the ears and store them in a dry place, or remove the kernels and store them in sealed jars.

      Seed saving: Corn is wind pollinated and cross-pollinates easily. At least 300 feet must separate different varieties tasseling at the same time; 1,000 feet is better. Varieties with tassel times 2 weeks apart may be planted somewhat closer. Hand pollinate to ensure full ears, using pollen from one plant to pollinate another plant—never the same plant. Select the earliest and fullest ears, mark them with a piece of ribbon, and allow them to dry in place until they are ripe for seed harvest. Peel back the husks, hang the ears in an airy place, and allow the kernels to continue to dry on the cob until they can be twisted loose with relative ease. Store in an airtight container. For long-term storage, store whole ears.

      Varieties