How to Grow Baby Corn from Seed to Harvest

Baby corn (Zea mays L.) is a vegetable crop of the maize family. Tender maize are used as a vegetable. Also, cut into thin slices and eat as a salad with lemon juice and pepper powder. It has good demand in big hotels. Lately it is available to the general public as it is sold as a vegetable in supermarkets. Farmers who are close to urban areas should cultivate with market convenience.

If the farmers have enough water, they can cultivate this crop in summer and get good profits.

In this article I have explained How to Baby Corn from Seed to Harvest, which helps every farmer and home gardener to gain the knowledge on

Available verities of Baby Corn.
Seed germination time.
Suitable soil and weather conditions.
Field preparation and planting distance.
Fertilizer and Water Management.
Required seed per acre and expected yield per acre.

Suitable weather and Soils:

Fertile loamy soils with high organic matter content and soil with a soil PH level 6.0-7.0 are suitable. A temperature of 25°C to 32°C will produce good crop. Farmers should use 35 percent shade nets to protect the crop from high temperature in summer.

Suitable Varieties for Growing Baby Corn:

Madhuri: This variety is a sweet seed variety released from Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University’s Maize Research Centre, Ambarupet. Ideal for growing baby corn. Harvest period is 75-80 days, baby corn yield is 1,600-2,000 kg per acre (32,000 to 40,000 kernels per acre).

C.O.B.C. 1: This variety released from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Yielding 1,160 kg per acre under rain dependent and 2,600 kg per acre under irrigated cultivation.

Planting season:

It can be sown throughout the year if water is available, for rain dependent crop it can be sown in June-July during south-west monsoon and September-October during north-east monsoon.

Soil Preparation:

The soil should be plowed deep for 2-3 times. 4-5 tones of digested cattle manure per acre should be applied in the final application. In rainy season, the beds should be placed at a distance of 45 cm. Due to this, the crop grows well without sewage standing near the plant. Cut into small pieces in winter and summer and sow at a distance of 45 cm × 25 cm.

Seed Per Acre:

Seed Rate: Requires 13 kg of seed per acre
Harvesting: 70 days after sowing the seeds.
Yield: 1800 – 2400 kg per acre.

Water Management:

The seeds should be watered immediately after sowing.
Then after 4 days water should be given again. Due to this, the seed will germinate well.
Then water regularly after every ten days depending on the season and every 6-7 days in dry season.
Make sure that the soil has enough moisture for the plants. Care should be taken not to water the plants.

Harvesting and yielding:

Maize is cut with silk threads about one cm. Cut when the length visible. The first harvest can be taken 70 days after sowing the seeds. Young maize can be cut every 2 days up to 65 days after sowing (6-7 cuts in total).

The yield of baby corn is about 1800 – 2400 kg per acre.

Post-harvest technology:

Baby corn should be harvested within 2-3 days and stored in 0.5 percent polythene bags and ventilated in cold room (10,90 R) for 15-20 days.
Peeled baby corn can be kept in boiling water for 2 months and stored in 4 percent salt solution for 3-4 months.

Follow WalPencil to get to know cultivation tips for other vegetable crops like Watermelon and Muskmelon, Ginger, Turmeric etc.