Maize
Zea mays · Poaceae
📷 Roger Culos · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
Ideal time to plant maize: set it out when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged, and water generously as it establishes.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous, herbaceous
- Flowering
- Summer (June to September)
- Adult size
- 1.5 to 3 m in height depending on variety
- Growth
- Very rapid (90 to 150 days from sowing to harvest)
- Hardiness
- Frost-tender, cannot tolerate freezing
- Origin
- Mexico (ancient domestication)
- Soil type
- Fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral
- Cycle
- Annual
Expert tips
The key tip
Le maïs a besoin d'eau régulière et profonde surtout entre la montée et la floraison : un apport tous les 7 à 10 jours est minimum si les pluies manquent. La vraie clé est la fertilité du sol : incorporez du compost bien décomposé ou un engrais équilibré au semis, puis un apport supplémentaire à mi-hauteur (stade 6-8 feuilles) sinon la plante s'épuise et produit des épis chétifs.
The common mistake
La majorité des jardiniers tue le maïs en le semant trop tôt dans un sol froid et humide : la graine pourrit avant de germer. Attendez que le sol soit vraiment tiède (au moins 12-15°C, mieux à 18°C) et bien drainé, même si cela signifie semer fin avril plutôt que début avril.
The pro's trick
Semez le maïs en poquet de 3 graines espacées de 40 cm en tous sens, puis éclaircissez à 1 pied par poquet une fois levé. Cette technique simple réduit drastiquement les manquées de levée et garantit une densité régulière, contrairement aux semis en ligne où vous ratez toujours quelques emplacements.
Seasonal watch
À la montée estivale (juin-juillet), surveiller les carences en azote qui font jaunir les feuilles basses : c'est normal de perdre une ou deux feuilles, mais si le jaunissement remonte vers les feuilles jeunes, c'est trop tard pour corriger. Un apport d'engrais ou de purin dilué dès la base de la tige permet de rattraper le coup avant qu'il soit irréversible.
Care
Watering
Corn needs regular and abundant water, especially after sprouting and during flowering. Water deeply one to two times per week depending on climate and soil moisture. Avoid prolonged dry periods that compromise cob formation.
Exposure and light
Plant corn in full sun, with a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of direct daily sunlight. This exposure optimizes photosynthesis and yield production. Partial shade slows growth and reduces cob quality.
Soil preparation
Prepare soil rich in organic matter, well-drained and slightly fertile. Loosen the soil deeply before sowing to encourage root development. Adding mature compost or well-rotted manure before planting significantly improves productivity.
Fertilization
Corn is nitrogen-hungry. Apply balanced fertilizer at sowing, then additional nitrogen 4 to 6 weeks after sprouting, particularly when the first leaves appear. Use organic amendments (compost, manure) or mineral fertilizers depending on your approach.
Maintenance and harvest
Corn requires no pruning in the horticultural sense. Remove low lateral shoots if you wish to promote a single main cob. Harvest at full maturity, about 20 days after silk flowering, when kernels are yellow and hard.
Diseases and pests
Corn can be affected by fungal diseases (rust, smut), nutritional deficiencies or pest attacks such as corn earworms. Promote good air circulation, remove infected plant debris and practice crop rotation. Good drainage reduces fungal diseases.
Did you know?
Corn (Zea mays) is a cereal domesticated in Mexico approximately 9,000 years ago from a wild grass called teosinte. This remarkable transformation, among the oldest and most complete in agriculture, shaped pre-Columbian civilizations and remains today the most widely cultivated cereal in the world, surpassing wheat and rice combined.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
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Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.