Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a big garden to cultivate maize. Learn How to Grow Baby Corns at Home in Pots and harvest it fresh for your family without a big yard!
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What are Baby Corns?
Baby corns are immature maize grains that you can harvest from the plant while they are small and tender. They are not different from the regular corn, just immature ones. These have an earthy flavor and taste great in stir-fry recipes.
Botanical Name: Zea mays L.
The #1 Secret of Growing Baby Corns
The key to getting tasty baby corns is to never grow them to the point where they get mature.
The secret tip is to cultivate 3-4 plants in a standard 12 inches pot so they don’t get an established root system, which will keep them small in size, making the cobs tender and delicious!
Best Varieties to Grow
If you want the best taste, grow Blue Hopi, Ruby Queen, Nirvana Hybrid, Golden Bantam, Picasso hybrid, and Stowells Evergreen. They taste sweet, and you will love them in salads!
Best Pot Size for Growing Baby Corns
Baby corns have shallow roots, so you can grow them in a 10-12 inches pot with ease. 4-6 plants in one pot would be great. This will result in a bountiful harvest per container.
You can also use grow bags, buckets, milk jars, and fruit crates. Make holes at the bottom to ensure proper drainage.
How to Grow Baby Corns in Pots?
Baby corns don’t transplant well, so it is preferable to sow them directly in the pots without the mess of starting in germination trays.
- Fill a pot with a well-draining and nutrient-rich potting mix. Sow 8-10 seeds half to one inch deep, spacing them 2-3 inches apart.
- Place the pot in the sunniest corner of your house and ensure that the soil is evenly moist but not soggy.
- After a week or two, the kernels will germinate. Thin out the saplings and keep only the healthiest plants with 3-4 true leaves.
Alternatively, you can also start the seeds in 2-4 inches long disposable cups and then plant healthy ones in the pots after germination.
Requirements for Growing Baby Corns in Pots
Sunlight
Ensure the plant gets a minimum of 5-6 hours of direct sunlight. While growing indoors, place the plant in the south-facing window that receives the bright afternoon sun. If you grow it in a shady spot, the plant won’t produce corns.
Soil
A well-draining loamy soil with a pH of 6 to 7 works best for baby corns. The plant produces a healthy harvest in a nitrogen-rich growing medium. If you want the best yield, use a mixture of silt, sand, and gravel for the perfect blend.
Watering
It is important to keep the soil evenly moist as the plant grows in sunny temperatures. Do not let it sit in water-logged soil. Follow a deep watering session every time you find the topsoil dry.
Temperature & Humidity
Baby corns are warm-season plants and thrive in a high-temperature range of 70-90 F or 21-32 C. The plant doesn’t tolerate frost and requires a high humidity of 50-60 %.
Baby Corn Plant Care
Fertilization
Side dress the plants every three weeks with organic matter. Use a 10-5-5 blend diluted to half its strength, once in 4-6 weeks. Do refer to the label for dosage and instructions.
Mulching
Mulch around the plant with a thick layer of straw to help retain the moisture and suppress weeds. This will keep the soil moist on hot summer days.
Pests and Diseases
Baby corns are susceptible to a number of diseases, including Common Rust, Downy Mildew, Leaf Blight, Charcoal Rot, Ear Rot, and Cercospora Leaf Spot, among others.
This can be controlled by treating the seeds with pest control or choosing the less prone varieties to such diseases.
Harvesting Baby Corns
The corns will be ready to harvest within 55-60 days from the date of sowing. Handpick when the cobs turn 2-4 inches long and get a golden yellow color. Do remember that letting them grow more will make the corn hard and slightly bitter.
Baby corns taste best when fresh, but you can also store them in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.
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