The grammineae family is a huge family that covers nearly all of the grains and grasses. Only two genera and species are commonly grown in the vegetable garden; Zea Mays (corn) and Sorghum bicolor.

Corn

All corn varieties are out crossing plants that are wind pollinated and will cross readily with one another. If you wish to save seed that will be strong for the long haul you need to plant it in large blocks of around 500 plants, save the best 100 cobs and mix the seed from those cobs, from to take next years seed. Hand pollination is possible - see “Seed To Seed” by Suzanne Ashworth.

In areas where thousands of acres of corn are being grown and the pollen clouds are moving around high with the wind, there would need to be long distances between the varieties to keep them pure however I’ve found that it’s relatively easy in our gardens to keep the seed pure in quite small areas where attention is paid to planting in blocks and collecting seed from the middle of the blocks.

Cultivation tips:

The best corn is that which is planted at the best time of the year for growing corn, i.e. when the ground temperature reaches 16. If you are growing popcorn, flour corn or polenta corn it is really important to get it in then (usually during October into November). If it’s planted later it will struggle to mature while the sun is still hot enough to dry it adequately and then you’ll have trouble storing it and stopping moulds and insects getting into it and it won’t go through the schucker or grind properly.

Sweet corn can be planted as late as January in some areas, as long as you plant a short season variety.

Planting the seed into seed trays and transplanting as in Bio intensive gardening, saves losing lots of seed and plants to the birds, snails and any other pests around. If you are growing corn for flour, popcorn or drying, leave it on the plants, in the ground to dry out for as long as possible (usually until the birds get into it) then pick the cobs, pull the husks back tie the husks of two cobs together and hang over a rail in the wind but out of the rain to dry, or throw onto a shelf in the greenhouse. After about a month of further drying it is best shucked and stored inside, for popping or grinding etc. If you’re worried about bugs getting into the grain, either freeze it all for a few days to kill any bugs that might already be in there. Traditionally, the leaves of trees, herbs etc. that repel bugs are stored with the grain, i.e. neem leaves, maybe ngaio leaves, garlic, wormwood rue etc.

For more information on how to cook with corn click here

Sorghum

This is a traditional African grain crop which was taken with Negro slaves to southern states of USA where sorghum syrup is now part of the culture. “Every fall southern sorghum farmers strip their sorghum stalks of leaves and press the green juice into a large pot over an open fire. Cooked down just like maple syrup, sorghum is an old - fashioned pleasure finally being rediscovered.” There are grain varieties, broom varieties and syrup varieties.

Seed saving information

Sorghums are in breeding plants which means they are self fertile and self pollinating and do not readily cross.