Sweet corn Bloody Butcher is a deliciously sweet-tasting sweet corn variety. It is an old American variety that produces deep red to bright red cobs. The cobs are quite long and grow larger than the cobs of other sweet corn varieties. Give these plants a firm support and provide good shelter from the wind as these plants grow very tall. They grow taller than the plants of other species. Therefore, it is important to give them shelter from the wind so that they don't fall over. You can also dry the cobs of the Bloody Butcher very well and use them in dried flower bouquets or for other types of decoration. The young harvested cobs can be prepared undried as sweet corn. If you let the cobs dry, you can use the kernels to make homemade cornmeal.
Sweetcorn is a cereal that is also used as a vegetable. Sweetcorn is very healthy and versatile. It contains: vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B11, C and E. And the minerals calcium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, potassium, copper, magnesium and zinc. Sweetcorn is also high in fibre, starch, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and low in calories. Sweetcorn can be boiled, baked, grilled in a grill pan or on a barbecue, steamed, prepared in the oven and used in salads. From dried sweetcorn kernels you can also make your own corn flour for e.g. tortillas. Sweetcorn can also be used in soups, stews, salads and, of course, in various Mexican dishes. If you want to grill your fresh home-grown corn on the barbecue, you do not need to remove the bracts, but for all other cooking purposes you do. Also, always remove the white threads and the bottom of the sweetcorn cob before further preparation. Sweetcorn is delicious with cheese, chicken, beef, lamb, pork, minced meat, flour, milk, rice, garlic, eggs, coriander, thyme, cayenne, paprika, onions, potatoes, tuna, salmon, shrimp, apple, pineapple, avocado and nuts. The sweet taste of sweetcorn also pairs well with various vegetables such as: peas, broccoli, celery, courgette, leeks, mushrooms, lettuce, peppers, spring onions, tomatoes and carrots. Non hardy annual.
Indoor sowing: April - May
Outdoor sowing: half May - June
Germination: 10 - 14 days
Germination temp.: 10 - 20 °C
Sowing depth.: 2 - 2½ cm
Outdoor planting: half May (after the Ice-Saints)
Plant distance: 35 - 45 cm
Planting position: full sun - sheltered
Harvest period: July - October
Sowing indoors, for an early harvest, is possible from April onwards. Use separate, deep, not too large pots filled with moist potting compost. Sow 1 seed per pot 2 - 2½ cm deep. Cover the seeds well with soil, as sweetcorn is a darkgerminator. The seeds already germinate at a minimum temperature of 10 °C, but a higher temperature ensures a faster and better germination. Keep the temperature as even as possible and don't let it drop at night. Keep well moist, but not too wet to prevent the seeds from rotting. Harden off your young seedlings from the beginning of May. Put them outside in the sun for about 10 - 14 days. You can put the young plants outdoors in a very sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil from the middle of May, as soon as there is no more chance of night frost. Put the plants close together in blocks to enable good pollination.
Sowing outside is possible from mid-May, as soon as there is no more chance of night frost. Sow the seeds approximately 35 - 45 cm apart and 2 - 2½ cm deep. Sow in blocks to enable good pollination of the plants. Provide a very sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil. Make sure your plants don't dry out.
Each sweetcorn plant produces one or two cobs, the ripeness of which can be tested as soon as the plumes turn a chocolate brown. The ripe kernels secrete a creamy liquid when squeezed. Sweetcorn requires a lot of heat and isn't at all resistant to frost. Don't put your plants outside until there is no chance of night frost. As sweetcorn plants can grow very tall, it is important that they are firmly planted in the ground. Ground your plants if necessary. If necessary, provide strong support, e.g. bamboo sticks. The seeds and cobs of sweetcorn are also very popular with rats, mice and birds.
