Everything You Need to Know About Sweet Corn — Care, Propagation & More
Your complete Filipino gardener’s guide to growing, caring for, and harvesting Mais — from seed to table.
What Can You Eat?
Discover the edible parts and how Filipinos enjoy this plant in everyday cooking.
Boiled mais sa kalye, mais con yelo, mais con hielo, ginataang mais, and as substitute rice in some Filipino meals. Cooked corn cobs sold by street vendors.
Mais sa kalye (street-grilled corn) is a Filipino merienda classic. Cagayan Valley and Mindanao are top producers. Mais con yelo (sweet corn ice dessert) is summer comfort. Native white corn varieties (mais bigas) are also eaten as rice substitute.
Germination Guide
From seed to sprout — here’s what to expect and how to get started.
Planting Instructions
Everything you need to prepare — soil, spacing, depth, and the best Philippine planting months.
Propagation Methods
Learn the best ways to multiply your plants — from seeds to cuttings.
Care Guide
Keep your plant happy and thriving with the right light, water, and nutrients.
Full sun (6-8 hours)
Deep weekly; consistent during pollination
Heavy feeder; complete fertilizer at planting and side-dress at knee height
22-32°C
60-80%
Mulch heavily; hill soil for support.
Harvest Guide
Know when and how to harvest for the best yield and flavor.
Silks brown and dry; kernels milky when pierced.
Twist down and pull cobs from stalk.
Common Problems & Solutions
Spot issues early and fix them fast.
Earworm in cob tip
Cause: Helicoverpa zea larvae
Solution: Drop mineral oil on silks; spray Bt.
Empty kernels
Cause: Poor pollination from isolated plants
Solution: Plant in 3x3 blocks; hand-shake plants at flowering.
Leaning stalks
Cause: Wind or shallow roots
Solution: Hill soil around base; stake.
Yellowing leaves
Cause: Nitrogen deficiency
Solution: Side-dress with compost.
Perfect Plant Partners
Plants that grow well together.