My 70 day old corn growing toward maturity

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I posted earlier about when we planted this corn in the middle of January.  For corn it is possible to have 2 crops per year here, since there is no frost or winter.  This corn will be ready to harvest about the end of April.  

Click here:  Here's a short one-minute video I made this morning while watering.

The Mayans will plant their corn in June, because that is the start of the rainy season and they need the rain to water the plants.  I have free electricity and unlimited fresh water and an irrigation system, so we are able to plant in January and keep it watered with the sprinkler towers I had built.

When we harvest this corn, we'll clear the stalks and fertilize the ground well with cow manure and then the last week in May, we will plant more.

Also, very interesting to me this lesson.  About 3 weeks ago, I had to go to Merida for the day.  On the way home there was a severe storm with 50kph winds and heavy rain.   When I got back to the ranch at 5:00 Salvador was still here baby-sitting my dog Logan, since it was my first time for him to be away from me.  As I drove in, past this corn in the photo, it was about 1/2 this height.  And my heart sank when I saw it.  At least 1/2 of the stalks were laying over, almost flat on the ground from the wind and beating rain.  I thought for sure it was gone.   But I asked Salvador about it and he said, "no, it was fine" and he assured me that in about 4 or 5 days it would stand up again.   Sure enough!  My wise Mayan superintendent was correct.  In 6 days you could not see that anything had every disrupted it.

By the way, for something there are 3 growing seasons here.  Only 2 for corn since it takes almost 110 days to get to maturity.  But for cucumbers, tomatoes and at least watermelon, Salvador says sometimes you can get 3 crops per year.  We're planting cucumbers now for the first time, and planting our second crop of watermelons.   I've tried growing beans too, but the damned iguanas get to them faster than my guys can kill the iguanas.  They are relentless predators for me.




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