Ask any home gardener what their favorite crop is and sweet corn wins hands down. Corn on the cob is nearly everyone’s favorite and far easier to give to the neighbors than those late season zucchinis. Needless to say the seed catalogs burst with corn varieties, here are some winners.
First Golden Bantam sweet corn and Silver Queen sweet corn, perfect together. Golden Bantam is an early yellow corn at 78 days. It has been a favorite for over 100 years and is open pollenated. Make several plantings of Bantam a few weeks apart, and several plantings of Silver Queen as well, causing the first Silver Queen planting to coincide with the last Bantam planting. The result is that the Silver Queen, a 92 day white sweet corn will be ready when the Bantam peters out and the fresh corn season will be greatly extended.
A truly delicious bi-color corn is Ambrosia, early at 75 days. Astoundingly tender and juicy Ambrosia sports plump 8” ears. It is endorsed by Uncle Mac’s garden Shed and is widely available. If you grow only one variety of corn, it probably should be this one.
Do you want corn that you can save the seeds from and then replant? Corn guaranteed to be free from GMO taint and 100% heirloom? These two varieties, Stowell’s Evergreen sweet corn and Luther Hill sweet corn, both from Sustainable Seeds suit the bill admirably. Evergreen was developed in New Jersey in 1848 and has been a favorite ever since. It produces thick 9” ears with up to 20 rows of white kernels.
Luther Hill, dating to 1902 boasts 2 ears of white sweet corn per stalk, as well as bearing several side stalks that also produce 2 ears each. Productive and forgiving of cool weather.
Harris Seeds offers a number of sweet corns that are not only delicious for the table, they also have the dark, tightly wrapped husks and ears filled to the very tip that are so popular with roadside buyers, if it is your goal to sell your excess corn crop.
Sweet Spring Treat is early at just 68 days and provides extra sweet 8 ½” ears of bi-color goodness. Ready in 75 days Tender Vision is a rare ultra-sweet yellow corn with 8” ears wrapped tightly in deep green husks. Both of these varieties look good and taste better.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to available corn varieties. Visit your favorite seed vendor whether by catalog, on line, or in person before your favorite variety sells out!
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