Corn - Sweet Seeds

Zea mays

The sweet corn we knew in the 70’s and 80’s has now been replaced with superior varieties with high eating quality and disease resistance. We offer a select line of corn varieties chosen for superior performance, yield, quality, and flavor, to suit the needs of discerning home gardeners and small commercial growers. Our line of open-pollinated, heirloom, and traditionally bred fresh-eating varieties include old-fashioned sweet corn, super sweet corn.

Sweet Corn Seeds

When sweet corn season rolls around, customers look for the best eating quality at local roadside stands and farmers’ markets. May and June are months for planting sweet corn seeds to meet the required conditions for growing. Corn seeds should be planted in a spot that receives full sun, in well-draining soil. Plant seeds approximately one inch deep, spaced about 9-12" apart in each row in soil with a temperature of about 60 degrees or above. You can check soil temperature with a soil thermometer and sunlight, soil pH, moisture, and fertility levels can be verified with an electronic soil analyzer or soil testing kit. Sweet corn requires frequent watering to produce full, healthy ears. Once the tassels appear, you should provide at least one inch of water per week. Make sure the soil doesn’t dry out between watering s. If your area is experiencing particularly hot and dry weather, make sure to water more frequently.

Sweet corn has evolved over the last twenty years, turning into superior varieties with high eating quality and disease resistance. The hybrids of today are far superior in eating quality compared to heirlooms, open-pollinated and older sweet corn hybrid varieties. New hybrids are tested for several sweet corn diseases each year to ensure intermediate resistance or resistance. The most promising experimental are grown in trials throughout the country to test their adaptability before they are named and offered for sale.

There are five basic genetic types of sweet corn we offer:
• normal sugary (su)
• sugary enhanced (se)
• synergistic se (sy)
• supersweet (sh)
• augmented supersweet (shA)

The seeds of supersweet types have less food reserve than others, thus storing less energy for germination, emergence, root and shoot growth. The seed is brittle and prone to cracking and splitting. When the seed coat breaks, nutrients can leak out, attracting microorganisms. Some of the organisms are pathogenic fungi that cause disease by penetrating maturing seeds on field ears. Soil-borne fungi can also grow rapidly in the leach. The the result can be seed rot, damping off, die back, whip-like plants and plants that don’t yield. Combat these risks with a broad-spectrum seed treatment, combining several fungicides approved for this purpose. There is no single fungicide available that controls all vulnerabilities.

Cross-Pollination
• Cross-pollination between supersweets and other genetic classes will turn corn kernels tough and starchy. This effect works both ways. Since corn is wind-pollinated, the supersweets should be isolated at least 250ft from all other non-sh3 corn (field, su, se, sb, sy, pop, ornamental etc.), use natural wind barriers and/or plant with 10-14 days maturity difference between varieties. Cross-pollination only effects two supersweet varieties if they have different kernel colors.

Temperature
• Most of corn seeds prefer soil temperatures of 60°F or higher. Choose cold-tolerant varieties for early planting or cover the planted seed to warm the soil. Plant supersweets on south-sloping fields that tend to be warmer.

Watering
• A loose, well-drained seed bed promotes germination as long as it's not overworked and dry. Avoid soil compaction and crusting. Soil moisture should be present at planting time. Plant as shallow as moisture will allow (1-1.5" deep is best). Avoid irrigating with cold water, as it causes seed cell damage. Once the tassels appear, you should provide at least one inch of water per week. Make sure the soil doesn’t dry out between watering's. If your area is experiencing particularly hot and dry weather, make sure to water more frequently.