Yes, SE types are ok together. If they cross-pollinate, there isn't anything bad that happens -- worst case scenario, you would end up with some yellow kernels in your Silver Queen.

When you cross-pollinate SE corns with Sh2 corns, you can end up with hard kernels in the ears.

An SE that is on my "must grow" list every year is Ruby Queen from Burpee. This is the "red" sweet corn that is a burgundy color when at the peak of quality. I really, really like this corn, and enjoy the unusual color of it.

Lori, I just gotta jump in here.

You know, I once gave advice to a gardener in Ireland on growing potatoes!! It was one of the high points of my GW history!

So . . . what can I advise a Kansas gardener regarding corn? Ummm . . . To my understanding, Denninmi, has it right about SE varieties. I often grow Bodacious and it just does real good for me . . . Ambrosia, lately, also . . .

Last year, I planted Sugar Buns along with the others! It gave me an earlier and longer harvest. And, I have often grown Fleet, which is very early! Both of these are SE varieties.

(o; Steve ;o)

Good to hear positive feedback about Ruby Queen... It caught my eye a year or so ago, but I never got around to placing a Burpee order. Looks like I'll have to give it a shot this year.

For early planting...sweet corn is more tender than adjacent field corn and may need some frost protection if planted April 13 like I did last year.

I love Ambrosia bi-color, Incredible yellow [don't plant this one early], and Montauk. These are se+ types for the most part. I wasn't bowled over by Ruby a few years ago...your taste may be different.

Ruby Queen is visually appealing and tastes decent, but is not productive enough IMO. If you look closely, you will find that the color is red on top of yellow.

You can grow just about any kind of corn in Kansas. I prefer the se types. A caveat is that whole kernel corn (cut off the cob) should be a few specific selections because most of the se and su corn just does not hold up for this use.

Here are a couple of links just to have fun with.
http://www.mesamaize.com/
http://www.crookham.com/
http://www.rogersadvantage.com/products/corn.asp

DarJones

"I wanted to plant several types of corn."

If by "several types" you mean types such as flint corn, dent corn and pop corn, as well as sweet corn, it will be difficult to provide "simply-explained advice". Growing different types in anything like close proximity is tricky if you want to get predictable results.

Jim

I had to laugh at Steve's comments but it is true, I live in KS and have not grown corn here yet. If it makes me any less pitiful, I am not originally from here and I gained all of my gardening experience in Kentucky;) Thanks for the comments and advice. I don't plant to grown dent or flint, just more sweet corn. I had looked at Ruby Queen but I did grown Silver Queen in KY once and really liked it. I guess I was really concerned that the farmers who grown 100s of acres of feed corn all around me would dash any hope I would have of getting decent sweet corn. Others do it, I knew that they must know how, LOL. Lori

It may be a bit tricky, Gardengalrn.

I have grown Painted Mountain flour corn in the garden with the sweet corn varieties separated by at least 35 feet. There was still a few colorful kernels in some of the nearest ears of sweet corn.

I am sorry to say that Fedco Seed company talks about 1/2 mile of isolation for corn for seed saving and a 200 plant minimum. It shouldn't matter at all if your SE corn cross-pollinates with itself and, probably, the close proximity of 200+ plants would keep the field corn from jumping the fence . . . so to speak. Certainly, it seems to me, that it is worth a try.

Steve

Here is a link that might be useful: Seed Saving info - Fedco

Lori,

Sweet corn in 5b can usually be planted in late April until early July. I planted 8 plantings last year. Granted the last two plantings are more likely to have earworms and cornroot worm beetles feeding on silks and tender leaves.

Plant with a ten day spacing between maturity. Early plantings take a little longer than the listed maturity and later plantings take less time than the listed maturity. I plant with field corn across the fence every other year. One thing to do is to go out and manually shake the tops when tassels [first] start releasing pollen. Do this for three consecutive days. The idea is to get your corn well pollinated and to get it pollinated before any field corn or other plantings of corn can contaminate your corn.

My Silver Queen Corn ears are not filling out. The kernals are normal size, but the ears are only about 4" long. Also some have a clump of silks right on the end of the ears. How far apart should it be planted in the row and how for should the rows be apart?

Depends on how much fertilizer you use and how well you can irrigate. I plant Silver Queen , Silver King and other large cultivars in 42 inch rows with 18 inch spacing. Note that I do the traditional way. Rainfall only. With plenty of water and copious fertilizer you can plant much closer.{{gwi:16325}}

Thanks now another question. Looking at your field, I don't see any blowing over. How do you prevent it from blowing over? It seems that the least wind that comes after the corn starts to tassel, it wants to blow over.

I staggered my corn planting. I planted different varieties. It's all tasseling now, at the same time, regardless.

I never have corn blow down, even in the hurricanes and I have very light sandy soil. I expect it is due to the fact thet the plants have to send down roots deep to get water. Plus I don't overfertilized so my plants are short and stocky. I usually plant at one time sometimes an early 65 day, second early 75 day, a mainseason 82-85 day, and a late 90+ day. Usually works out pretty well, although a bad season can run it together.