If they're both SE corns, there isn't a real problem. You will end up with some red kernels in the yellow, and some yellow in the red, but with the 11 day difference in pollination times HOPEFULLY there won't even be too much of that going on.

So, if it does mix, the issue will primarily be cosmetic, shouldn't affect flavor or quality.

The big problem comes when you mix an SE with an Sh2 variety -- the kernels are very hard even when young, kind of chewy and rubbery.

I say not a big deal. I don't think you have to do anything at all about it.

If the corn tassels at the same time, they're going to cross-pollinate. The pollen will be mixed, so you're not going to get red or yellow corn. They may still be edible, but don't complain to the seed company that they sold you faulty seed.

If they didn't tassel at the same time, it wouldn't be a cross-pollination problem, but since you planted each one (same variety) farther apart than recommended, you might end up with only partially-filled ears. Don't try to be too clever when you're planting.

Even if you had planted just the red variety and your neighbor had planted the yellow variety, they would still cross if they tasseled at the same time.

Corn is wind-pollinated, that's why you have to plant it in blocks rather than long thin rows. That's also why it's practically impossible to protect your corn plants (even if you planted only one variety) from other types of corn that are upwind of yours.

Corn is also one of the few vegetables where cross-pollination affects the first-generation ears (the ears you will be eating). With most other vegetables, the crossing only affects the next generation (seed), not the taste of the first generation (fruits).

For instance, if you had planted one variety of SE corn, and a farmer or neighbor upwind of you planted field corn (grain type, not sweet type) that tasseled at the same time, there is an excellent likelihood that his corn would cross with (contaminate) your sweet corn, and what you get would be a mix, and much less 'sweet' than you had hoped.

And if you had planted a rare, wonderful variety that some experienced seed saver had given you, and your farmer upwind had planted a Genetically-Modified (GM) corn that tasseled at the same time, your seed would be contaminated by the GM corn, and your corn would no longer be wonderful and rare, it would be worthless.

Sue

I agree if they are both SE then other than perhaps a bit different taste, the biggest concern is effective pollination, given how you planted. You may need to do some hand pollinating for best production.

A valuable lesson learned for next year in how NOT to plant corn. :)

Dave

PS: don't plan to save any seed from these for next year

Ah, well if I can't save the seed then I'm going to replant the yellow ones. T might as well use up all the seed now then, and since the timing works out then wny not?

As far as color, I wanted to experiment and see what would kind of mix I'd get by alternating them.

If they are Se's , they are hybrids and you probably should not be saving seed anyhow. You really should not have a problem for eating corn. They are probably far enoght apart in maturity to avoid cross pollination. The worst that could happen is that you get a red-yellow bicolor if they do cross pollinate. Should not effect eating quality. With 6 row blocks, you should not have to worry with hand pollination.

I did the SE and Sh2 thing, that was the biggest disappointment ever! We don't usually grow Sweet corn, but my wife insisted. I ask her to buy some seed and I'll plant it. I never looked when she brought it home, I had the area prepped and I planted.

Really nice looking corn, nice big ears. Cooked up the first pot dozen ears, with steak from the grill and new potatoes. Buttered up the corn, little salt and started in to eat. First bite, chewy. Maybe it was a bad ear. Tried another, and another and another all bad. Went down to the patch and tried a dozen more. All chewy and rubbery.

Came back to the house upset, looked at the packages. Got on the computer and ate my cold steak and learned a valuable lesson very quickly.

I wish they would put that information on the Seed Packet!

Jay

Well after thinking it over I'm just sticking to what I have. No replanting, no regrets. Kind of a fatalistic approach to gardening, let nature take its course.

I planted with 10" between plants, which means each plant of a type is 20" from the next, with 18" between rows, so everything is fairly close together as it is. Plus I might get lucky and due to factors such as temperature and soil fertility maybe all this corn starts pollinating around the same time anyways.

Either way I'll post an update when its all said and done just in case anyone's curious how it went.

Based on my experience they both will very likely tassel at the same time if you planted the seeds at the same time. There really is little difference between a 65 and 75 day corn. You will probably get some nice mixed cobs assuming you get good pollination. I say let it go and see what happens. And i see no reason why you can't try to save the seed for next year. Who cares if they were hybrids. So the next generation wont all be exactly the same, is that really so bad?

I mostly plant indian corn myself, but even indian corn is just as sweet as sweet corn if harvested in the milk stage. It converts it's sugars to starch a lot faster than sweet corn, so it can be a bit tricky, but it can be done.