Vegetable Gardening Southwestern Gardening

Confused about corn varieties

5 years ago

I'm looking at seed websites already to plan next year, and my head is spinning about sweet corn varieties. I will buy in the US, from Johnny's, Fedco or Burpee. I grew Kandy Korn last year but was not impressed with the sweetness (though maybe my harvesting could have been better). Are some varieties better for home gardeners (like how tomatoes have delicious but delicate varieties unsuitable for transport and marketing)?

-- Home gardener.

-- Shortish season, sunny, dry, warm but not insanely hot.

-- May 20 to June 15 sowing works fine, for Kandy Korn, at least.

-- 32* North (some varieties on Johnny's are only for further north).

-- High altitude.

-- No corn-growing neighbors, so no worries about crossing with them.

I assume that su and se are best for a novice like me? Can I grow su and se together without harm to either?

Kandy Korn variety last year, late August, sown June 1.

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Comments (5)

vgkg Z-7 Va
5 years ago
"Ambrosia" an se bicolor, is my favorite variety for a good balance of sweetness, flavor, and tenderness.
HighColdDesert thanked vgkg Z-7 Va
cindy-6b/7a VA
5 years ago
I second Ambrosia. It's delicious and the only variety I grow. It is a hybrid.
HighColdDesert thanked cindy-6b/7a VA
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zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
5 years ago
Just a couple comments. Sweet corn is not day-length sensitive... so if you are in a high enough altitude to give you a short season, Norther-adapted varieties with short DTMs will work best for you. As a rule, se hybrids have better cool-soil germination than the supersweets, do not require isolation from other sweet corns, and IMO are the best compromise between sweetness & good corn flavor. Ambrosia and Sugar Buns are good, fairly early se sweet corn varieties, and are widely available.

Johnny's is a good seed company, but I would suggest that if you want seed grown closer to you & in a more similar climate, you might be happy with D.V. Burrell, out of Colorado. They offer both of the sweet corns mentioned, and their listed DTMs will probably be closer to what you can expect.

D.V. Burrell seeds
HighColdDesert thanked zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
farmerdill
5 years ago
Your Kandy Korn plants look healthy so apparently you have no problem growing sweet corn. There are are sweeter varieties among the Se and Synergistic varieties. aa You might like supersweets but on my taste buds they are too sweet and slightly more difficult to grow. Kndy Korn is a yellow corn. If yellow corn is your preference I would suggest Sugar Buns (70 day). Bicolor, Temptress 70 day or Essence (79 day) White; Illusion (72 day) All of these are available from Johnny's

Essence

Temptress

Illusion
HighColdDesert thanked farmerdill
HighColdDesert
Original Author
5 years ago
Wow, these are all very helpful comments! Thank you!!!