PLANTING; After soil has warmed up to 65F ( 70-75F for SH2 & SH2SL ) till soil fine and loose. Enrich with compost or fertilizer, as corn is a heavy feeder. Direct seed seeds, 1-1.5″ deep, 5-10″ apart on a row spacing of 30-36″ apart. For best results, plant in blocks of 3-4 rows, instead of 1 long row. Isolate different corn varieties by a distance of 100-150′ or by maturity. Keep soil moist and weed free.
Use 3-18-18 starter plant food when planting and a side dress with nitrogen when about a foot tall. HARVEST; When kernels are full, but still in the milky stage, pick ears from plants. Husk and use fresh, can, dry or freeze for later use.
You will need 1/4 LB per 100′ of row, or about 10 pounds per acre.
The letter or letters after each sweet corn variety stands for the following:
F1 Hybrid. Possesses superior vigor and yielding qualities. You can not save seeds from hybrids
as hybrid seed has to be crossed from pure parent lines each time to get the same results.
OP Open pollinated. Low sugar content and not as sweet as a hybrid. Resembles field corn. This
one you can save seed from, if kept pure.
SU Standard Sugary type. 8-18% sugar contend. A good choice for a diabetic.
SG Sweet Gene/25% SH2. 25% sugar content. Isolation desirable and needs warm soil, above
70F to germinate.
HSE Heterozygous Sugar Enhancer. 20-25% sugar contend and tender. Isolation desirable
SE Homozygous Sugar Enhancer. 30-40% sugar contend and tender. Isolation desirable.
SG Synergistic, combines the characteristics of both super sweet & sugar enhanced varieties.
SH2 Shrunken 2. 35-45% sugar contend, crisp and a high seed count per pound of seed. Needs
isolation and extra warm soil, 70F or above or seed will rot before germinating.
SH2SL Improved Shrunken 2 Super Lite. 45-50% sugar contend, crisp and tender. Isolation needed.
Needs extra warm soil, 70F or above or seed will rot before germinating.
TS Triple sweet, new class of 75% SE & 25% SH2 kernels on the same ear, longer lasting
sweetness than SE
