heirloom corn
hello… new guy here. I’ve bee lurking a while. I gre my first garden last year. 80% with heirloom seeds. I grew hybrid corn but would like to do heirloom corn this year. I read somewhere that hybrid corn is superior in many ways to heirloom. I would like to save the seed every year. what types of corn have you had good luck with. I want some that I can freeze lots of it… (kids love it).
Probably the main difference I have noticed with heirloom sweet corn is that often it is not very uniform. There are many types of heirloom corn that I haven’t grown so I don’t know that that applies to all varieties but it has been my experience. The heirlooms that I have grown most are Stowells Evergreen and Golden Bantam. Golden Bantam is probably my favorite. There is a newer Open Pollinated variety called True Gold that I would like to try but I haven’t yet. If you are going to save seed you will need to bag ears and hand pollinate. Hopefully you have a pretty good sized plot of ground because as I am coming to understand corn is susceptible to inbreeding depression which will lead to lower quality crops down the line if you only save seed from a few plants.
We have grown heirloom a short while and have good out come. We had a very good yield from our field of Golden Bantam. has good taste and good yields. Yes it is not uniform in shape or size. Just keep a look out for corn borers .. will need to treat for that if you see them .I have saved about four pounds of seed from this year group . have tested. sprouted with in a week.
I’ve done Golden Bantam and Country Gentleman in the past and like them both. I’m going to add Japanese Hulless this year for popcorn too.
I can’t grow heirloom corn here to save seed…
I’m in farm country surrounded by frankencorn pollen
You think you have frankenpollen? I live in the frankencorn belt!
I grew Orchard Baby for little ears last year and it was pretty good, but Heirloom Acres no longer has it.
I hear ya, Iowa Lady
wonder what breathing that stuff in does to the lungs ?
I’m in farm country too but for some reason they don’t grow much corn. It’s all wheat, soy beans and alphalfa. I think the nearest franken corn field is about 2 miles northwest of me. How far does corn pollen fly?
a mile or 2. It’s pretty flighty stuff.