On the Folly of growing 'Early' Corn.

12 years ago

First, some background. We used to have a local farmer here in the NW 'burbs of Detroit, a gentleman who was the last local holdout in my immediate little burg, and one of his feats was to grow corn for sale by 4th of July weekend, starting it through black plastic and under row covers or low tunnels in early April and somehow, almost miraculously, it managed to survive freezes and May blizzards and all of the things that Mother Nature could throw at it and yes, most years, he did indeed have sweet corn to sell on the 4th of July.

I found this rather inspiring, for his plucky, can-do attitude as much as anything else.

Alas, he retired and sold out a few years back, his farm fields are now McMansions and Wal-Depots and what have you, but that is another issue.

So, to emulate my minor hero, I've been trying to do extra early corn, staring in early April in my greenhouse, potting up into 4" pots by late April, and into the ground mid-May.

In 2009, I would actually have been able to pick some marginally mature ears by the 4th of July, but my smallish patch was stripped bare by squirrels, who, taunting me, left the husks and cobs in the crooks of nearby trees.

Now, last year was much, much more successful. I planted two full 100 foot rows. I didn't quite make 4th of July, due to the darkest, wettest May and early June in Detroit recorded history, and rather cool as well the whole time due to the total doom and gloom of non-ending cloud cover. But, I picked my first mature enough to eat ear July 9th -- a respectable date, IMHO.

But, herein lies the rub -- this corn was just awful. I grew several kinds -- Burpee Early and Often Hybrid (SU), Burpee Early Sunglow Hybrid (SU), and a third which escapes me now. Very nice looking ears, large, well-filled, numerous. Just with the flavor, more or less, of field corn, just slightly sweeter. I did pick it and consigned it to the freezer for cooking, its marginally tolerable in things like enchilada filling where it can be doctored up and hidden with herbs and spices.

Now, I've grown many corns. I knew that an SU wouldn't stack up to my favorites like Sun and Stars (Sh2), but I chose these because they were said to have good cold weather tolerance for germination and early growth. Which they did. I just didn't remember the SU corns as being THAT dull in flavor, or more precisely, that lacking in sugar.

So, what should 2012 bring? Give up this strange quest, or risk it with some Sh2's and try to baby them through those critical early, cool weather periods? Or even some kind of SE or one of those synergistics? Several of the catalogs claim good cold weather tolerance for various corns.

Anyone know a really good-tasting, early, cold tolerant corn?

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Comments (7)

elisa_z5
12 years ago
Sun is necessary for the sugar development -- could be the dark spring that did you in.

I say don't give up! This winter so far is the flip side of last year, so maybe spring will be as well. So far I've only grown late corn (to harvest in mid September) here in the mountains. This year I'm trying Spring Treat from Fedco -- 71 days, they say it's by far their most popular early corn. They used phrases like "zinged our taste buds." It's a yellow sugary enhanced hybrid with good cold soil emergence.

Good luck!
wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
12 years ago
I raise Ambrosia se+ and have harvested about July 9 when I plant it in mid April. It is scrumptious at that time. I suggest you move to a se+ for early corn.

I use a clear plastic covering over the seed bed and remove it when seedlings first appear. I keep the sheet handy in case of a last frosty night.
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coffeehaus
12 years ago
Yes! Keep trying! My mother,a Pennsylvania gardener, used to say, "Knee high by the 4th of July", so harvesting by the 4th of July is quite impressive for your zone.
Here in Zone 7, we've been growing Vision (sh2) from Johnny's for the past couple of years. It is touted as having "good cool soil germination", and this has proven true for us. However, we have noticed that successive plantings of sweet corn do improve in taste as the season progresses.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vision sh2 corn
barrie2m_(6a, central PA)
12 years ago
There is always the element of risk in any crop and early sweet corn can be frustrating, especially when yo get a reasonable crop only to dislike the eating quality. For my part I am content with a slightly later crop but others have had limited success with transplanting or using modified planting techniques to protect from early planting losses. Timing is critical when transplanting. I've heard that a 3 day delay in a 21day seedling can be disastrous. Even planting and covering with plastic is no gaurantee that a late hard freeze won't wipeout your crop.

I have developed a liking for the synergistic varieties and was recently saddened to see that "Polka" an early bicolored syn. variety was replaced with "Pay Dirt". I'm giving the replacement a try this year in hopes that it will be as good as "Polka" was. Its a 65 day bicolor but if it is like other early varieties the raccoons need to get on their knees to eat the ears off the stalks. Don't expect tall plants or big ears from early varieties.
drscottr
12 years ago
Folks,

Have had success with early corn by July 4th here but I agree the early varieties were marginal tasting. Would suggest a mid season variety and that you plant 2 week old seedlings through black plastic. Lay the plastic and drip hose 4 weeks ahead of the transplanting date. Would also cover the plants with some type of low tunnel - I use slitted plastic sold in rolls and supported by wire loops. These can be removed by May 1 or thereabouts.

This is a lot of work but the fun is in the occasional victory. I think the taste issue is the variety not the weather.
fusion_power
12 years ago
Variety, some weather interaction, but overall, just the wrong varieties.

There is no problem growing sh2 varieties IF you start the seed in trays at constant warm temps. The plants are pretty much all somewhat tolerant of cold weather, but seed in the cold cold ground are not.

Give one of the synergistics a try. Some of them are excellent.

DarJones
georgevandenberghe
10 years ago
I plant in the 9pack seedling flats around March 20, transplant to 2-3" cells in early April and plant in the ground through clear plastic around tax day, April 15.
Early Sunglow grown this way produces in mid June in the Washington DC area. It's a good first corn while waiting for main crop varieties to crop in early July. I've gotten it as early as June 6(2012) and as late as June 27(2003).
with this method. I plant successive crops and try to have corn until mid October here. After the first crop I only grow full season varieties such as Silver Queen, Kandy Korn, and Delectable. Their quality is just.. better and
in our hot summers growing time is not a problem.

Corn needs sun to develop good flavor. Cloudy hot muggy weather produces the worst ears. Mild (80 day 60 night) produces the best flavor
and highest yields though hotter than that results in a faster but smaller crop.

On the Folly of growing 'Early' Corn.

Comments (7)

elisa_z5

wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana

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