Are you a green thumb longing to add some fresh corn to your garden? Look no further! In this article, we explore a variety of corn options specifically tailored for square foot gardening enthusiasts. Whether you prefer the sweet and compact Honey Pearl, the heirloom favorite Golden Bantam, or the drought-resistant Luther Hill, there’s a corn variety to suit every gardener’s taste. Get ready to elevate your garden and your dinner plate with these delightful corn options.
Table of Contents
Choosing the Right Corn Varieties
When it comes to choosing the right corn varieties for your garden, there are several factors to consider. From climate and space to skill level and taste preferences, making the right selection will ensure a successful growing season. In this article, we will explore different corn varieties and provide information on each type. Whether you’re a sweet corn lover or looking to try something different, there’s a corn variety out there for every gardener’s taste.
Consider Your Climate
One of the first things to consider when choosing corn varieties is your climate. Corn is a warm-season plant and requires plenty of sunlight and warm temperatures to thrive. However, certain varieties are better adapted to specific climates. For cooler regions, look for corn varieties that have a shorter growing season and can tolerate cooler temperatures. In warmer climates, you can choose from a wider range of corn varieties that have a longer growing season. By considering your climate, you can select corn varieties that are more likely to succeed in your garden.
Determine Your Space
Another important factor to consider is the amount of space you have available for growing corn. Corn plants can grow quite tall, ranging from 4 to 12 feet in height, depending on the variety. Therefore, it’s essential to choose corn varieties that are suitable for the space you have. If you have limited space, look for bushier varieties that take up less vertical space. On the other hand, if you have ample space, you can opt for taller varieties that will create a stunning visual impact in your garden. By determining your space requirements, you can select corn varieties that will maximize your garden’s potential.
Assess Your Skill Level
Before diving into growing corn, it’s important to assess your skill level as a gardener. Some corn varieties are more forgiving and require less maintenance, while others may require more attention and care. If you’re a beginner or have limited gardening experience, it’s best to start with corn varieties that are known for their reliability and ease of growth. As you gain more confidence and experience, you can explore more challenging varieties that offer unique flavors or characteristics. By assessing your skill level, you can choose corn varieties that align with your gardening capabilities.
Consider Taste Preferences
Last but not least, consider your taste preferences when selecting corn varieties. After all, the ultimate goal is to grow corn that you and your family will enjoy eating. Sweet corn varieties are the most popular choice for their delicious flavor and tender kernels. These varieties are typically eaten fresh or used in cooking and canning. Other corn varieties, such as popcorn and flour corn, offer different textures and flavors that can add variety to your culinary adventures. By considering your taste preferences, you can choose corn varieties that will delight your taste buds.
Sweet Corn Varieties
Sweet corn is a favorite among gardeners and consumers alike for its sweet and juicy kernels. There are several varieties of sweet corn to choose from, each with its own distinct flavor and texture.
Honey Select
Honey Select is a popular sweet corn variety known for its exceptional sweetness. It produces long, slender ears filled with tender, golden-yellow kernels. This variety is an excellent choice for those who prefer their corn to be extra sweet. Its high sugar content makes it perfect for eating fresh, grilling, or adding to salads and salsas.
Kandy Korn
Kandy Korn is another well-loved sweet corn variety that combines excellent flavor with good disease resistance. It produces large, attractive ears with a perfect balance of sweetness and tenderness. Kandy Korn is a versatile variety that can be used in a variety of recipes or enjoyed on its own.
Incredible
For those looking for an incredibly sweet and tender corn variety, Incredible is a top pick. With its large, plump kernels and exceptional flavor, this variety lives up to its name. Incredible performs well in a variety of growing conditions and is a reliable choice for both home gardeners and market growers.
Popcorn Varieties
If you’re a fan of popcorn, why not try growing your own? Growing popcorn can be a fun and rewarding experience, allowing you to enjoy freshly popped popcorn straight from your garden. Here are a few popcorn varieties to consider.
Tom Thumb
Tom Thumb is a compact and early-maturing popcorn variety that is perfect for small gardens or containers. Despite its small size, it produces flavorful popcorn with a satisfying crunch. Tom Thumb is also a great choice for children’s gardens as it is easy to grow and harvest.
Robust
Robust is a popular popcorn variety known for its large, fluffy kernels and rich flavor. It performs well in a range of growing conditions and is relatively easy to cultivate. Whether you’re popping it on the stovetop or in an air popper, Robust popcorn is sure to impress with its taste and volume.
Baby Rice
Baby Rice is a small and delicate popcorn variety that is perfect for snacking. Its small kernels pop into tiny, tender pieces that are great for munching. Baby Rice popcorn plants are also quite ornamental, making them a lovely addition to any garden. If you’re looking for a unique popcorn experience, give Baby Rice a try.
Flour Corn Varieties
Flour corn, also known as Indian corn, is primarily grown for its starchy, high-protein kernels. It is traditionally used for making cornmeal, flour, and other culinary applications. If you’re interested in growing flour corn, here are a few varieties to consider.
Hopi Blue Flint
Hopi Blue Flint is a well-known flour corn variety cherished for its stunning blue kernels. It is a drought-tolerant variety that thrives in hot, dry climates. The ground flour produced from Hopi Blue Flint corn is prized for its vibrant color and robust flavor, making it a popular choice for traditional Native American recipes.
Oaxacan Green Dent
Oaxacan Green Dent is a unique flour corn variety with vibrant green kernels. It is a versatile corn that can be ground into flour or used as a fresh vegetable. This variety is known for its excellent flavor and is often used in Mexican cuisine. Oaxacan Green Dent corn plants are also visually striking, making them a beautiful addition to ornamental gardens.
Tarahumara Popping
Tarahumara Popping corn is a unique variety that offers the best of both worlds – popping corn and flour corn. It produces small, colorful ears filled with kernels that can be ground into flour or popped into delicious popcorn. This versatile variety is perfect for those who want to experiment with different culinary uses for corn.
Ornamental Corn Varieties
If you’re looking to add a touch of beauty to your garden, ornamental corn varieties are an excellent choice. With their vibrant colors and unique seed patterns, these corn varieties are as visually stunning as they are tasty.
Glass Gem
Glass Gem corn is a mesmerizing variety with translucent kernels that resemble colorful glass beads. Each ear of corn is a work of art, featuring a myriad of colors ranging from deep purples and blues to vibrant yellows and oranges. Glass Gem corn is a favorite for decorative purposes and can be used in dried flower arrangements or as a focal point in autumn displays.
Strawberry Popcorn
Strawberry Popcorn is a petite and charming corn variety that produces small ears filled with tiny, red kernels. Its unique color and shape make it a popular ornamental choice. Strawberry Popcorn is also edible and can be popped into delicious, bite-sized snacks. It is a fun and whimsical addition to any garden.
Painted Mountain
Painted Mountain corn is a resilient and colorful variety that thrives in challenging growing conditions. Its ears are filled with kernels in a dazzling array of colors, including red, yellow, orange, and purple. Painted Mountain corn is not only visually stunning but also delicious and can be used in a variety of culinary applications.
Dent Corn Varieties
Dent corn, also known as field corn, is primarily grown for animal feed and industrial purposes. It is characterized by the distinctive “dent” or indentation that forms on each kernel as it dries. If you’re interested in growing dent corn, here are a few varieties to consider.
Black Aztec
Black Aztec is a striking dent corn variety with deep purple-black kernels. It is a hardy and vigorous variety that thrives in a variety of soil conditions. Black Aztec corn is often used for grinding into cornmeal or as a decorative element in fall-themed displays.
Bloody Butcher
Bloody Butcher is a historic dent corn variety known for its deep red kernels and excellent flavor. It is a tall and robust variety that produces large ears filled with colorful kernels. Bloody Butcher corn is suitable for milling into cornmeal or used decoratively. Its rich color adds a beautiful contrast to gardens and arrangements.
Reid’s Yellow Dent
Reid’s Yellow Dent is a classic dent corn variety that has been popular for over a century. It produces large ears filled with bright yellow kernels that dent as they mature. Reid’s Yellow Dent corn is known for its versatility and is commonly used for animal feed, grinding into cornmeal, or for decorative purposes.
Waxy Corn Varieties
Waxy corn is a unique corn variety that contains a higher proportion of amylopectin, a type of starch that gives it a sticky or waxy texture when cooked. It is primarily grown for its culinary applications in dishes like desserts, soups, and sauces. Here are a few waxy corn varieties to consider.
Chinese Multicolor
Chinese Multicolor corn is a visually stunning waxy corn variety that produces ears with kernels in a range of colors like yellow, purple, red, and blue. It is a versatile variety that can be used fresh, roasted, boiled, or ground into flour. Chinese Multicolor corn is prized for its excellent flavor and striking appearance.
Blue Jade Corn
Blue Jade Corn is a small and tender waxy corn variety with beautiful blue kernels. It is often used in Asian cuisine and is known for its sweet and crunchy texture. Blue Jade Corn plants are relatively compact, making them a suitable choice for small gardens or containers.
Japanese Hulless
Japanese Hulless corn is a popular waxy corn variety in Japan, well-known for its tender and delicious kernels. It is a versatile variety that can be used fresh, boiled, roasted, or ground into flour. Japanese Hulless corn plants are also quite ornamental, making them an attractive addition to gardens.
Field Corn Varieties
Field corn, also known as dent corn, is primarily grown for livestock feed, ethanol production, or other industrial uses. While not typically consumed by humans directly, it is an essential crop in agricultural systems. If you’re interested in growing field corn, here are a few varieties to consider.
TripleSweet
TripleSweet is a hybrid field corn variety that combines the sweetness of sweet corn with the larger, starchier kernels of field corn. It is an excellent choice for those who want to enjoy the best of both worlds. TripleSweet corn is often used for freezing, canning, or fresh consumption.
Golden Bantam
Golden Bantam is a classic field corn variety known for its delicious flavor and early maturity. It produces plump ears filled with golden-yellow kernels. Golden Bantam corn is often used for animal feed or processed into cornmeal for human consumption. It is a reliable and versatile field corn variety.
Silver Queen
Silver Queen is a popular field corn variety that is often grown for fresh consumption or processing into canned corn. It produces large ears filled with sweet and tender kernels. Silver Queen corn is a well-known favorite for its reliable performance and excellent taste.
Hybrid Corn Varieties
Hybrid corn varieties are the result of crossbreeding two or more different corn varieties. They are often bred for specific traits like disease resistance, productivity, or flavor. Here are a few hybrid corn varieties to consider.
Ambrosia
Ambrosia is a popular hybrid sweet corn variety known for its exceptional taste and tenderness. It produces large, sweet ears with a satisfying crunch. Ambrosia corn is often enjoyed fresh, grilled, or added to salads and salsas. Its reliability and high yield make it a favorite among gardeners.
Peaches and Cream
Peaches and Cream is a well-loved hybrid sweet corn variety that offers a delightful combination of yellow and white kernels. It produces ears with a perfect balance of sweetness and tenderness. Peaches and Cream corn is often enjoyed fresh or used in recipes that call for both color and flavor contrast.
Obsession
Obsession is a highly productive hybrid sweet corn variety that is known for its large, flavorful kernels. It consistently produces ears with excellent taste and texture. Obsession corn is an excellent choice for those who want to grow an abundance of delicious sweet corn.
Open-Pollinated Corn Varieties
Open-pollinated corn varieties, also known as heirloom varieties, are pollinated by natural means like wind or insects. They have been preserved and passed down through generations for their unique traits and flavors. Here are a few open-pollinated corn varieties to consider.
Country Gentleman
Country Gentleman is an open-pollinated sweet corn variety with a rich history. It produces long ears with exceptionally sweet and tender kernels. Country Gentleman corn is often enjoyed fresh or used in cooking and canning. Its heirloom status and delicious flavor make it a favorite among corn aficionados.
Golden Cross Bantam
Golden Cross Bantam is an open-pollinated corn variety known for its golden-yellow kernels and sweet flavor. It is a reliable and productive variety that performs well in a variety of growing conditions. Golden Cross Bantam corn is often enjoyed fresh or prepared in traditional corn recipes.
Stowell’s Evergreen
Stowell’s Evergreen is a classic open-pollinated sweet corn variety that has been enjoyed for generations. It produces large ears filled with plump, tender kernels. Stowell’s Evergreen corn is often used in traditional Southern recipes, as well as enjoyed fresh or canned. Its excellent flavor and historic significance make it a treasured variety.
In conclusion, choosing the right corn varieties for your garden is a matter of considering your climate, available space, skill level, and taste preferences. Whether you’re a fan of sweet corn, popcorn, flour corn, ornamental corn, dent corn, waxy corn, field corn, hybrid corn, or open-pollinated corn, there is a corn variety out there that suits your gardening needs. By exploring the different types of corn varieties and their unique characteristics, you can embark on a corn-growing adventure that is both satisfying and delicious. Happy gardening!
