Heirloom sweet corn

[sebrightlover]

My father and I are going to try open-pollinated heirloom corn this spring. We're both trying to get as much open-pollinated heirloom plants in our gardens as we can this year. Anyone have suggestions on varieties to get for zone 5B-6A, Growing season: May to late Oct, late frosts are common, lots of rain normally in the spring?

 

[Rosalind]

I usually go with Seeds Of Change. They've got some nice corn varieties. I used to grow Triple Play when I lived in the Cleveland area, zone 5b.

 

[sebrightlover]

Thanks!

Just FYI - Sand Hill Preservation Center has lots to open-pollinated heirloom stuff too!

I don't know if they have Triple Play though - I'll check!

 

[digitS']

Sebrightlover, I grew up eating Golden Bantam sweet corn. Does that make me an heirloom, too?

You might even appreciate the name of that corn - goes with your Sebrights

Had a couple of those Sebrights, too. You can see a picture of 'em on my BYC page from when I was a kid.

(I've never had such a good reason to post so many smilies! row

Steve
:tools

 

[sebrightlover]

I know Sand Hill has the golden bantam ... but it hasn't made my short list ... because I picked out really short maturity varieties, but I'll take a second look at it.

 

[digitS']

Holly, it must be a very "short" list . They called it "bantam" not because of anything to do with chickens but because at only 6 foot, it was short.

Short season varieties generally are just that - short. I see that Sand Hill has a couple 3 foot varieties (3 to 4 inch ears!) and a 5 - 6 footer that they say are earlier than 75 days. With no frost until late October - your area should have a long enuf growing season for just about any sweet corn variety - including those running to 80 & 85 days to maturity. (not saying "will have long enuf" - just "should have long enuf")

It is only the higher sugar sweet corn of more recent times that have poor cold soil germination. The older varieties fell into disfavor because they have less sugar in the kernels but they weren't difficult to grow.

I never saw a seed catalog until the mid-sixties. Our choices all had to be made from the local feed 'n' seed where we had a choice of Country Gentleman & Golden Bantam.

Steve

 

[sebrightlover]

well, if they don't have a poor cold germination problem, then I'll have to add Country Gentleman and Golden Bantam on the list then, and Dad can help decide which one or two we'll do and split the costs and seeds.

 

[897tgigvib]

The Golden Bantam Sweet corn seems to come in several versions. I have never grown them, but see this in catalogs.

Golden Bantam original 8 row is quickest

Golden Bantam Improved 12 row seems to be a week or so later.

Golden Cross Bantam seems to be one of the older F1 hybrid corns, and gets described as having 16 rows and about the same maturity as the improved.

 

[chris09]

well, if they don't have a poor cold germination problem, then I'll have to add Country Gentleman and Golden Bantam on the list then, and Dad can help decide which one or two we'll do and split the costs and seeds.

Wow, don't say that to loud because my Golden Bantam has always germinated just fine here in N.E. Ohio (about 240 mile North of you).
Golden Bantam matures in about 80 days so even if you don't get the corn in the ground until late June you should be picking corn in August.
Golden Bantam Corn was developed by William Chambers of Greenfield, Massachusetts and then sold to Burpee Seed's where it became one of the most popular sweet corn grown.


Chris

 

[HunkieDorie23]

I am trying open pollenated everything this year. I am planting Golden Bantam, I got it at Annie's Heirloom Seeds.