New corn from Burpee?

[jomoncon]

I just got my Burpee catalog & they're showing a "new" corn, On Deck Hybrid that supposedly was designed for container gardening. But I think this would be great in my raised beds. It's an sh2 hybrid, and supposedly only grows 4-5' tall with 2-3 ears per stalk. This would definitely improve my corn harvest. I would love something that gives more than 1 ear per stalk. I usually plant ambrosia. What do you all think?

www.burpee.com/vegetables/corn/corn-on-deck-hybrid-prod003168.html?catId=2013&trail=

If not this one, what's a good corn that grows more than 1 ear per stalk?

 

[Smart Red]

Read about Deck hybrid corn yesterday as well. I would be interested to see how much of the 'blurb' is hype and how much touches reality. I've never seen three edible ears on one stalk, although, I don't plant hybrids anymore either.

It does sound great -- and an early producer at that.

Love, Smart Red

 

[Smiles Jr.]

You guys are getting me interested in planting corn again. I may try popcorn with the grand children - they love to eat what they harvest EXCEPT broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, onions, cabbage, rhubarb, oh wait a minute - they don't like anything I grow. Maybe they would like popcorn. Is there such a thing as a Skittles plant?

I stopped planting corn about 10 years ago because when my corn was ready for picking everyone else had ready corn too. The roadside stands and our neighbors sell their corn cheaper than I can buy the seeds, prepare the soil, plant the seeds, apply fertilizer, weed the garden, harvest, and then prepare the field for next year's planting. It's a lot of work, garden space, and money saved. Last season would have been a total failure with the drought. Last season my neighbor gave me three bushels of Bodacious corn two months after I repaired his irrigation pump for him. We ate corn on the cob every weekend and we must have 25 qts. of that corn put up in the pantry. I have a really good bartering relationship with all the neighbors around here.

 

[seedcorn]

Unless you really feed it, don't expect 2 ears. All corn hybrids have the opportunity to set an ear at each leaf.

 

[vfem]

I tried the link and it said not found. I try every year with corn and I never get a great yield. Last year I fed and fed and fed... and they got a lot taller then usual, and I got 2-3 ears per stalk, but they were tiny... no more then 3" long. They weren't supposed to be a mini variety so I must be doing something wrong and should try again this year. Definitely another variety!

 

[digitS']

Ambrosia often produces 2 ears/stalk in my garden. Problem is that the 2nd ear is usually substandard.

A corn plant that is only 4-5' tall is really, really short! Fleet will grow that way, or just about that short. The corn is sweet and tender but the ears are small. I don't think there is much "wrong" with short ears of corn, tho'.

Burpee says that they will "spend the summer on your deck. . . " I suppose that having 3 ears could make for quite a long season but I don't have any experience with that sort of thing.

Steve

 

[jomoncon]

I tried the link and it said not found. I try every year with corn and I never get a great yield. Last year I fed and fed and fed... and they got a lot taller then usual, and I got 2-3 ears per stalk, but they were tiny... no more then 3" long. They weren't supposed to be a mini variety so I must be doing something wrong and should try again this year. Definitely another variety!

Here's the corrected link.
www.burpee.com/vegetables/corn/corn-on-deck-hybrid-prod003168.html?catId=2013&trail=

 

[seedcorn]

That figures out to about $.12/ear if all grow and produce 1 ear. Great novelty but I'm thinking I'd rather use that space for something like pepper, tomato and buy my sweet corn.

 

[Durgan]

I only grow a few plants for fresh corn and buy from local producers for canning. With a bit of effort at planting time, germination is almost 100 percent, and the birds cause no damage.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QPDGU 31 August 2012 Corn Produced. About 75 cobs of quality corn corn was produced. Pictures for 15 and 19 of August are shown.The stalks have been removed and placed on the compost pile.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?VOCIQ 24 July 2012 Corn Patch
Pictures indicate growth.There are thirty two plants in a 4 by 8 foot area. It portends a nice harvest. No bug damage and the colour is excellent. It is beginning to tassel.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HINXL 24 June 2012 Corn Growing well
Two seeds did not germinate.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PJPNL 14 June 2012 Planting Corn
Four eight foot rows of Seneca Arrowhead Hybrid sweet corn was planted.Spacing was one foot at a depth of one inch.Rows are about two feet apart. The broccoli plants in the chosen area were removed and the bed prepared for the corn by adding compost and rototilling into the underlying soil.The corn seed was spouted between two wet paper towels for 48 hours. Annotated pictures depict the process.

 

[seedcorn]

All corn needs to be planted at least 1.5" below soil level. Any less and you will lose at least 1 potential set of roots in the soil. There is no real reason to plant more than 2" unless it's an environmental reason.