Natural Sweet

Extensive crossing of super sweet varieties with non-super sweet varieties will cause tough, starchy kernels in both types. If you plan to grow both super sweet and non-super sweet varieties, avoid cross-pollination between super sweet varieties and non-super sweet varieties using any one of the following three options: 1) Plant super sweet varieties at least 300 feet from non-super sweet varieties, or 2) Stagger plantings by a 12-day planting date difference and separate each planting by 25 feet, or 3) Plant varieties that will mature at least 12 days apart and separate each planting by 25 feet. For complete information, please read our production guide #8982, Super Sweet Corn Production. Delay sowing fungicide-treated seeds until soil temperature is at least 55-60°F/13-16°C. Untreated seeds need a minimum soil temperature of 65°F/18°C. Sow 3/4-1" deep, 6-7" apart (or 2 seeds every 9", thinning to 1 plant), rows 30-36" apart. Increase this rate for untreated seeds. Arrange in blocks of at least 4 rows for proper pollination, which is needed for well-filled ears. Successive plantings can be made through early summer; most growers prefer to extend the sweet corn season by planting a few varieties of different maturities.