Silver King Hybrid Sweet Corn Seeds

Silver King Hybrid Sweet Corn Heirloom Vegetable Seeds
Zea mays
Listing is for 1 packet of 30 seeds

These are seeds for a type of corn called Silver King Hybrid. It is a hybrid sweet corn, not a GMO. Silver King corn stalks reach 6-8FT tall, and produce big ears of sweet, white corn. They're good for gardens or raised beds, and they can handle hot, dry weather. Plus, they're resistant to certain plant diseases like Northern Corn Leaf Blight and Rust. It takes about 80 days for them to mature, and they're known for being disease-resistant and high-quality. The corn itself is really tasty, with sugar enhanced flavor, and the kernels are nice and tender. The husks covering the ears are green and provide good protection.

1. Corn must be grown in a decent size block in order to properly pollinate and produce full ears of corn. Corn is wind pollinated. The tassels that form at the top release pollen in the air that floats down and lands on the silks. Every silk is attached to a single kernel on the cob of corn. If the silk doesn't get pollinated, the kernel will not grow resulting in cobs of corn with gaps in it. Do not grow just a few plants. Ideally you would want a 8ft x 4ft growing area, with at least 4 rows. I sow/plant the corn 8-10 inches apart. 

2. The corn ear worms will come so be ready. These are small brown worms that bore into the stalk and ultimately into the forming cobs of corn. They will ruin the entire cob. What makes it so difficult, is that once they bore into the stalk/cob, its hard to treat for the worms. I highly recommend the use of spinosad. BT will also work ok, but its not as effective as spinosad against this particular type of worm. Spinosad is slightly stronger and has the added benefit of killing the worm on contact (BT does not). I spray at the first signs of worm chewing damage on the leaves to reduce the population before they work their way into the stalks/cobs. 

3. Corn is a grass relative. They need high amounts of nitrogen fertilizer to grow strong, lush, green stalks which in turn produce bigger and fuller cobs of corn. Look for fertilizers that are high in nitrogen, at least 10% by weight or more. Apply small amounts of fertilizer every 3 weeks to keep a consistent supply of nitrogen for the plants.

4. Corn loves water. The plants will dry and brown up if the soil is too dry just like grass. Make sure moisture levels stay consistent. 

Follow me on social media for more gardening info and tips. IG, YT, and TikTok: jerrasgarden. 

Ideal Growing Conditions

Sun: Full sun

Water: Keep the soil consistently moist

Fertilizer: Corn is in the grass family and basically just needs 2 things, lots of water and nitrogen. Amend the soil with something high in nitrogen before planting, like organic blood meal or synthetic ammonium sulfate granules. Then plant the corn. Follow fertilizer package directions when re-applying fertilizer. 

When & How To Sow Seeds: General guidelines say to direct sow corn seeds after your last spring frost date. Garden zones 10 and up can start direct sowing as early as January. You can continue to direct sow more successions until 3 months before average daily temperatures start to drop below 70F. If you want to get an early start, or critters are eating the seeds or newly germinated seedlings, you can sow 1 seed per cell of a 72 cell seed tray to basically grow a plug. If you do this, you must transplant them into the garden at the 3 week mark or they will get root bound which stunts their growth. 

Germination: 7-14 days

Days To Maturity: 80-90 days

How & When To Harvest: Harvest when the ears of corn swell, are fully developed, and are in the "milky stage". Knick a kernel to test if its in the milky stage. 

Common Diseases: The most common disease is northern corn leaf blight, caused by a fungus that creates long, gray-green lesions on the leaves, reducing plant health and yield. To treat it, ensure good air circulation by spacing plants properly. Remove infected debris after harvest, as the fungus overwinters in plant material. For severe cases, fungicides labeled for corn can help control the disease. Crop rotation also reduces the chance of recurring infections.

Common Pests: The most common pest when growing corn is the corn earworm, which is a brown colored worm with two "eye spots" on its head. If you notice the leaves are chewed up, or you find frass (worm poop), start spraying with spinosad. Treat early on, before the worm makes its way into the cob where its protected from treatment sprays. 

Do I have a YouTube video tutorial on how to grow this? YES

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/XhrJQ09dajQ

Additional Tips/Information: N/A