Topic: Coloured corns for sweetcorn

[Uncle_Filthster]

What are people's views on using the coloured corn varieties like painted mountain, etc for sweetcorn?

Or, is there by chance a fancy pants coloured sweetcorn variety available that wouldn't do too bad up here in Northumberland?

[rollingrock]

painted mountain is more of a flour corn then sweet corn.

[johhnyco15]

i was given by a fellow a4a member this year two types of coloured corn black and a red one never grown them before ill let you know how i got on

[winecap]

I grew a multicoloured corn this last year and it was only when it came time to pick it, I realised the colour only fully develops after the point when I would choose to pick sweetcorn. It wasn't sweet either. By all means grow it, but you may want a regular sweetcorn as well to ensure you get what you want.

[Uncle_Filthster]

I'll probably just stick to the normal sweetcorn then.  Sometimes it takes ages for the corn to ripen here, especially if we get a sudden cold snap that shocks the plants so the earlier the variety the better.  Last year I was still picking corn in late october  because of the weather.

[saddad]

I've grown Bloody Butcher and a blue one, whose name eludes me at the moment. They aren't sweet at all, but make amusing coloured cobs for decoration and passable popcorn. I found them tougher, in terms of weather tolerance, than the newer sweetcorn varieties. 

[Jayb]

Painted Mountain corn has done well here when I've grown it, the colour is more pastel coloured at picking time the deep colours don't come through till later, but they are still very pretty and taste great as long as they are picked and cooked quickly. I've been messing about with trying to get a mixed colour sweet corn for a couple of years, it's very much in it's early stages but if you'd like some seeds to try you are welcome.

This year I'm planning on growing Double Red again, gorgeous colour and tasting. If all goes to plan I should have some seeds at the end of the season. They are not a early type, which might not be great for you. I don't seem to have any pictures of ripe corn but here's some of them growing. http://www.growingfoodsavingseeds.co.uk/forum/main-forum/corn/2439-double-red-sweet-corn
Some of the cobs were so dark red they stained my hands when picking and peeling them!

I should also have some seeds for a grow out called Red Jeannine, not as intense a red as Double Red, but sweeter. They will likely be variable and possibly some other colours creeping in.

[Uncle_Filthster]

Some seed to try would be great, thanks Jay 

Wow, those double red are stunning plants.  Maybe they would do better here if I started them a bit earlier and kept them in the greenhouse a while longer before planting out?
Last year a late June frost really set my plants back, not just corn but my squashes and beans too.  It took them ages to recover though I did eventually get a good crop of corn but not the others (1 pumpkin, 1 squash and a handful of beans)

[Silverleaf]

Any good tips on growing corn? I grew Minipop about 8 years ago for min cobs and I haven't attempted corn since.

I've got a bit of extra space this year so I thought I'd give it a try...

[clumsy]

I'm also growing the double red this year inspired by Jayb pictures from last year. I'm going to grow the sweetcorn with a direct sowing in the soil around early may protect it with a netting until early june.

[Deb P]

I grew strawberry corn one year, small little cobs that looked more like teasals, but no good for eating, just dried them for decorative use.

[Digeroo]

I find putting the corn below plastic bottles until it is sticking out the top is my recipe for success.   I use earlybird have always found it very reliable.  I like minipop too, but it takes up a lot of space for a few mouthfuls.  I normally grow squashes through corn to double up on the space. 

I grew the Gem corn last year, it got every care I could lavish on it and grew huge, but it never ripened.  I was gutted.  I would certainly recommend it for anyone who wants to have a maize maze. 

[ACE]

I don't know the name of my corn, I found the seed  spilt in the road at a place where they grow acres and acres of the stuff, I still have some seed left from last year and as it did very well and tasted really nice, I might take another drive through the valley of the green giant when they are planting again.