Allotments 4 All

Do I need a special kind of sweetcorn to grow popping corn or is it just ordinary dried sweetcorn kernals? Never grown sweetcorn before but Mrs Gordonmull has a penchant for popcorn so I'd have a go for that.

Yes you need to grow a popping corn. I think it is combination of seed coat thickness and moisture content that makes a good popping corn, which sweet corn doesn't have in the right combination.  I would think you could try sowing seed of your pop corn alternatively there are some offered on seed sites, have a google of Strawberry popcorn. Also Nicky's has Britpop http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/veg4B-sweetcorn.htm. It may need to be grown away from some other sweet corns or it might make them startchy.

THe strawberry popcorn I grew last year wouldn't pop :-(....

I think you have to also get the correct moisture content, too dry and it won't pop, too moist and the popcorn will be chewey.

Thanks for the advice folks. I'll have a wee "pop" at it next year  If i'm right in thinking i'd be too late to sow a corn now. Never thought of just sowing shop bought corn kernals, so might just chuck 4 or 5 in a pot soon to see if they come up.

I'm not sure how long it takes to ripen, but would have thought there is time to sow this year.

The good thing about popping corn is that you can leave it on the stalks until the winter before harvesting and the bring indoors to dry out completely.

Growing it for the first time this year after watching clair's allotment on youtube popping the corn (link below)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YiHQmt5ihA