Corn Seeds, Golden Bantam Organic Corn

Golden Bantam Corn, Organic
Minimum 30 seeds

Producing an early crop for home gardeners and market growers, this historic variety has an excellent sweet flavor and is ideal for freezing and fresh eating. The original strain of Golden Bantam was introduced by W. Atlee Burpee in 1902, and this improved strain was selected for even longer ears and greater tenderness. 70-85 days.

This variety made yellow sweet corn popular.
The very first yellow sweet corn introduced by Burpee in 1902—an era when white corn, thought to be more refined, ruled the American dinner table. Still the standard for old-fashioned corn flavor, 5 stalks often bear two (good roasting corn) ears apiece.

Growing corn is easy provided you have enough space and plenty of sun. Corn is wind-pollinated, so you need to plant in blocks to ensure pollination. Corn is a warm season crop.

1. Sow corn seed 1 inch deep, 5 to 6 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart.
2. Seedlings emerge in 7-14 days.
3. When corn seedlings are 3-5 inches tall and healthy, thin to 1 foot apart.
4. Keep weeds under control during the growing season.
5. Keep plants well-watered during dry periods to promote uninterrupted growth. Corn needs 1-2 inches of rain per week for best
production.
6. Corn is also a heavy feeder and will benefit from side dressings of fertilizer applied as directed through the growing season.

Suckers tend to form at the base of the plants; they help support the stalks and make food for the plant. The stalks may have to be staked in windy areas, but in general they are self-supporting. Sunflowers are good companion plant for corns.

Ears of corn are ready to harvest about 17-20 days after the silks appear. The kernels should be firm. Open an ear and pierce a kernel with your fingernail. If the liquid is watery, the corn is not ripe yet. It should be milky. If it is creamy, it is overripe and will not taste as sweet.
Firmly grip the ear and twist downward to harvest. Take care not to break the plant when harvesting the first ear, or the second ear will not develop. Most corn produces two ears.

Corn freezes well after blanching and may also be canned using a pressure cooker.