If you are one of those gardeners who is always looking for something incredibly unique and interesting to plant and breed in your garden, look no further than growing glass gem corn!
So how easy is it to grow corn for glass gems? In fact, it is grown with the same care as sweet corn or traditional popcorn. Here’s a look at how to plant, maintain, and harvest your own beautiful crop of glass gem corn.
How to Grow Glass Gem Corn
Seed supply
The origins of this traditional corn date back to the work of Carl Barnes. Carl, a Cherokee descendant, dedicated his life to saving, cultivating and developing heritage corn varieties. Glass gem corn seeds grew out of that effort, and the seed and corn quickly became a hot commodity.
plantation
It takes 100-110 days for the glass gem to go from seed to harvest. Since the harvest takes place after the beans have dried, it can be left on the stalks even longer to dry.
Allowing the soil to warm to at least 60 to 65 degrees before planting will help speed germination. Allow the late spring sun to warm the soil and sow the seeds after the threat of frost has passed. For best results, seeds should be planted about 1.5 inches deep in rows.
Amend the ground
As with all corn crops, the glass gem feeds heavily on the soil. Especially when it comes to nitrogen. With that in mind, it’s important to get plenty of nutrients into the soil at planting time.
Fertilizing Your Crop
Even starting with rich, nutrient-dense soil, glass gem corn can benefit greatly from additional fertilization. The key is knowing when to apply it and how often. Read More