Favorite Sweetcorn: What's your choice?

[MaryDel]

I was a long time silver queen grower because I liked the unique taste of SQ, but after years of trying a couple of new varieties along with my SQ, I've settled on one I really like.

"Argent" is all white sugary SUSE sweet corn. It ripens about 5 days earlier than SQ. IMO, it has a far superior taste, and unlike SQ, it will literally keep for weeks in the refrigerator. This stuff is so good you can eat it w/o butter or salt. I've even eaten it uncooked, and it's delicious. It freezes better too. I'm still eating last years crop with no noticible loss of flavor, and I did not even vac seal last year. My favorite way to eat it is as topping on pizza. The crunch and the flavor are incredible. The local Pizzaria guy gave me some odd looks when I asked him to top a pie w/t it, but now he's a believer too. He asks me 3 times a week now when my corn will be ready again

It is fairly cold tolerant corn at seeding time (55^) so I can get it in earlier than a lot of other varieties. The ears are shorter than SQ, but what isn't, and so are the plants. I've never had a problem growing this stuff. It produces two solid ears per plant. This is the first year in 20 years that I have not grown Silver Queen, and I doubt I'll even miss it.


What's your favorite sweet corn and why do you like growing and eating it?

[Gary350]

I experemented with different corn for many years but it has been about 15 years since I did that. We all like Silver Queen so we stick with what we like.

Is the one you suggest a new corn?

It might be good for me to try new things again. If I had more land then I would not hesitate to plant several differents corns just for an experement. But since my garden is small and I have room only for 5 rows of corn I do not want to miss out on Silver Queen if the experemental corn turns out to be not as good.

[Ozark Lady]

My favorite is: Country Gentleman Shoepeg.
I like the small kernels, tenderness, and taste!

[MaryDel]

Argent is a relatively new variety. I've been growing it for three or four years now. Most of my friends and family say it's the best tasting corn they have ever tried, and I agree 100%.

[TZ -OH6]

I had corn (canned) on pizza in the Galapagos. Pizzarias in foreign countries often don't get the memo about what is supposed to be put on pizza, and use what they can get. Corn was good and popular, I didn't want to find out about canned tunafish.

[greg1186]

well I havent been growing corn all that long... but this year I have 5 rows of gotta have it sweet corn out of the gurneys catalog its about 3 feet tall now... anyone ever grow it before? and got some advice or just comments about it?

[greg1186]

well I havent been growing corn all that long... but this year I have 5 rows of gotta have it sweet corn out of the gurneys catalog its about 3 feet tall now... anyone ever grow it before? and got some advice or just comments about it?

[LindsayArthurRTR]

This is the first year I've grown corn, EVER! We grew Silver Queen cause that's what everyone told us to grow. So far so good, I'm expecting to have corn by the end of the week. I have 2 good ears of corn for each stalk, and the plants look very good. Not seeing a whole lot of pests bothering them, either.

With the success(I hope)of this particular crop, and with the interplanting I've experimented with, I'm hopping to broaden my cultivars. I really can't wait till next year!

[bcallaha]

I've been growing Illini Super Sweet for over 40 years, but this year I branched out a little (very little). I also planted some Early Extra Sweet. I understand it's the same type corn (SH2), but a couple of weeks earlier. It seems a little more cold planing tolerant than the regular Super Sweet. I've had germination problems with the regular Super Sweet unless the ground is warmed up, and not too wet.

I'll have the early corn in about 3 weeks.

Brad

[garden5]

[url=https://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1216/is_n5_v190/ai_13812611/]Here[/url] is an interesting article comparing "sugary enhanced" varieties against "supersweet" varieties.

[rootsy]

What is an SQ genotype? Do you mean ShQ?

Corn naturally converts it's sugars into starches. The more sugar in the kernel the longer it takes. Therefore the Sh2, Augmented Sh2 (sometimes notated at ShQ) and new superlites have the longest holding both on and off of the stalk. Triple sweets (Se x Sh2) even hold fairly well due to the Sh2 kernels being present on the cob.

Su and Se (both heterozygous and homozygous) types you're lucky to get 3 days to a week out of em... Even refrigerated.. Pretty much everything you see at the grocery store is an Sh2 type.

I grow sweet corn semi commercially. I sell retail at a couple of markets and also wholesale to a couple of local grocery stores. In doing so I chose varieties that have a good plant, good disease tolerance, hold extremely well and have superior eating quality with regard to sweetness and tenderness.

Last year I split my varieties between IFS Sweet Surprise and IFS Xtra Tender 2573. This year I am growing IFS Xtra Tender 2170 but only because I could not get my hands on any Xtra Tender 2673 as it was sold out everywhere.

The problem with the Sh2 and ShQ varieties is that they need warm soil, shallow planting, 2X the moisture to germinate and they can be fickle to get out of the ground... Planting untreated seed is a recipe for a junk shoot to get a consistent stand and even germination. But if you have a green thumb the rewards are worth the risk.

Don't get stuck in the old favorite varieties. Be willing to venture forward and try the latest and greatest. Sweet corn hybrids have come a long way.

If you REALLY want to grow something try some Mirai. But be forewarned it is delicate stuff...

In seeing what is popular, what performs well and has the best traits take a look online at the Northern Ohio and Indiana sweet corn trials...

https://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~vegnet/library/res09/northern%20ohio%20sweet%20corn%20evaluation.pdf

https://www.hort.purdue.edu/fruitveg/reports.shtml

[MaryDel]

greg, "gotta have it" is very highly rated by people who grow it. One of my co-workers is growing some and we're going to swap a couple of dozen ears. He claims it is the best tasting sweet corn It is also an SuSe

Rootsy, I never said SQ was a phenotype. It is short for sILVER qUEEN

I was too lazy to keep typing it out.

[cherishedtiger]

Ok, so first year first garden first ever attempt at corn.. I planted um... hmmm about 9 things of Silver Queen... of course I know nothing about it, thats what was there at Lowes so thats what I bought. Its all about waist high and starting to produce (no ears yet but the silk is starting) So I am quite excited!
I hope silver queen is as good as you all elude to!!

[farmerlon]

I was a long time silver queen grower because I liked the unique taste of SQ, but after years of trying a couple of new varieties along with my SQ, I've settled on one I really like.

"Argent" is all white sugary SUSE sweet corn.

I always grow some Silver Queen every year. This year, I am also growing some Ruby Queen (a red colored sweet corn), just for kicks.
I also plant a bi-color corn called Chubby Checkers, because it has a very fast maturity. I always start a plot of the Chubby Checkers and a plot of the Silver Queen at the same time. The Chubbys are ready to eat first, and then the Queen is about ready by the time we finish of the Chubbys.

I will make a point to try the Argent corn next year; thanks for the recommendation.

[tomf]

Rootsy you know your corn, thanks for the info.

I have done Silver Queen for 2 years but I am willing to try others. Some day I want to put in a corn patch just for corn; right now every thing is in one small garden, about 75' by 75' but it is way to small.

[petalfuzz]

I'm growing corn for the first time also. I chose "Early Sunglow" because it is an old hybrid, not a super sweet kind. My crop failed last year, so I"m excited to see how much my stalks grow every day this year!

My thought behind the variety I picked was that I don't like how sweet these new hybrids make the corn! They don't taste like corn anymore. For next year, I might try an heirloom black type.

[MaryDel]

I'm growing corn for the first time also. I chose "Early Sunglow" because it is an old hybrid, not a super sweet kind. My crop failed last year, so I"m excited to see how much my stalks grow every day this year!

My thought behind the variety I picked was that I don't like how sweet these new hybrids make the corn! They don't taste like corn anymore. For next year, I might try an heirloom black type.

Which of the new hybrids have you tried?

[petalfuzz]

Oh, I'm just talking about the kind in the stores, when I say new hybrid. We're big corn-country around here so the farmers always latch onto the newest and sweetest hybrids (sh2, or se). But to my taste, they don't taste like corn anymore. Hence, growing my own!

[rootsy]

Oh, I'm just talking about the kind in the stores, when I say new hybrid. We're big corn-country around here so the farmers always latch onto the newest and sweetest hybrids (sh2, or se). But to my taste, they don't taste like corn anymore. Hence, growing my own!

Where are you at in NW Ohio? I live about 30 miles directly North of the Ohio, Indiana, Michigan tri-state line...

Definitely not going to find many commercial growers opting for Su varieties do to aforementioned reasons of low sugar content, short harvest window and poor holding prior to and after harvest.

I grew up on IoChief...

[dixiedazzle]

This year I grew Peaches & Cream, a sweet bicolor. I also switched my garden to square foot gardening. I harvested the last of it a couple of days ago, 35 ears from a 4 x 4 plot. We had already pulled enough for supper for a couple of nights. I used to grow Kandy Korn, one of the first super sweets, several years ago. I have pics on my blog at [url]https:/digginwithdixie.blogspot.com[/url]

[MaryDel]

This year I grew Peaches & Cream, a sweet bicolor. I also switched my garden to square foot gardening. I harvested the last of it a couple of days ago, 35 ears from a 4 x 4 plot. We had already pulled enough for supper for a couple of nights. I used to grow Kandy Korn, one of the first super sweets, several years ago. I have pics on my blog at [url]https:/digginwithdixie.blogspot.com[/url]

I've grown peaches and cream and it has turned out well. The ears were a little on the small side but tasty.

[jal_ut]

Ambrosia for the past several years. This Year I planted Ambrosia, Bodacious, and Incredible. I like the Ambrosia, but am always interested in trying new things. All of these are SE type.

[engineeredgarden]

In years past, it's always been peaches and cream for me. However, I grew Ambrosia and Kandy Korn this time, and it doesn't even compare to P&C. The only downside to it is it's small size, but boy does it pack a punch!

EG

[MaryDel]

Ambrosia for the past several years. This Year I planted Ambrosia, Bodacious, and Incredible. I like the Ambrosia, but am always interested in trying new things. All of these are SE type.

JAL, let us know how the Bodacious turns out. I've also heard great reports on that variety.