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Corn Variety Trial
Nov. 24th, 2021 02:13 pmGaspe from Heritage Harvest seeds- this was my second year growing it. In 2020 I tried starting indoors and transplanted, which it didn't like, and spaced it a foot apart, which meant it didn't pollinate. In 2021 I put it on a dry sunny hill crest direct-planted with soaked seed and it went in May 26 and was mature Sept 7. I needed to have watered it more, it dried down to wilt stage several times. It was not complete full sun but it was close, and as warm as it gets. Second year I spaced it 2 seeds per hole in a 6" grid. I think one seed per 6", or maybe one seed per 6x12" space, would be good. I did increase my seed supply at least.
Cascade Ruby-Gold from PR seeds- this was my first year growing it, soaked it like Gaspe and planted it about the same time but it never got more than a foot tall. It was in slight shade and I later realized there were a ton of aspen roots in that bed stealing moisture, could use a second try I guess. I'm hoping it has cool-weather resistance.
Mandan parching lavender from adaptive seeds - this was a very short plant that started out promising: early vegetative growth, lots of tillering. It was slower to tassel and never ripened even into milk stage though. It did get a touch of shade but it was right next to starburst mana and there was a distinct difference. Not to grow again. Again presoaked.
Starburst mana and magic mana from snake river and adaptive seeds - the starburst mana was definitely quicker to ripen but I got some cobs off both. I think I'll order some more starburst mana and some magic mana from snake river, since theirs seemed earlier, to supplement my saved seed. Again seed was presoaked and then direct seeded. Nothing got fully dry-ripe but some made it past milk stage and were dried in the carport, I should run a germination test on them.
To try 2022:
Gaspe, starburst mana, magic mana, and cascade ruby gold again, including a reorder from Snake River seeds.
Maybe Advent Gulch Blue from Snake River seeds, it's longer season but apparently good in cold? Probably won't work though.
Saskatoon (not Saskatchewan) white from Adaptive Seeds. A good bet.
Morden, if I can find it. Also a good bet.
Ki:kam hu:n from Native Seed Search.
Alberta Clipper and maybe Darwin John from Oikos.
Maybe Baxter's Yellow from Sandhill.
Rumour of a small blue corn sold through a museum gift shop to track down.
Cascade Ruby-Gold from PR seeds- this was my first year growing it, soaked it like Gaspe and planted it about the same time but it never got more than a foot tall. It was in slight shade and I later realized there were a ton of aspen roots in that bed stealing moisture, could use a second try I guess. I'm hoping it has cool-weather resistance.
Mandan parching lavender from adaptive seeds - this was a very short plant that started out promising: early vegetative growth, lots of tillering. It was slower to tassel and never ripened even into milk stage though. It did get a touch of shade but it was right next to starburst mana and there was a distinct difference. Not to grow again. Again presoaked.
Starburst mana and magic mana from snake river and adaptive seeds - the starburst mana was definitely quicker to ripen but I got some cobs off both. I think I'll order some more starburst mana and some magic mana from snake river, since theirs seemed earlier, to supplement my saved seed. Again seed was presoaked and then direct seeded. Nothing got fully dry-ripe but some made it past milk stage and were dried in the carport, I should run a germination test on them.
To try 2022:
Gaspe, starburst mana, magic mana, and cascade ruby gold again, including a reorder from Snake River seeds.
Maybe Advent Gulch Blue from Snake River seeds, it's longer season but apparently good in cold? Probably won't work though.
Saskatoon (not Saskatchewan) white from Adaptive Seeds. A good bet.
Morden, if I can find it. Also a good bet.
Ki:kam hu:n from Native Seed Search.
Alberta Clipper and maybe Darwin John from Oikos.
Maybe Baxter's Yellow from Sandhill.
Rumour of a small blue corn sold through a museum gift shop to track down.
