Sweet Corn
Sweet corn grows on over 2,000 acres in Mississippi. All of the ears are consumed in Mississippi. Sweet corn is grown for local market and is often not packaged or cooled prior to sale. Normal, or sugary -1(su1) corn, is preferred, with Sweet G90 and Merit being the two most popular varieties. Sugary, enhanced (se) corns are growing in popularity.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What do the letters mean after the sweet corn variety names?
- Can different sweet corn types grow in the same field?
- When should sweet corn be planted?
- How many sweet corn seed per acre should be planted?
- When is sweet corn ready to harvest?
- How much fertilizer does sweet corn take?
- Can sweet corn be grown as a fall crop in Mississippi?
- How are corn ear worms controlled?
- How should sweet corn be handled after harvest?
News
Field corn is harvested after it has dried sufficiently, which means the husks are brown, not green like the husks of fresh sweet corn. (Photo by Kevin Hudson)
MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Just as Good Friday signals the time to get the spring garden in the ground, August's heat is the indication that it's time to plant the fall garden.
David Nagel, horticulture specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said now is the time to plant tomatoes, peppers, squash, sweet corn, peas and beans.
"Summer gardens typically wind down in early August when the temperatures start being consistently above 95 degrees," Nagel said. "That's when you clean the garden out and plant the fall garden."
By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center
I used to consider myself a real outdoor cooker until the other day when my 10-year-old son James asked if that was the first time I had cooked chicken. Have I been too busy for a decade?
That night I was cooking one of my grill favorites, corn on the cob with the shuck still on. There may not be finer eating in the whole world than corn on the cob with that smoke flavor.