Today I planted 3 half rows of yellow kandy corn: 1 inch deep, 9 inches apart and each row 3 feet apart. It is necessary to plant at least 3 rows (some sources say 4) so the corn pollinates correctly. The soil temperature should be at least 60 degrees (I did not measure it). Since there is field corn nearby (about 100 yards) (not this year – it is soybeans), the field corn is downwind from the sweet corn and will not interfere with pollinization.
The corn germinates in 9 days and is ready to eat in about 90 days. When the stalks are a foot high, I will side dress (dig a slight trench 8 inches away from the stalks and sprinkle) with 10-10-10 fertilizer. Same goes when the corn starts to tassle. Kandy corn is an sh2 hybrid and like most corn, stored in a refrigerator.
There are four types of corn available: standard (su), sugary-enhanced (se), and supersweet (sh2), and synergistic or triplesweet (sy).
* su is standard corn which deteriorates rapidly (i.e. the sugars in the corn convert to starch).
* se has more sugar in it and will keep longer than su.
* sh2 has more sugar than se and converts far less sugar to starches which means it will keep longer (7-10 days) after harvest.
* sy is a hybrid of 75% se and 25% sh2.
Harvesting occurs when the kernels give off a milky substance when punctured. This only occurs in a 4 to 5 day window; after that the sugars are converted to starches. After harvesting, the corn should immediately be eaten or put in the refrigerator (40 degrees).
DtG