Kandy Korn?

Well, I guess I don't know what variety of sweet corn I'm growing.

A neighbor got me started growing Kandy Korn about four years ago. We like the super-sweet flavor a lot, and I've grown it every year. I buy my seed, in bulk, from the local MFA (Missouri Farm Association) feed store.

According to several seed companies, Kandy Korn is a 91-day corn, and I know from experience the leaves have a purple appearance. That's what I grew for the first couple of years.

Last year, my corn stalks didn't have any purple - and whatever variety I grew was still super sweet but got ready much quicker than 91 days. Looking back on my 2006 calendar, we had company last summer 65 days after I planted corn and I pulled a few ears one day for supper. The kernels were a little immature, but it was sweet and real good. 85 days after planting I finally harvested the corn because the silk was completely dried up - and I'd let it go too long. The sweetness was gone, and it was starchy, dried up, and tough.

I told the people at MFA I thought their seed had got mixed up, and they swore it wasn't. They claim Kandy Korn is a 72-day variety.

So, being a slow learner, I bought Kandy Korn seed from them again this year. It's apparently the same variety I grew last year - no purple on the leaves, ears are developing and there's a lot of silk 53 days after planting, and it's nine feet tall now!

I'll watch closer for the time to harvest this year, of course. This may not be a bad thing if it's a super-sweet variety (and I think it is because of the 65-day taste I got last year). If it's a 72-day corn I'll be able to replant with an "early" variety and get a fall harvest, too.

But it's got me wondering. Are there two varieties called Kandy Korn? And if not, what other variety is super-sweet, 72 days, has ears that look like Kandy Korn, no purple on the leaves, and BIG cornstalks? Whatever it is, that's what I've got.

Ozark, Shoe is the expert on Kandy Korn. I have grown it back in the 80's. It is not a super sweet, but is an Se introduced in 1974. A mainseason corn usually rated abut 85 days and it does show some purple discoloration. There are two variants, Kandy King at 72 days, and Kandy Kwik at 67 days. My local feed and seeds get quite careless with names, dump things in the wrong bin, so yours probably did the same thing.

Farmerdill - Thanks, I'm sure you solved the mystery. I should have looked at names similar to Kandy Korn in the PlantFiles.

I read up on all three varieties, and what I've got isn't as early as Kandy Kwik. I'm sure now that I'm growing Kandy King. I'll attribute the 9' stalks to the large amount of compost I've worked into the garden and the tremendous amount of rain we've had this year.

I guess I liked the "old fashioned" way of buying bulk seed at MFA, just like my grandpa did it. The 80-year-old wood cabinet with partitions, loose seed in each section, the little dipper and paper bags where you get your own seed and write what you got on the bag. Trouble is, the high school kids who work there don't know much, and they sure aren't going to make a distinction between similar variety names.

In the future if I want to be sure what variety I'm growing, I'll buy packaged seeds.

But that's OK, I've got some good corn growing and if I can harvest this batch about July 22 I should be able to get in a second crop that'll be ready in early October. Thanks again.

Ozark, I too like to buy from the locals, since I buy seeds by the pound it si a heck of a lot cheaper. One trick I use, is to have the owner/manager tell me what day the seeds come in. They buy in 25 -40 lb bags. I try to get there before they dump those bags in the bins so I can see the lables on the bag. They mixed up Silver King and Silver Queen this year. I have even had them put purple top turnip seed in the rutabaga bin. That ticked me off more than the corn. The owner is letting his grandkids make too decisions, but I keep hoping they will grow up and learn to read lables.

OK, I'm still confused. I guess I'll just have to quit worrying about it and enjoy some good sweet corn shortly.

I was in the MFA store where I bought my seed today, and I asked if they had any information on the Kandy Korn seed they'd sold me - like how many days it takes to get ready.

They pulled out the book from their bulk seed supplier, and it gave a good description of Kandy Korn - and said it's 89 days. That supplier doesn't carry Kandy Kwik or Kandy King varieties. The only "early" corn variety they sell is Early Sunglow.

Now, I'm only 61 DAYS from planting and my corn is showing the distinctive purple/burgundy ears of Kandy Korn. But it's not too far from being ready, in my opinion. The silk is drying down and the kernels are formed but immature and not juicy yet.

Take a look at these pictures and see what you think. I don't believe this corn could possibly go another 28 days - and if not, I wonder why it's getting ready so early.

Inside the ear - kernels are formed but not juicy yet.

I don't see how those ears can go to 89 days. Maybe it's their supplier's supplier who got them mixed. But somebody sure did.

Karen

Ozark...maturity dates aren't written in stone but are rather a loose guideline. What contributes to maturity times are contingent on temperatures (both ground and air temps), germination time, pollination factors (again, heat, rainfall, lack of rainfall, distance of plant spacing, etc) and nutrition. Corn, no matter what variety and/or maturity date, will have varying degrees of maturity also depending on daylength (long Northern days vs shorter Southern days).

I've had Kandy Korn ready to eat in as little as 70 days some years; other times a week to ten days later.

The second pic you posted looks like your corn is nicely pollinated but I bet that cob would be fully filled out in another 7-10 days.

If I were you I'd just watch the silks brown up, feel the tips of the ears for roundness, and then start picking! Yummy!

Shoe

glendalekid - Thanks, that's exactly what I'd been thinking last year and this year - a mix-up of seeds. But I've about decided it's really Kandy Korn because of the distinctive burgundy color on the ears and it matches the rest of the description like ear length, flavor, and kernel color.

"I've had Kandy Korn ready to eat in as little as 70 days some years;" - Horseshoe

Thanks, Shoe - Farmerdill said you're the expert on this variety. I didn't realize there could be that much variation, from 89 days down to 70. As you say, I'm just gonna quit worrying about it and enjoy some good corn in about 7-10 days.

I'm going to replant the corn patch as soon as I harvest. I think I'll come back with Early Sunglow, because Kandy Korn could hang up and not get ready this early in the cooler temps and shorter days of October.

Did you folks notice the white strings in the first picture? That's my anti-thunderstorm system. My rows are only 18' long and I drove metal fence posts at the ends of each row. I stretched nylon mason's twine tight between the fence posts about 5 feet off the ground, one cord on each side of the corn stalks in each row. We've had lots of storms this spring, but so far I haven't had any corn laid flat.

Thanks again. - Sam

While "days to maturity" is only an average, I had no idea it could vary that much. Shoe, thanks from me, too, for your input. I always appreciate new knowledge.

Karen

I started on my Ambrosia bi-color yesterday...71 days for a 75 day corn.

I remember one time years ago I tilled up between the rows after the first corn planting was done. It was July 18th and I planted Early Sunglow as a second crop. It grew beautifully, but didn;t make any ears. I guess the sun days and such just ran out of oomph.

"I planted Early Sunglow as a second crop. It grew beautifully, but didn;t make any ears." - Indy

I'll try it and see what happens. Last year a friend in this area planted Early Sunglow as a second crop in July, and he got a lot of corn from it.

Even if I don't get any ears, I'll make some more good compost from it. Those green corn stalks really cook in a compost pile.

HARVEST DAY! My wife and I just harvested and froze my crop of Kandy Korn - and yes, I've decided that's what variety it is now that I know how early it can get ready.

I took my homebrewing equipment out on our patio, and the propane cooker and 7 gallon stainless steel brewpot worked great for processing corn.

I got 12 dozen ears, 72 days after planting. I planted the corn 18" between plants in six rows 42" apart and 18 feet long. Most of the stalks had two ears. We're going to enjoy this corn a lot.

I'm going to till the corn patch deep, fertilize, and re-plant with Early Sunglow immediately. We'll see what happens with that - maybe I can get a second crop.

Congrats, Ozark! Ain't it nice to have that fresh-picked corn!!? (I hope you got to eat some of it fresh and didn't freeze it all, you'd be missing out if so.)

Wishing you the best on your second crop!

Happy Day! Ya done good!

Shoe

(I hope you got to eat some of it fresh and didn't freeze it all, you'd be missing out if so.)

Thanks, Shoe - It was so good my wife and I ate 5 ears each for supper! lol