Flour Corn 'Painted Mountain'

I haven't grown much corn, this being my second attempt. My first patch was Country Gentleman at 5800 ft, near Albuquerque, NM and I was ...Read Morepleased with the result.

Now I'm in the eastern foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains at 7100'. We got a late start planting, not til June 9, due to a cool spring. I choose the Painted Mountain because of its reputed ability to sprout in cool soils, and short maturity date.

We got 97% germination, and vigorous growth during a cool, wet summer. There was a lot of tillering (side shoots), possibly due to heavy composting before planting. Most of the 3' stalks produced more than one ear. There was also a lot of 'lodging' or falling over, which I didn't like. Several of the ears were 'primitive'... doubled, tripled. I think this variety could still use some selection for ear consistency. The kernals themselves are large and plump, some ears large and full, some ears more slender and sparsely filled. This is an indian corn, and the colors are to die for. Lots of completely red ears, jewel toned ears, blues and purples, some 'blushed' over base colors of blue, white, yellow.

I would say it is a good producer. I haven't collected all the ears yet, but should have a wheelbarrow-full from 97 plants. I haven't made flour out if it yet, but I look forward to it.

Also, I interplanted pole beans with this corn, and it's too short for that! LOL

Overall, I'd say the results were mixed. Painted Mountain does germinate well in cool soils, and produced a good crop of ears, though the wide variety of ears shows it's not quite finished being selected yet, too many 'throwbacks'. However, the lodging was a real downside for me. Also, it really can't be eaten as a green corn, too tough and pretty tasteless. I found no resistence to earworm, a trait I saw mentioned somewhere in my research. We had plenty of earworms.

I've grown this for several years here in a place (central Alaska) where corn is usually difficult to grow due to the cold soils and shor...Read Moret season. I start plants (yep -- here in Alaska we have to) two weeks before the 1st of June and then set out in raised beds. I've even had this corn mature and was able to use it to make a colored cornmeal. It is not a sweet corn -- but can be eaten young for a starchy meal.

An 80 day multi-colored Indian corn featuring small cob 6 inch ears on a 7 foot stalk.