SP291-E-Growing Sweet Corn in Home Gardens

Corn is one of the most popular and diverse vegetables. Many types are grown, including field corn, ornamental corn, popcorn, sweet corn, several different supersweet corns and even broomcorn. Corn may be white, yellow, bicolor and many shades of red, blue or even black. Most home gardeners grow white, yellow or bicolor corn or supersweet corn, so this factsheet will be restricted to these.

The yield and quality of home-grown corn also vary more widely than the yield and quality of most other vegetables. The type of corn grown, cultural conditions of growth, harvest and post-harvest treatment all affect yield and quality. Each of these will be considered in this factsheet.