Growing Non-GMO Golden Bantam Corn Vegetable Seeds
Latin Name: Zea mays
Hardiness Zone: Annual 3-11
Days to Maturity: 80-85
Days to Germination: 7-14
Seeding Depth: 1-2 Inches
Plant Spacing: 12-18 Inches
Row Spacing: 12-18 Inches
Plant Height: 6-8 Inches
Growth Habit: Upright stalk
Soil Preference: Loose, loamy, Organic, well-drained
Temperature Preference: 75-90 °F
Light Preference: Full sun
Pests and Diseases: No serious pests but watch for aphids, flea beetles, thrips. Water soil directly to avoid saturating stalks.
Golden Bantam Color: Golden yellow kernels with no white
Golden Bantam Flavor: Sweet, crunchy, and standard Su sweetness
Sweet Corn Type: Su Normal Sugary (Learn more about Different Types of Sweet Corn)
How to Grow Golden Bantam Corn from Seed
Corn is a hardy full sun grass performing best when sown directly outdoors after the final spring frost. Plant 2-3 seeds 1-2" deep and 3-4" apart in loose, Organically rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.8-6.2. Germinates in 7-14 days, thinning out best starts to every 12" once true leaves establish. Avoid overhead watering by watering soil directly.
To prevent cross-pollination from altering a corn crop, keep like varieties with like varieties (SU with SU, SE with SE, SH2 with SH2, and ORNAMENTAL with ORNAMENTAL). Check individual seed packet to know whether a variety is Sugary (SU), Sugary Enhanced (SE), Supersweet (SH2), or Ornamental.
When choosing a site in your garden, keep the sun in mind; these tall stalks have potential to block the sunlight from other plants. While growing, the crops will need one to one and a half inches of water.
Golden Bantam Corn in the Vegetable Garden
Corn is an ancient wild grass and effortless, nearly foolproof summertime staple. Often known as the "cob" or "ear", the edible portion is actually the ripened flower, with the individual kernels in the husk each containing a seed for future propagation. Although sweet corn is the most popular variety, garden corn comes in a variety of flavors and colors including stunning and unique ornamental varieties such as Glass Gem, Blue Hopi, and Earth Tones Dent.
Harvesting Golden Bantam Corn
Most varieties of corn are ready to harvest about 75 days from sowing. Unlike other garden favorites, corn only fruits once. Ears are ripe once they turn dark green, silks become brown, and kernels are plump. Test ripeness by squeezing kernels for a milk-like juice. To harvest, firmly pull the ear downwards while twisting.
When the kernels are firm, the ear is ripe. To harvest, firmly pull the ear downwards while twisting. The unhusked ears can be kept in the fridge for up to one week.
About Golden Bantam Corn Garden Seeds
This is an improved selection from the original 8-row golden bantam corn.
It has all the wonderful characteristics of the original golden bantam and then some!
Sweet golden yellow 7-8" ears. (Original 8-row has 5-7" ears). 10-14 rows. (Original has 8 rows)
Improved to stay tender longer, have longer ears and more evenly spaced broad kernels.
2 corn ears per stalk. Grows 7-8 feet tall.
Tolerant of tight spacing and dry conditions.
Can be frozen right on the stalk or made into cream corn.