Organic Festivity Sweet Corn Seeds
In stock
Product Information
Festivity Sweet Corn seed produces yellow cobs with specks of colors and fantastic flavor. The 5-6′ stalks on the Festivity Sweet Corn plant are multi-stalked and produce 2-3 ears of corn per stalk. Bred by the late Jonathan Spero, this corn does well in low fertility gardens and has a wonderful flavor.
Planting by Zones
Zones 9-10
- Corn is a warm season crop that should be grown when soils have reached a minimum temperature of 65°F. This occurs in mid-May in Zones 9 and 10. It will not germinate well in cold soils.
Planting Corn Seeds
- Corn seed is very easy to direct sow. For Zones 9 and 10, sow seeds in deeply irrigated soils to guarantee even and quick germination. Plant seeds every 3″, thinning later to 6″ apart.
- Fertilize regularly with an organic liquid fertilizer once the seedlings have germinated and are about 4″ tall.
- If transplanting out, plant in the garden when it is 6-7″ tall. Space at least 6″ apart. Plant in full sun.
Succession Planting Corn
- Plant every 10-days for a continuous crop to harvest.
Growing Corn
- For healthy kernel development, you must ensure good pollination. Pollination happens when pollen from the tassels falls onto the silks. To ensure this, corn must be planted in blocks, and you must plant at least 10 plants to get a good yield. Plants can be grown very close together if you are planting in a small space.
- Corn requires adequate moisture and moderately fertile soil to produce a healthy crop. Side dress with a granular organic fertilizer if you believe your soil has low fertility.
Growing Corn in Containers
- Do not grow in a container unless you can fit a minimum of ten plants in the size of the container being used.
Harvesting Corn
- Corn is harvested differently depending on the type you grow.
Sweet Corn is harvested when the peak sugar has condensed in each kernel—ears will feel firm and full. Other signs of maturity are dry silks and ears that are tilted from the stem. You can peel back the silk and squeeze a kernel. If the liquid that comes out is milky, it’s ready! Keep in mind the quality of sweet corn declines if you let it stay on the stalk too long. Sugar contents turn to starch, making the corn less appealing to eat fresh. If this happens to you, simply use the corn in cooking applications like corn chowder, corn cakes, or other recipes.
Popcorn/Mill Corn and Dent Corn are left to mature on the cob. As they mature, the silks will dry out. These types can be stored dry until needed. Popcorn can be popped by placing the whole cob (husked) in the microwave in a brown paper bag.
Southern California Pro-tips
- In areas of Zones 9 and 10, corn can be succession planted several times for a harvest that can be enjoyed all year long!
- Aphids and ants are the most common corn issues in Southern California. Refer to UC IPM.
Companion Flowers/Crops
- Corn is a tall plant that is planted in blocks. For this reason, smaller bushy plants planted on the perimeter of your corn patch will bring beneficial insects and make your corn patch even more beautiful. Plant zinnias, sunflowers, and amaranth around your corn.
- Try growing more than one succession planting of corn in a year! Here in Zone 10, you can get in 3 or 4 succession plantings of corn in a season! Try a few of our classic heirloom corn varieties like True Gold and Golden Cross Bantam.
Additional Learning Resources
- New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
- Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!
- Having pest issues? Check out in-depth information for pests that can be an issue to corn at the UC Integrated Pest Management site.
Looking to grow other interesting corn varieties? Try our Glass Gem popcorn.
knock (verified owner) –
i germinated a pack of 33 and got 29 seedlings! i started a second succession and got only 8 more-weird maybe i did something wrong. grew these in 15 gallon fabric grow bags in 10a socal in desert like conditions. i also grew some blue corn and once i learned that corn can cross pollinate and effect each other, i moved these plants far away, so i kinda only watered them, didnt feed them and didnt spray them, cause i really wanted blue corn. when grown in a 15 gal pot, i grew 4 stocks, and 7 each pot with a watermelon and 2 bush beans. honestly, the extra company made no difference to this corn, stocks were more slender compared to the blue corn, most producing 1 ear each around 6 to 8 inches long. heavy pollinator, makes lots of pollen, so much that my first succession of blue corn is all yellow, it simply over dominates. i had one seedling that i never planted out, in a red solo cup, and it too managed to produce a 4 inch corn cob fully filled, and is making a second. great crop, needs lots of water, but not so much on fertilizer, sweetest corn ive ever tried, like it should be illegal how sweet it is.