Topic: Early Golden Bantam Sweet Corn
G.Y.
Posted: May-24-2004 at 9:43am
When I was in Ohio last month, I picked up some incredibly cheap seeds (like 10 cents a packet) by this name. The map on the back of the packet indicates this variety can be grown anywhere in the continental U.S., but having grown up in Ohio, I know there's a BIG difference between the summers here and there.
Is it worth my time even planting the seeds, or should I just feed them to the birds? Thanks.
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: May-24-2004 at 10:36am
Welcome to Rainy Side!
Where is "here"? Are you in the Pacific Northwest? It's not clear by your post above.
G.Y.
Posted: May-24-2004 at 1:02pm
Oops, yes, I'm "here" - on Vashon Island, near Seattle and Tacoma. Sorry for not being complete enough before.
trav
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: May-24-2004 at 10:26pm
Assuming it's the real Golden Bantam: it is an open-pollinated variety, which means there'll likely be a lot of variability in the plants AND the harvest window per plant will be small AND the corn will likely be chewier.
Might be fun to try, as long as you know what you're growing. Don't judge the results by comparing to modern hybrid varieties - see how it stands on its own merits.
Travis
The Westside Gardener
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: May-25-2004 at 4:39pm
It is fun to compare differences within the same seed family. We dont have the hot nights in PNW as they do in Ohio. That is one of the secrets we keep to ourselves here is that summer nights usually always cool off so you can sleep well. But that is also why corn doesnt grow here like it does in Ohio! I would say, plant it, but also plant a NW tested variety-- Precocious--60 to 75 days. or Bodacious-- 80 to 90 days, or Miracle--85 to 100 days Good luck and eat well!
Carol
gary
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: May-29-2004 at 5:17am
CJ is correct about our night time temperatures greatly reducing our choices of corn. Even the varieties he mentions need caution when discussing the days to harvest.
Using my heating contractor background, I have been corn able to predict Bodacious harvest dates for the main grower at the Olympia Farmers Market. In my old days, before natural gas, we used heating degree days to predict the consumption of oil and fill the tanks before it was empty.
Growing degree days is the same concept in reverse. For Corn Heat Units, the base temperature is 50 F and the max is 86 F. Heat units are accumulated each day based upon how far the average of the daily max/min temps is above 50 F.
Growing Degree Days is one of the climate records that you can find at:
Washington Climate Summaries
All other western state sites are only a click or two away from the above WA map. Look down the left panel and you'll find the GDD listed. Each of 200+ locations in WA have GDD's for corn and other temperature bases.
I have found that Bodacious corn is ready for fresh market at about 1250 CHU's. A little less early in the season and a little higher by mid- Sept. If I can find a web source for the GB chu's I post it later.
How does all this fall out for 2004? Assuming normal temps forward, Dick's April 3rd & 8th sowings to the Market Aug. 5th. His May 22nd sowing will be ready Sept. 1st. So we have almost 125 days in the first case and 100 days for the second. A June 13th sowing will be ready (near 1300 cgu's) on Sept. 21st.
He thinks that April 3rd is the earliest sowing but one late March is stuck in my memory. Recall that we had a 28 F freeze on May 17th last year (his corn is less than 2 miles from our airport weather site). That is what kind of gamblers farmers can be. He has been rewarded by gaining an extra week's worth of July cgu's. If we have a June like last year, he gain another five days (though that looks very unlikely based upon the LR forecasts I've seen).
Enough! Maybe corn will be my first TOTW's that Lisa and Debbie have been asking me about. The simplest way for a home gardener to grow a succession of corn is to use an early PNW variety and sow again each time the last sowing emerges from the soil. This will give you 7+ day intervals in Aug. and 10+ days in Sept.
Later than June 20th for Bodacious is hoping for both a fast start from hot weather and a late first freeze. Also corn grown past Mid-Sept will not be as sweet as earlier sowings because of the lesser sunlight conditions.
Gary
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: May-29-2004 at 11:38am
Wow, very interesting stuff, Gary.
I'd love it if you did a TOTW on corn! My sons love fresh corn on the cob (who doesn't?) but my concern has always been adequate space for a good crop. I was afraid without a large space, I'd have poor pollination and less yield. I'd love to learn otherwise and score points with m'boys. But if that's a pipe dream, I'll continue to support the growers at farmers' markets.
I'd choose that Bodacious variety if only for the name! "C'mon 'round the table, boys, we're havin' us a heapin' bowl of Bodacious corn!" LOL
trav
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: May-29-2004 at 9:26pm
One strong El Nino year we planted popcorn on March 30 on a lark and were successful. Other years I end up waiting until early June, since I prefer non-treated seed. Since I didn't get mine planted in April I think this year is going to fall into the latter camp. :-)
Travis
The Westside Gardener
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton