Supersweet Corn
For decades, Fedco has been a firm proponent of “eating quality” in sweet corn with flavor, texture and kernel depth as our in-house metrics. We’re a “corny” flavor bunch, dismissing sweetness as the sole measure of breeding progress. Until recently, we hadn’t encountered eating excellence in a Supersweet (sh2) variety. Breeders have now balanced the extra-sweetness with tenderness, creaminess and full flavor. With the sh2 gene, conversion of sugar to starch occurs at a much slower rate, so corn stays sweet long after harvest.
Culture: Supersweet types germinate poorly in cool soils. Wait until soil temps exceed 65° for direct seeding—mid-June in central Maine.
Supersweets require 300' isolation from all other corn types to prevent the kernels of other corns from becoming starchy and tough. If you don’t have space to isolate, choosing a Supersweet means foregoing other sweet corn types.
Sweet Corn at a Glance
| variety | days | color | type (see below) | height | ear length | # rows |
|---|
| 506 | Cafe | 68 | yellow | Synergistic | 60-72" | 8" | 14-16 |
| 516 | Ashworth OP | 72 | yellow | Normal Sugary | 60" | 6-7" | 12 |
| 541 | Bodacious RM | 77 | yellow | Sugary Enhanced | 87" | 8" | 18 |
| 561 | Incredible RM | 85 | yellow | Sugary Enhanced | 90" | 8" | 18 |
| 572 | Latte | 68 | bicolor | Synergistic | 48-72" | 8" | 14 |
| 574 | Espresso | 70 | bicolor | Synergistic | 72" | 6" | 12-16 |
| 582 | Ambrosia | 75 | bicolor | Sugary Enhanced | 78" | 8" | 16 |
| 590 | Cappuccino | 78 | bicolor | Synergistic | 72-84" | 8" | 14-16 |
| 592 | Sparkler | 78 | bicolor | Synergistic | 84" | 8-9" | 16-18 |
| 636 | Luther Hill OP | 82 | white | Normal Sugary | 48" | 3-6" | 12 |
| 660 | Nirvana | 75 | bicolor | Supersweet | 83" | 8" | 16-18 |
| 595 | Moonshine | 78 | yellow | Supersweet | 84" | 8" | 16-18 |
Types of sweet corn
Normal Sugary (su): standard varieties with traditional sweet corn texture & flavor. Sugar converts to starch quickly, so eat them within a few days. Tend to have high yields and germinate well in cool soils.
Sugary Enhanced (se): more sugar than su, tender kernels & slightly longer storage time. The * indicates heterozygous (only one parent contributes the se gene); all others are homozygous (both parents se).
Supersweet (sh2): 4 to 10 times the sugar content of su and se. Conversion of sugar to starch occurs at a much slower rate. Stays sweet long after harvest. Extra shriveled seed does not germinate well in cool soil.
Synergistic: more sugar than se. Very tender with long harvest and storage windows. Can be homozygous or heterozygous se with added sh2 kernels.
TripleSweet® Sugary Enhanced: has homozygous se kernels, and 25% of these also contain the sh2 trait.
Corn
Culture: Untreated sweet corn seed will not germinate in cold wet soil. Please be patient and wait till soil warms to at least 60° before sowing, or start seedlings indoors and transplant at 3–6" before taproots take off. Minimum soil temperature 55°, optimal temperature range 65–85°. Tender, will not survive frost. Heavy nitrogen requirements.
Germination Testing
For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.
Our Seeds are Non-GMO
All of our seeds are non-GMO, and free of neonicotinoids and fungicides. Fedco is one of the original companies to sign the Safe Seed Pledge.
