Japanese Hulless Corn Seeds
Don’t be fooled by the name, this corn variety is not Japanese nor is it truly hulless. But it is delicious! With unmatched taste and texture, Japanese Hulless earned widespread popularity and became critical to commercial popcorn production in the early 1900s.
Ten-centimetre ears appear in abundance in summer and are ready to pick and dry by the fall. However, the best results are achieved when ears are left on the stalks to cure completely, dry weather permitting. If harvesting for fresh eating, pluck the ears as soon as the silk appears, or at least within three days. Otherwise, the ears will be too tough to enjoy fresh. Planting in blocks of compact rows will ensure effective pollination and pairing with friendly companion plants, like peas, beans or cucumbers, provides all around benefits. Beautiful, pure white puffs of corn pop out of the basically hull-free kernels.
The fluffy consistency and premium flavour make Japanese Hulless the go-to variety for popping corn as well as concocting interesting snack mixes and crafting. Immature ears are also quite tasty for salads, canning or stir-frying.
- Row Spacing: 30-45 cm
GROWING INSTRUCTIONS
It just wouldn’t be summer without enjoying fresh corn on the cob as often as possible. On top of being a beloved symbol of summer, corn can be popped, fashioned into festive decorations or used as animal feed.
It is advantageous to plant corn early because of its need for a long growing season. But, it will not fare well by being started indoors, transplanted or sown into cold soil. Wait until 2 weeks after the last frost to sow seed outdoors or when soil temperatures reach at least 16°C. Plant seeds 2 cm deep, 15 cm apart in rows 75-90 cm apart and water well.
Corn is a very heavy feeder of nutrients and water. If possible, plan ahead the fall prior and prepare the bed by mixing in a hefty amount of compost.
When plants reach 8-10 cm tall, thin them out to a distance of 20-30 cm. Corn has shallow roots, so mulch, weed carefully and water well.
About 2 cm of water/week should suffice. Give more in times of excessive heat or drought. An application of high-nitrogen fertilizer a couple times throughout the season will appreciably accelerate growth.
It is dependent on variety, but corn may take up to 100 days to mature. Warmer air will ripen ears faster. Pay attention to the tips of the ears, they will become more rounded when it’s time to pick. Other good indications of readiness are milky kernels and browning silk. When they reach this point, do not wait to harvest. Pull down on the ears and twist to remove from the stalk. If it is corn you plan on eating, prepare it immediately for consumption or preservation.
QUICK FACTS
- Corn is a cereal grain first domesticated in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Imported into Europe by the navigator Christopher Columbus, corn quickly became a staple food in many parts of the world.
- To prevent cross-pollination from altering crop, plant at least 100 meters from other corn varieties or stagger planting by 20 days. Plant in blocks of at least four rows for proper pollination.
- Corn seeds will remain viable for 2 years if stored in a cool, dark place, ideally between 4 and 10⁰C. After that, the germination rate may start to go down.
Notre garantie sur les semences
Vous savez qu'un jardin luxuriant et fructueux a besoin d'un bon sol, d'arrosages fréquents et du soleil pour pousser, mais ce sont les semences qui font vraiment la différence. Cueillies et ensachées pour 2025, la grande majorité de nos semences ont des taux de germination de plus de 85 %. Toutes nos semences sont entièrement naturelles, sans OGM, non hybrides, non traitées et à pollinisation libre pour récolter les semences année après année. Nos semences sont soigneusement emballées dans des pochettes refermables, en papier kraft/aluminium de qualité alimentaire. Nos commandes sont ensuite expédiées dans des enveloppes rembourrées respectueuses de l'environnement. Nous utilisons un scellage thermique pour chaque sachet de graines afin de garantir une protection maximale contre l'humidité , les odeurs et la lumière, vous permettant de conserver vos semences jusqu'à 3 fois plus longtemps que dans du papier ou plastique. Plantez-les toutes, faites-en germer quelques-unes à l'intérieur, gardez-en pour la saison prochaine - à vous de décider !