Growing Popcorn Questions

connor9988 · Oct 13, 2013

Id like to plant 4 rows of popcorn so I can us my case tractor to plant and cultivate it and I have a few questions about if I do.

Will popcorn work alright with regular plates in a corn planter?

Do they grow the same as regular ear corn? (as in robustness and growing time)

When I run these through a corn sheller how many of them will have the waxy membrane broken so they wont pop in the microwave?

This is just an idea of a little hobby to go with my tractor. Thanks everyone.

Charlie M · Oct 13, 2013

You're going to need different plates for your planter as the kernels are way different than regular corn. As far as growing, it grows the same as regular corn. Pop corn will cross pollinate with other corn then nothing has the right kernels so keep some distance with it.I've shelled with with one of the old hand shellers without problems.Trick to good popping corn is the right moisture content after drying. Sounds like a fun project.

connor9988 · Oct 13, 2013

Thank you for the information and pointers Charlie! Maybe ill get it done one day and get some pictures.

RayP(MI) · Oct 22, 2013

Kernels are far smaller than regular or sweet corn. If you're just doing a few rows in the garden, get - rent - borrow a hand planter. Takes me just a few minutes to roll in 5 rows 100 yards long of sweetcorn. We used to grow a small amount of popcorn as well. Harvested it by hand, stored it in bushel potato crates until dry on the back porch. Shucked and shelled by hand. Worked OK. When I was a kid in school, our FFA used to grow 5 or so acres. Harvested it and shelled it by hand, sold it for a fund raiser. But there were a lot of hands.

JK930CK · Mar 1, 2014

Definitely need different plates. Seed is much different/smaller than regular "field corn". I've grown some small plots of popcorn the past few years with okay results. I didn't find the "plant" to be as robust as my sweet corn and nothing compared to todays hybrids. Could have been the variety ect, ect. Drydown is key. Must be the right moisture before popping. I always shelled by hand and popped it old fashioned. Never tryed it in the microwave. Keep it away from other corns.

Growing Popcorn Questions

connor9988

Well-known Member

Charlie M

Well-known Member

connor9988

Well-known Member

RayP(MI)

Well-known Member

JK930CK

Member

Similar threads