sweet corn seed

montidale · May 26, 2013

I have enough sweet corn seed left over from last year to plant this year. Only thing is I don't know if it will germinate. What are the chances of it still being good? Hopefully the conditions will be good tomorrow for planting and I can't get 2013 seed tomorrow. It's been a wet year and if I don't get it in the ground tommorow it might be another week before I can get to it.

David G · May 26, 2013

I should be fine if kept cool and dry

DeltaRed · May 26, 2013

If its been dry,It will be just fine.Go ahead and plant....No worries. Steve

wolfman · May 26, 2013

My last-years seed is germinating better this year than last.

fixerupper · May 26, 2013

Should be OK in most cases. However, this spring I planted six rows of new seed and two rows of old seed that had been under the seat in the old Dodge pickup in plastic bags for at least a year maybe two. Used a 12 row planter and put the seeds in 8 rows, and planted. None of the old seed grew. None! The seeds swelled and turned so mushy I could mash them between my fingers. The six rows of new seed came up fine. At least the bare area where those two rows didn't come up will be a good walk path for picking the corn that did grow. Jim

montidale · May 26, 2013

Well I guess I'll give it a try. The seed was outside in a shed in freezing temps of a Minnesota winter. Hope that didn't hurt it. All I have to losse is the time to see if it's going to germinate.

nh8260 · May 26, 2013

i planted seed from 2009 this year and it came up good.

GordoSD · May 26, 2013

Do a germ test. Put 20 seeds in a wet paper towel in a plastic bag. Keep warm Open up in 10 days and count the ones that have and don't have sprouts. That's your germ %
I tested two different containers of leftover seed from 12 and they both germed over 95%.
You should be planting sweet corn in 10 day intervals anyway.
I planted my second 240 plants (8 rows 30 plants) today. I will plant 4 times.

Anonymous-0 · May 26, 2013

Use it. Last year the old seed I had came up better than the new seed I bought. The seed companies keep it. The only difference is they keep it in a controled enviroment.

36 Coupe · May 27, 2013

I have an old usda bulletin on seed corn.Corn exposed to freezing temperaters had poor germination.Ive posted this before.An expert came on and said freezing would not affect germination.The bulletin said different.You had better test the seed before planting.

36 Coupe · May 27, 2013

Corn gets risky after 3 years.We had some new seed fail last year.Wife and I have been planting corn for 55 years.Planting untreated seed is risky in cold ground.We wait until soil temperature is 60 degrees.Wife is expert on sweet corn, She knows the day to maturity of the ones we plant.There are some she wont plant again.I just push the planter and eat the corn.

LA in WI · May 27, 2013

To keep sweet corn seed viable, just keep it cool and dry year around. I keep leftover seed in a plastic bag in an old refridgerator.

Ten days ago I planted "Incredible" that was given to me in 2006. I have planted it every year since then. Today it is growing nicely, not a plant missing (I plant it by hand). If I took the time to figure it out, I would post a picture of my corn.

If you want to kill germination, just freeze it or let it bake in hot temps. (Guess what the directions have been for years about keeping seed in good condition).

Wife thinks maybe I should get new seed one of these years....I will think about it.

LA in WI

sweet corn seed

montidale

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David G

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DeltaRed

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wolfman

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fixerupper

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montidale

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nh8260

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GordoSD

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Anonymous-0

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36 Coupe

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36 Coupe

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LA in WI

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