Hybrid Sweet Corn Seed

• Can be planted with other sh2 varieties
• Stores up to 3 weeks in refrigerator
• Sweet flavor holds up to freezing
• May produce 3 ears per stalk
• Excellent disease resistance

One bite of the bicolor white and yellow ears and your friends and family will be asking, “Where’d you get it? I’ve gotta have it!” A customer favorite since its introduction in 2007, Gotta Have It has tender kernels with a rich, oh-so-sweet flavor and an incredibly long shelf life – over 3 weeks when refrigerated in its husk! The kernels are slow to get starchy, and they retain their sweet flavor even when frozen. The flavor holds up for a wide range of maturity, so you have a longer window of harvest than with many other corn varieties. The 7-1/2 ft. tall plants are shorter than the average corn, but just as strong as field corn. If given enough room, it will produce up to 3 ears per stalk. It’s a very productive variety. Gotta Have It exhibits good disease resistance and can be planted with other sh2 varieties. For best germination, make sure the soil is warm before planting. 78 DAYS.

Sowing: Prepare the soil with compost or other organic matter. One week after frost or when the soil consistently reaches 60 degrees F, plant the corn 1″ deep and 8-12″ apart. Planting blocks of four short rows ensures good pollination. Germination should take place in 5-6 days. For companion planting benefits, plant corn with cucumbers, peas, or pole beans; plants that like shade also do well with corn. Avoid planting tomatoes near corn.

Growing: After the corn emerges, keep it moist and carefully remove weeds; since corn cannot fight against weeds, mulch may be beneficial. Additional organic matter or compost helps growth, since corn is a heavy feeder. Keep in mind that corn has shallow roots which can easily become damaged by hoeing. Watch out for pests, as corn attracts many problematic insects and animals.

Harvesting: About three weeks after the corn silk appears, it will begin to turn brown; this signals that the corn is nearly ripe. When the kernels of sweet corn release a milky substance when pierced, they are ready to be harvested. If the substance is clear, they are not ready; if nothing comes out of the kernel, the optimum time for harvest has passed. Sweet corn usually tastes sweetest if picked in the morning, since sugar content peaks at this time; for best taste, use it the same day it is picked.

Seed Saving: Because this variety of corn is a hybrid, the seed it produces will either be sterile or will revert to the characteristics to one of the parent seeds; reproducing this type from its own seed will not be successful.