Species Name:  Zea mays var. saccharata

Common Name: Sweet Corn 'True Gold'

Family: Poaceae

Culinary Uses:

Heirloom sweet corn varieties have a rich, old-fashioned flavour that allows them to be used as the main attraction of a dish rather than just a side.  True Gold sweet corn cobs are sweet and tender, ideal for eating raw or cooked, especially when steamed briefly or grilled with a knob of butter.  True Gold cobs retain their sweetness for longer than other heirloom sweet corn varieties and can be stored for several days if required, but are still best picked just before eating for maximum sweetness.

Growing Tips:

True Gold sweet corn should be grown in full sun for rapid growth and optimum cob production.  Sweet corn is a heavy feeder and prefers a free-draining soil rich in organic matter.  Lay down plenty of organic matter such as well-rotted manure or compost prior to sowing sweet corn seeds.  Top dress around sweet corn plants every few weeks with a complete organic fertiliser to maintain strong growth.  If fertiliser or water is lacking at any point during the growing season growth will become stunted and your sweet corn plants may flower before they have reached their maximum height.  Stunted corn plants will have reduced photosynthesis compared to full-sized plants and will not have enough energy for good cob production resulting in smaller cobs will poor kernel filling.  Sweet corn is wind pollinated with pollen from the upper male flowers falling down onto the silks at the end of the female cobs below.  Every individual silk leads to a single kernel within the cob and to produce plump, uniform cobs every silk must be pollinated.  To ensure full pollination of kernels sweet corn should be grown in blocks rather than rows, reducing any gaps between plants.  Avoid planting scattered corn plants in mixed beds as pollination will be poor.  True Gold heirloom sweet corn produces best when grown in temperate climates.

When to Sow:

In temperate regions of Australia sow heirloom True Gold sweet corn seeds from mid Spring to mid Summer.  In frost-free subtropical areas of Australia sow True Gold sweet corn seeds from late Winter through to early Autumn.  In the tropics True Gold sweet corn can be sown any time of year.  Sweet corn is unlikely to grow well in cold and mountainous regions of Australia. 

How to Sow:

Heirloom sweet corn seeds should be sown deeply, in holes at least 2cm deep.  Sowing corn seeds deeply will allow them to develop additional prop roots along the length of stem that is underground, helping to support the corn stalks and prevent them falling over in strong winds.  Corn seeds are large and have good energy reserves, this means they can be planted as deep as 5cm without adversely effecting germination.  Soaking sweet corn seeds for a few hours prior to sowing can help to ensure consistent germination but is generally not necessary if seeds are watered in well.  Corn seeds should be sown directly where they are to grow, root disturbance when transplanting corn seedlings will stall their growth and may cause them to bolt before the stalks have grown to their maximum height.  Sweet corn plants that bolt early will produce smaller cobs with less uniform filling of the kernels.  Space True Gold sweet corn seeds about 50cm apart to give their extensive root systems root to spread.  Sow a couple of sweet corn seeds in each hole and thin to the strongest seedling for optimum health.

Germination Time:

Sweet corn seeds are quick to germinate, with seedlings emerging in as little as four days from sowing when soil temperature is warm.  The majority of sweet corn seeds will germinate within 12 days from sowing.

Time to Harvest:

True Gold sweet corn produces large cobs that can take a long time to fully fill out, expect it to take 13 to 15 weeks before you can harvest your first cobs from this heirloom variety.  Sweet corn cobs can be harvested when the silks turn brown.