Golden Bantam
Poaceae
Corn
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Golden Bantam, introduced in 1902 by Burpee, was the first yellow sweet corn widely available to home gardeners. Before this, yellow corn was considered fit only for animal feed. It changed American gardens forever.
Corn needs real heat to sweeten. PNW corn is good but never rivals Midwest summer corn — our cool nights slow sugar production. Golden Bantam is an open-pollinated heirloom with excellent flavor. For more sweetness, try a sugary-enhanced (se) hybrid like Sugar Buns. Plant in the sunniest spot after soil has truly warmed.
Direct sow in blocks (not rows) for wind pollination — minimum 4×4 ft block, 4 plants per sq ft. Plant when soil reaches 60°F (mid-to-late May on Bainbridge). Sow 1" deep, 2-3 seeds per hole, thin to strongest. Corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder: side-dress with blood meal or fish fertilizer when plants are 12" tall and again when tassels appear. Water deeply during tasseling and silking — these two weeks determine kernel count. Harvest when silks are brown and dry, kernels exude milky liquid when pierced (not clear, not doughy).