Popcorn is a gardening favorite and its popped kernels make a great snack. Growing your own in your garden can be very rewarding and popcorn requires little more than basic care. Popcorn comes in many varieties and colors including white, yellow, red, black and blue. Regardless of the seed color, all popcorn pops up white when cooked. Growing your own popcorn will result in a healthier, more delicious snack than you would get from the chemical laced kind you find in the microwave popcorn section or your grocery.
Popcorn is available in three main types: white, large yellow and small yellow. The many varieties of popcorn can pop into two basic shapes: mushroom or butterfly shaped. Mushroom shaped popcorn is used mainly in kettle corn. The butterfly shape is the puffy white kernels found in most theaters and in popping corn.
Popcorn can be safely planted after the last killing frost in spring. Your crop will need plenty of sunlight so choose an area of your garden where your plants are exposed to the sun for most of the daylight hours. Avoid planting popcorn near sweet corn to avoid cross-pollination.
Popcorn needs lots of nutrients so adding a good organic fertilizer like compost or manure to the soil will provide a continuous supply of food. Adding compost to the soil also lightens to soil and allows for better drainage.
You can get your popcorn seeds from your local gardening store or by mail order. Do not use popcorn from microwave popcorn bags. They contain too many chemicals to make them practical to use.Plant seeds in rows eighteen inches wide and two feet apart. Dig furrows and place seeds two inches apart. Cover with two inches of soil. Seeds sprout in seven to ten days. When the plants are 6″ tall, thin to allow 12″ between each.
Water the popcorn plants regularly. Keep soil moist but not wet. Add a two inch layer of straw mulch around plants to preserve moisture, prevent disease and prevent weed growth.
Popcorn is low in calories and high in dietary fiber, iron and protein. It also contains Vitamin B, Vitamin E, riboflavin, phosphorus and thiamine.
Popcorn can be harvested in as little as 95 days. Harvest your popcorn when the kernels are hard and the husks have dried completely. Remove the ears and husks from the stalk and allow them to dry further by placing them in a woven cotton or burlap bag. After two weeks, remove a few kernels from the ears. Heat a few drops of cooking oil in an covered pan. Drop the kernels into the hot oil . If they pop fully, they are ready to use. Try this test every week after you have started drying them so that you will know when your popcorn is ready to use.
If the kernels do not fully pop, it could mean they are too dry. To remedy this, simply place the kernels in a glass jar and add two tablespoons of waterand shake. In two to three days, they should have a high enough moisture content to pop up full and fluffy. Store popcorn in a sealed jar and use as needed.
If you are a gardening enthusiast, popcorn is a great choice. The delicious popped kernels are both beautiful and delicious to eat. Your crop will need only minimal care and the results will be a great source of pride.
