Corn 'New Mama Super Sweet' (Zea mays) – Submitted by Le Potager Ornemental de Catherine
'New Mama Super Sweet' corn is an open-pollinated sweet corn (sh2) known for its excellent flavor, productivity and earliness . Its large ears with yellow kernels provide juicy, sweet flesh that retains its sweetness for up to a week after harvest if stored in the refrigerator.
Developed by Adaptive Seeds in Oregon , it is one of the first reproducible shrunken (sh2) sweet corns, allowing gardeners to produce their own seeds. Thanks to its imposing height (1.40 to 2 m) and vigorous flowering, it guarantees beautiful, well-stocked harvests .
Characteristics of the variety
Type : Open-pollinated sweet corn (sh2)
Height of plants : 1.40 to 2 meters
Grain color : Yellow
Texture and flavor : Juicy, very sweet, long shelf life
Maturity : 80-90 days
Use : Fresh, grilled, canned, shepherd's pies
Special feature : Retains its sweetness longer after harvest
Quantity per sachet : ±70 seeds
Cultivation method
🌞 Exposure : Full sun
🌱 Sowing :
• Directly after any risk of frost
• Possibility of pre-cultivating in multi-cells to bring forward the season
📏 Sowing depth : 2.5 cm
🌡 Germination temperature : 20-25°C
⏳ Germination time : 7 to 14 days
🌿 Spacing : 30 cm between plants, in blocks of 4 rows minimum for better pollination
💦 Watering : Regular, especially during flowering and ear formation
🌾 Maintenance : Mulching recommended to keep the soil moist and limit weeds
With optimal conditions, 'New Mama Super Sweet' guarantees delicious harvests , perfect for summer meals and winter storage .
Precautions for cultivation and pollination
🌬 Wind Pollinated : Pollen from male flowers (panicle) disperses and fertilizes female flowers (silks). Grow in compact blocks rather than isolated rows to maximize pollination.
🌽 Avoid crossings :
Corn can be pollinated by other varieties, influencing the taste and texture of the grains . To avoid unwanted crossbreeding , several techniques exist:
✅ Stagger sowing between varieties to avoid simultaneous flowering
✅ Grow varieties of different maturity
✅ Isolate varieties by several kilometers or opt for manual pollination
✅ Protect flowers with paper bags for optimal control
💡 Tip : For fun, you can create a two-tone sweet corn by planting 'New Mama' (yellow kernels) a week before 'Luther Hill' (white kernels) so that their flowering times coincide!
Use and special features
🌽 A taste of corn from the kiosk
Enjoy the authentic flavor of traditional sweet corn, right in your garden.
🔬 One of the first reproducible sh2
Unlike hybrids, this corn allows you to harvest and save your own seeds .
🌾 Culture accessible to all
Easy to grow and suited to cool regions , it fits in just as well in vegetable gardens as in large-scale crops .
