Sweetcorn Seed 'Britpop'

Sweetcorn Seed 'Britpop'

Zea mays 'Britpop'

The first true white popping corn bred by an English breeder - hence the name Britpop.

Like our Strawberry Popcorn, this variety is perfect for the UK climate and will grow to around 6ft tall before producing 3 or 4 cobs per plant. The cobs should be harvested when mature and allowed to dry before popping for popcorn.

This is bound to prove a favourite with children!

Supplied as a packet of approximately 40 seeds.

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How To Sow, Grow, Harvest & Pop Britpop Popcorn

For Growing Outside
Sow under protection in small pots or modules late April to early May time.
Set out plants after all risk of frost and when air temperatures are improving - approximately late April to late May. If temperatures are still low, continue to grow on under protection, but pot plants on to prevent them becoming root bound.
Set out 15" apart in rows 18" apart. For good pollination sweetcorn needs to be planted in blocks rather than a single row or two.
The cobs are ready to harvest and dry when the tassels on the husk of the cobs dry and change colour to dark brown.

For Growing Under Protection
(this will give you early Britpop popcorn without the worry of cold temperatures)
Sow under protection in small pots or modules from March to early May time.
Set out into the border soil of your polytunnel or greenhouse when around 6" in height. Set out 15" apart in rows 18" apart, ideally in blocks rather than single rows to ensure good pollination.
Alternatively grow in tubs, plant 4 plants per 18" tub.
As sweetcorn is naturally wind pollinated you will need to artificially pollinate. At the first signs of the flowers at the top of the plant releasing pollen (evident by yellow 'dust' clouding when you brush past the plants or yellow 'dust' on the lower leaves and surrounding the plants) gently give the stem of each plant a shake to release pollen and encourage it to drop from the top flowers to the lower juvenile cobs; you will need to do this daily for approximately two weeks or until no more pollen is released.
The cobs are ready to harvest and dry when the tassels on the husk of the cobs dry and change colour to dark brown.

Harvesting, Drying & Popping Popcorn
When the tassels on the husk of the cobs have darkened it is time to harvest and dry your cobs. Whilst it is possible to allow the cobs to naturally dry on the plants before harvesting this requires an Autumn relatively free from rain; the second disadvantage of drying on the plant is that if mice find the drying cobs they will decimate them - this we have experienced to our cost here on the nursery! So cut the cobs with a little extra stalk and gently remove the outer husk and tassel debris.
The cobs dry best when hung up; the stems of the cobs are very tough, so you are best to drill a small hole through the stem before threading through a piece of fuse wire or similar and then hang the cobs up in a warm airy spot - in the light or dark makes no difference!
You will know when the kernels are fully dry as this will start to drop from the cobs and when this happens you will be able to rub the kernels off with your thumb.
No matter how carefully you husk and shell your corn, a few crinkled silks, as well as some chaff and cob residue, will get mixed in with the kernels. This refuse can cause the popped corn to scorch, so it's best to clean each batch before you store it. All you have to do is pour the popcorn, slowly, from one bucket to another ... and let the wind (or an electric fan) carry away the debris.
The kernels can now be stored in air tight jars or similar.
To pop in a microwave simply quarter fill a bowl with the kernels and cover with cling film, then heat on high for about 2 minutes until the rush of pops subsides.
To pop in a saucepan heat half a teaspoon of cooking oil or butter and then add quarter of a cup of kernels before putting on the lid - once again take off the heat once the rush of pops subsides.
Different cooking oils will enhance the flavour of the popcorn so experiment - perhaps even try bacon fat.
While there's nothing wrong with plain or salted popcorn, you can add different toppings to turn your corn into something special. Dribble some molasses on the popped kernels, for instance, or stir a little honey into a bowl of hot, buttered corn. Brown sugar and butter-melted together and mixed into a container of popcorn will produce a delicious homemade caramel corn.

Top Tips
Protect newly sown seeds from mice. Mice are notorious in 'sniffing out' seed of this nature!
Repeat sowings can be made every two weeks from your first sowing until the end of June, giving you a succession of plants to set out and thus an extension to the cropping season.
Cover the soil you are going to grow your crop in with black polythene or similar a few weeks before planting out as this will absorb heat and warm up the soil.
You can of course also plant through a polythene mulch or similar as this will continue to retain heat along with moisture - and suppress weeds.
Protect the young plants with cloches, wind breaks or similar if the weather is cold.