Zea mays ‘Chires Baby Sweet Corn’

photo: Emilie Hardman 

Visitors to South East Asia fondly remember the miniature corn cobs enjoyed daily in stir-fries or soups. Returning home, they find the canned cobs used at most Chinese restaurants in the US quite unsatisfactory. Jere Gettle of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds set out to find a good baby corn variety so that you could grow your own & has since introduced ‘Chires Baby’. Space the seedlings 1’ apart in a well fertilized bed & keep well watered.  Since the ears are harvested immature, pollination is not necessary & you do not need to plant multiple plants in block formation like you do for other corns that require pollination.  The plants will be multi-stalked, each plant producing 6-15 ears of corn. Harvest the 2-3” ears as soon as the silk emerges & the plant will continue producing. If you let the ears mature the small red kernels will make excellent popcorn.

Anni J.
Propagtor