How to Grow Avalon Bi-Color Mix

Wikimedia Commons

Avalon Bi-Color Mix

Zea mays

vegetable

Avalon Bi-Color Mix is a hybrid sweet corn variety that produces ears with a striking combination of yellow and white kernels. Known for excellent sweetness and tenderness, it's a mid-season variety ideal for fresh eating and home gardens. The plant typically reaches 6-7 feet tall with good disease resistance.

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Example Avalon Bi-Color Mix timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant Avalon Bi-Color Mix
Around Apr 17

Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
Tend & protect
Late spring–summer

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest Avalon Bi-Color Mix
Around Jun 29

≈ 73 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Avalon Bi-Color Mix dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️

Sun: Full sun, 8+ hours daily

💧

Water: Consistent moisture, approximately 1-1.5 inches per week including rainfall. Keep soil evenly moist during tasseling and silking stages to prevent kernel abortion.

📏

Spacing: 8-12 inches between plants in rows 24-36 inches apart inches

📅

Days to maturity: 73-78 days

🌱

Planting depth: 1-1.5 inches deep

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil rich in organic matter

pH: 6.0-7.5

Amendments:

Compost well-rotted manure balanced fertilizer (10-10-10)

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 3-8, can be grown in zones 2-9 with proper timing

2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a

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Growth Stages

Germination & Seedling

7-10 days

Seed sprouts and first leaves emerge. Plant stands 2-4 inches tall with narrow grass-like leaves.

Keep soil consistently warm and moist. Thin seedlings to proper spacing. Protect from birds and cutworms.

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks

Plant rapidly grows, developing additional leaves and establishing strong root system. Plant reaches 12-24 inches tall.

Apply balanced fertilizer or side-dress with compost at 4-6 weeks. Weed control is critical. Monitor for insect damage.

Tassel & Silk Emergence

1-2 weeks

Plant reaches 4-7 feet height. Male tassel appears at top; female silk emerges from ear husks shortly after.

Ensure consistent watering during this critical pollination stage. Avoid irrigation stress. Monitor for corn borers and aphids.

Kernel Development

2-3 weeks

Kernels fill out from silk attachment downward, progressing from watery to milky to dough stages. Ears mature fully.

Maintain steady moisture for optimal kernel fill. Protect ears from raccoons and birds with netting if needed.

Harvest Readiness

Peak harvest 2-4 days

Kernels reach mature milky stage with bi-color pattern distinct. Husks are dry and brown; silks darken.

Check ears daily once silks brown. Harvest when kernel punctures release milky liquid. Use immediately for best sweetness.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Beans peas squash cucumbers melons lettuce spinach nasturtiums marigolds

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli) fennel tomatoes

Common Pests

Apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) at silk emergence. Clip infested ear tips. Release beneficial parasitic wasps.
Use Bt sprays at tassel emergence. Remove and destroy infested plant material. Plant resistant varieties when available.
Rotate crops annually. Apply neem oil as preventative. Use beneficial nematodes in soil.
Spray with strong water stream. Apply insecticidal soap. Introduce ladybugs and lacewings.
and
Install electric fencing. Use motion-activated lights or sprinklers. Plant corn in blocks rather than rows.

Uses

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Fresh Eating & Grilling

Culinary

Avalon Bi-Color corn is ideal for fresh consumption with exceptional sweetness and tender kernels. Grill unhusked or boil, steam, or sauté kernels for superior flavor. [source]

🍳

Freezing & Preservation

Culinary

High sugar content makes it excellent for freezing whole or as cut kernels. Blanch and freeze for winter use. [source]

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Visual Garden Appeal

Culinary

The striking bi-color pattern makes Avalon an ornamental-edible hybrid that's attractive in the garden and on the plate, adding visual interest to salads and dishes. [source]

🦋

Wildlife Attraction

Wildlife

Corn provides food for beneficial insects and seed for birds. Leaving some unharvested cobs benefits wildlife in fall. [source]

Harvest Tips

Harvest when silk has turned dark brown/black and ears feel full. Puncture a kernel—if it releases milky liquid, it's ready. Twist ear downward sharply and pull away from stalk. Harvest in early morning for peak sweetness. Use within hours of picking for best flavor; refrigerate immediately if not using fresh.

Fun Facts

🌱 Corn is the only major crop domesticated in the Americas; Avalon represents centuries of selective breeding for sweetness and kernel color.
🌱 The bi-color pattern results from kernel genetics—yellow kernels contain xanthophyll pigments while white kernels lack this pigment, creating the signature two-tone appearance.
🌱 Sweet corn must be picked within hours of maturation and used quickly; the sugar rapidly converts to starch after harvest, which is why 'corn on the cob' tastes best the day it's picked.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Compost Full Sun Hybrid pH Pollination

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