How to Grow Bicolor Sweetie Corn
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Bicolor Sweetie Corn
Zea mays var. saccharata
vegetableBicolor Sweetie is a sweet corn variety featuring kernels that are a mix of yellow and white on the same ear, offering a tender, sweet flavor profile. This mid-season hybrid produces medium-height stalks with good disease resistance and consistent ear quality. It's popular among home gardeners for its attractive appearance and excellent taste.
When should you plant Bicolor Sweetie Corn in your zone?
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Example Bicolor Sweetie Corn timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Bicolor Sweetie Corn
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Bicolor Sweetie Corn
Around Jun 26≈ 70 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Bicolor Sweetie Corn dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 4-8; can grow in zones 2-9 with appropriate timing
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Seedling
10-14 daysSmall plants with 2-3 leaves, establishing root systems. Vulnerable to cutworms and drought.
Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Protect from cutworms with collars if needed. Thin to proper spacing once plants are 3-4 inches tall.
Vegetative Growth
30-40 daysRapid leaf development, stalks growing taller (3-4 feet typical for Sweetie), multiple leaves unfurling. No reproductive structures yet.
Provide steady water and apply nitrogen fertilizer at 6-8 inches height. Side-dress with compost. Monitor for pests. Consider staking or hilling for wind support.
Tasseling & Silking
7-10 daysMale tassel emerges from top, female silks emerge from ear shoots. Pollen shed begins. Critical pollination period.
Maintain consistent, abundant water (1.5 inches weekly). Apply nitrogen fertilizer if growth appears slow. Avoid overhead watering during pollen shed if possible. DO NOT break off tassels.
Fruit Development & Filling
20-25 daysKernels develop and fill with starch and sugars. Silks brown and dry. Ears fatten noticeably. Bicolor pattern becomes evident.
Continue consistent watering. Reduce nitrogen to avoid excess vegetative growth. Monitor for corn borers and earworms. Ears are ready to check at 20 days post-silking.
Harvest Readiness
3-7 days of optimal windowKernels plump and milky when punctured. Silks completely brown and dry. Husks green and snug. Bicolor pattern fully developed.
Check ears daily once silks brown completely. Harvest at peak sugar content (mornings are sweeter). Cool ears immediately after harvest to preserve sweetness.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Spray Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) 2-3 times starting when silks emerge. Apply oil or spinosad at silk emergence. Plant resistant varieties. Time plantings to avoid peak moth flights.
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Use Bt sprays at early tassel stage. Remove and destroy infested stalks. Bury crop residue deep after harvest. Use resistant varieties.
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Spray Bt or spinosad on young plants. Monitor for frass (droppings) on leaves. Remove affected leaves. Apply neem oil in early stages.
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Spray strong water stream to dislodge. Use insecticidal soap or neem oil. Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings.
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Use row covers on seedlings. Apply neem oil or spinosad if damage is severe. Encourage beneficial predators.
Uses
Fresh eating and grilling
CulinaryBicolor Sweetie's tender kernels and high sugar content make it excellent for boiling, steaming, grilling, or roasting. The attractive bicolor appearance adds visual appeal to dishes. [source]
Corn salads and salsas
CulinaryFresh kernels can be cut from the cob and added to salads, salsas, and grain bowls. The balanced yellow-and-white kernel mix provides appealing color contrast. [source]
Freezing and preservation
CulinaryBicolor Sweetie freezes well when blanched and cut from the cob. It maintains good flavor and texture for months when properly stored. [source]
Ornamental garden display
HouseholdThe striking bicolor ears and attractive mature stalks add visual interest to edible gardens. Husks and dried stalks can be used in fall decorations. [source]
Wildlife food and habitat
WildlifeCorn provides food for birds and beneficial insects. Left-standing mature stalks offer winter shelter and seed sources for wildlife. [source]
Harvest Tips
Harvest when silks are brown and dry, usually 20 days after silking appears. Kernels should be milky when punctured—squeeze a kernel; if clear liquid sprays out, it's ready. Ears at peak sweetness in early morning. Twist and pull ears downward at a slight angle. Use immediately or chill rapidly; corn's sugars convert to starch quickly after harvest. For best flavor, cook within 24 hours.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Sweet corn contains about 6-7% sugar by weight at peak ripeness, compared to 1-2% in field corn, making Bicolor Sweetie varieties noticeably sweeter than traditional yellow or white corns.
- 🌱 The bicolor pattern results from genetic segregation during kernel development—each kernel inherits genes from both yellow and white parent lines, creating the distinctive two-tone appearance.
- 🌱 Corn silk has been traditionally used in herbal teas and folk medicine, believed to have diuretic properties; the silky threads are actually the plant's female reproductive structures.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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