How to Grow Incredibly Sweet Corn

Incredibly Sweet Corn

Zea mays var. saccharata

vegetable

Incredibly Sweet is a supersweet corn variety that produces exceptionally tender, sugary kernels with high fructose content. These ears remain sweet longer after harvest than standard sweet corn varieties. The plants grow to medium height with robust stalks and typically produce 2 ears per plant.

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Example Incredibly Sweet Corn timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant Incredibly Sweet Corn
Around Apr 17

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

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest Incredibly Sweet Corn
Around Jun 29

≈ 73 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Incredibly Sweet Corn dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun, minimum 6-8 hours daily (8+ hours preferred)

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Water: Consistent moisture; water deeply 1-2 inches per week. Critical during tasseling and silking stages. Mulch to retain soil moisture and regulate temperature.

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Spacing: 8 inches

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Days to maturity: 73-80 days

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Planting depth: 1.5

Soil

Type: Well-draining, fertile loamy soil

pH: 6.0-7.0

Amendments:

Compost Aged manure Balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) Nitrogen-rich fertilizer at tassel stage

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 3-9; grows best in warm-season climates with full sun

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

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Growth Stages

Germination & Seedling

2-3 weeks

Seeds sprout 7-10 days after planting. Seedlings emerge with coleoptile and first true leaves unfold. Plants reach 6-12 inches tall.

Ensure consistent soil moisture but avoid waterlogging. Thin seedlings to 8 inches apart early. Protect from birds and cutworms with row covers if needed.

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks

Rapid leaf and stalk development. Plants grow 12-36 inches tall. Root system strengthens. Leaves are long, arching, and bright green.

Apply nitrogen fertilizer when plants are 12-18 inches tall. Side-dress or fertiligate. Keep weed-free through cultivation or mulching. Stake if in windy areas.

Flowering & Tasseling

2-3 weeks

Male tassel emerges from plant top; female silks appear on developing ear shoots. Pollen falls onto silks for fertilization. Plant is 4-6 feet tall.

Maintain consistent moisture—critical stage for kernel development. Apply nitrogen fertilizer if foliage looks pale. Avoid stress. Hand-pollinate if poor pollen release is observed.

Ear Development & Silking

2-3 weeks

Ears swell and kernels fill with milk. Silks change from light green/yellow to brown and dry back. Ears feel full when gently squeezed.

Continue consistent watering (critical for sweetness and size). Monitor for pests. Check ear fill by peeling back a small section of husk.

Maturity & Harvest

3-7 days (optimal harvest window)

Kernels reach full size and peak sweetness. Milk stage kernels are plump and contain maximum sugar. Silks dry and brown completely.

Harvest at milk stage for best flavor. Check ears every 1-2 days at peak season. Ears past milk stage will become starchy and lose sweetness. Use immediately or refrigerate.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Beans Peas Squash Pumpkin Cucumber Lettuce Radish Spinach Marigolds Nasturtium

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) Onions Garlic Fennel Other corn (to prevent cross-pollination and reduce isolation distance)

Common Pests

Plant early varieties to avoid peak flight; use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray; remove and destroy infested plants; crop rotation
Spray Bt on silks when they first emerge; apply neem oil; handpick; attract natural predators; resistant varieties if available
Remove and destroy infested plants; Bt sprays; neem oil; spinosad; encourage beneficial insects
Harvest quickly when ready; remove damaged ears; maintain field sanitation
Row covers on young plants; insecticidal soap; neem oil; encourage parasitic wasps and ground beetles
Cutworm collars around young plants; diatomaceous earth; row covers; remove weeds (alternate hosts)

Uses

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Fresh eating & cooking

Culinary

Incredibly Sweet is prized for fresh consumption, boiling, grilling, and stir-frying. The kernels retain exceptional sweetness and tender texture, making it ideal for eating raw off the cob or in salads. [source]

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Freezing & preservation

Culinary

The high sugar content preserves well when blanched and frozen, maintaining flavor and texture for several months. Home freezing of fresh corn maintains quality better than many other storage methods. [source]

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Corn silk tea & remedies

Household

Corn silks are traditionally used in herbal tea preparations believed to support urinary and kidney health. The silks contain compounds that have been used in traditional medicine. [source]

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Wildlife food & garden ecology

Wildlife

Corn plants and leftover cobs provide food for birds, squirrels, and other wildlife. The plants also attract pollinators and beneficial insects during flowering. [source]

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Decorative cobs & husks

Craft

Dried corn cobs and husks are used in autumn/fall decorations, wreaths, and craft projects. The natural husks are also biodegradable and used in gardening mulches. [source]

Harvest Tips

Harvest when silks are brown and dry, usually 20-24 days after silking appears. Test by gently squeezing the ear—it should feel full and plump. Pierce a kernel with a fingernail; if clear, milky liquid runs out, it's at peak sweetness (milk stage). Twist and pull ear downward sharply to detach from stalk. Harvest in early morning for peak sweetness. Use immediately or refrigerate; Incredibly Sweet retains quality 7-10 days when stored properly at 32-35°F.

Fun Facts

🌱 Incredibly Sweet corn has a high sugar content that can be 3-4 times higher than standard field corn varieties, with some sugars converting to starch after harvest—making timing of harvest critical for maximum sweetness.
🌱 The 'super sweet' trait in varieties like Incredibly Sweet is caused by a recessive gene (sh2 or shrunken2) that reduces starch production in the kernel, allowing more sugars to accumulate.
🌱 Corn is pollinated by wind, and a single plant's tassel can produce millions of pollen grains. Planting in blocks rather than single rows ensures better cross-pollination and fuller ear development.

Gardening Terms

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

Full Sun Mulch Row Cover True Leaves

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