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How to Grow Maize Supersweet Incredible

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Maize Supersweet Incredible

Zea mays subsp. mays

vegetable

Supersweet Incredible is a premium sweet corn variety known for its exceptionally high sugar content and tender kernel texture. This F1 hybrid produces tall stalks with large ears that remain sweet longer after harvest than traditional sweet corn varieties. It's prized by home gardeners and farmers for superior flavor and eating quality.

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Example Maize Supersweet Incredible timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Maize Supersweet Incredible

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Maize Supersweet Incredible

    Around Jun 28

    ≈ 72 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Maize Supersweet Incredible dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 8+ hours daily
💧
Water: Consistent moisture; 1-1.5 inches per week. Critical watering periods are during silking and grain-fill stages. Maintain even soil moisture to prevent split kernels and ensure sweetness.
📏
Spacing: 8-12 inches between plants; rows 30-36 inches apart inches
📅
Days to maturity: 72-82 days
🌱
Planting depth: 1-1.5 inches deep

Soil

Type: Rich, well-draining loamy soil with high organic matter
pH: 6.0-7.0
Amendments:
compost aged manure balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) nitrogen supplement at mid-growth

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 3-9, with best production in zones 4-8

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

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Growth Stages

1

Germination & Emergence

7-10 days

Seeds sprout and seedlings emerge with visible coleoptile and first true leaves.

Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Ensure soil temperature is 60°F or higher for reliable germination.

2

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks

Plant develops 6-8 leaves and establishes root system. Tillers may form; remove them for single-stalk vigor.

Thin seedlings to proper spacing. Apply nitrogen fertilizer when plants are 6-8 inches tall. Monitor for early pest pressure.

3

Tassel & Silk Emergence

1-2 weeks

Plant reaches reproductive maturity; tassel appears at top, and silk emerges from ear husks.

Provide consistent, deep watering during this critical stage. Avoid overhead irrigation to reduce disease pressure. This is the most water-sensitive period.

4

Pollination & Grain Fill

2-3 weeks

Pollen falls from tassels onto silks; kernels begin filling with milky fluid, turning into starchy sugar-rich kernels.

Maintain even soil moisture to maximize sweetness and kernel size. Ears will feel heavier and fuller. Manage pest pressure closely.

5

Harvest Readiness

3-5 days

Kernels reach full size with milky-to-doughy consistency. Husk turns dark green; silks brown and dry.

Begin harvesting when kernels reach peak sweetness (milk stage to early dough stage). Harvest promptly; sugars convert to starch quickly.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

beans peas cucumber melon pumpkin squash radish lettuce

Avoid planting near:

brassicas (cabbage, broccoli) fennel tomato celery

Common Pests

  • Apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) sprays when silks appear. Plant trap crops like sunflowers nearby. Hand-pick affected ears early.

  • Use Bt sprays early and mid-season. Remove and destroy infested plant debris. Rotate planting location yearly.

  • Row covers over young seedlings. Neem oil or kaolin clay spray on emerging plants. Remove nearby weeds harboring beetles.

  • Spray with water to dislodge. Apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs.

  • Remove and destroy smutted kernels/ears immediately. Improve air circulation. Do not compost affected plant material.

Uses

🍳

Fresh eating and premium corn dishes

Culinary

Supersweet Incredible's exceptional sweetness and tender kernels make it ideal for fresh eating straight from the cob, corn salads, and gourmet corn preparations. The high sugar content and extended sweetness retention justify premium market prices. [source]

🍳

Frozen corn preservation

Culinary

The variety's firm kernels and consistent size make it excellent for freezing whole ears or kernels off the cob. Proper blanching and quick freezing preserves sweetness and texture for winter use. [source]

🏠

Garden succession planting

Household

The 72-82 day maturity allows multiple succession plantings within a single growing season, providing fresh corn harvests throughout summer and early fall. [source]

🦋

Food source for beneficial insects and wildlife

Wildlife

Corn pollen and silk feed beneficial insects, while unharvested or late ears provide food and shelter for birds and small mammals, supporting ecosystem health. [source]

💊

Corn silk traditional remedies

Medicinal

Fresh corn silk (the thread-like structures) has been used in traditional herbal medicine as a diuretic tea for urinary health and may support kidney function. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Harvest ears when silks are brown and dry, and kernels exude milky liquid when pierced (milk stage). Peak sweetness occurs 20-24 days after silk emergence. Twist and pull ears from the stalk early in the morning. Refrigerate immediately; eat within 1-2 days for best flavor as sugars rapidly convert to starch. Store husked ears in plastic bags at 32°F.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Supersweet corn varieties contain two to three times the sugar content of standard sweet corn, with some varieties maintaining their sweetness for up to 2 weeks if properly stored—much longer than traditional corn which converts sugar to starch within hours.
  • 🌱 A single corn plant can produce 1-3 ears depending on variety and growing conditions; Supersweet Incredible typically produces 2 ears per plant, with the primary ear being larger and of superior quality.
  • 🌱 Corn has been cultivated for over 9,000 years from wild teosinte grass in Mesoamerica, and modern sweet corn varieties like Supersweet Incredible result from selective breeding programs that enhanced natural mutations affecting sugar metabolism.

Gardening Terms

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

Full Sun Germination Hybrid True Leaves
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