Astronomy Domine Sweet Corn is a very beautiful, multicolored type of sweet corn. The ears have colors in purple, white, red, yellow, and almost black. Most ears are multicolored but some are completely red. The coloring starts already as unripe and gets stronger while ripening. The cobs keep the color after boiling, some color may fade. The plants are around 180-200cm high. Astronomy Domine has a traditional, old-time sweet corn flavor. This variety was bred in ”the Great Basin” in Utah, USA by Joseph Lofthouse. The original seeds of this selection is from a ”landrace” grown by Alan Bishop in South Indiana. 70D. 25seeds/pack
Normally corn grows to the height of 180cm. But higher varieties up to over 250cm occur. Dwarf varieties only around 60cm can also be grown in pots. Sweet corn is harvested when the silky threads are starting to wilt and the cobs are full and chubby. Popcorn, Flour corn, and Dent corn are harvested when they are completely mature and dry. If you live in an area with wet autumn you can harvest the cobs and hang them indoors for drying. When they are completely dry, they can be popped or ground into flour.
How to Grow
Corn can either be sown directly in the ground or cultivated indoors before planting the seedlings in the garden. The choice of method depends on your growing conditions and the variety of corn being grown. If you farm in a warmer area with a long summer season, sowing directly in the garden will save you a lot of work. If the season is too short in your area, you will risk not getting any harvest. If you are farming in a short-season area you can sow indoors and will "save time" by having plants some weeks old, ready for planting when the risk for frost is over. You can also choose a variety with a shorter development time. Some varieties are ready in only 55 days.
If you sow indoors, use sterilized potting soil. Sow about 4cm deep. It is better to use deep pots instead of wide pots. Corn grows fast, so don't sow too early. About 4-6 weeks before planting is reasonable. Place at 25°C during germination. After sprouting, lower the temperature to avoid lanky plants. You might have to re-plant the seedling once or twice, depending on the pot size. Corn can not stand being affected by frost, so do not plant outdoors before the risk of frost is over. If you direct sow the temperature of the soil must be over 15°C, otherwise the seeds will rot. Plant the seedlings with 20-40cm spacing, depending on the variety.
