Painted Mountain

Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:02

Dave Christensen has spent 30 years in the mountains of Montana developing it for hardiness, earliness, and colorful display. Avg. 6-7" multicolor ears for fall decorations, easy grinding, and for eating fresh, parched (roasted), or in hominy grits. Vivid oranges, golds, reds, and purples make the brightest fall harvest decorations. Zea mays Tender Annual Painted Mountain's short, stout plants mature two weeks before other ornamental corn varieties and is bred to be the hardiest in the world. It grows sleek 7" ears in a full range of vivid colors. Eat as sweet corn, hominy, or save for flour. The bright orange, gold, red, and purple colors make beautiful harvest decorations. Soil & Water: Corn is a heavy feeder requiring high amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK). Its weak and shallow root system likes loose soil with a high compost content. Planting & Growing: Sow seeds directly outdoors 1 week after the last frost. You can start earlier by using black or green plastic mulches and floating row covers to obtain optimum conditions. Plant in blocks rather than rows to ensure good germination. To prevent cross-pollination, plant different varieties at least 40' apart and grow a hedge barrier, such as sunflowers, in between. Painted Mountain tolerates high winds, cold nights, and drought. Harvesting & Storage: For sweet corn, harvest when part of the silk is brown. For dry corn, harvest when husks are completely dry. To finish the drying process, husk the ears and spread them in a dry, well-ventilated area. Store kernels on the cob, or shuck and store kernels. Sun/Shade: Full sun, Planting Depth: 1", Spacing After Thinning: 8", Soil Temperature: 70—85°F, Days To Germinate: 4—12, Days To Maturity: 85, Height At Maturity: 4'—6' Days to Maturity or Bloom: 85 Go to table of corn varieties