10 Best Sweet Corn Varieties for a Flavorful Harvest

Best sweet corn varieties are perfect for maximum flavor, highest yields, and easiest growing in your garden. They are a versatile group of plants that can add beauty, curb appeal, and year-round interest to your landscape.

Whether you want it to bring color, add in a little structure, or make a perfect addition for your garden salad ingredients, sweet corn varieties are the perfect additions to complete any garden design. We’ll cover various options, including details on how to successfully plant and care for them, so you can transform your garden into a favorable and taste bud-appealing space!

Best Sweet Corn Varieties for Gardeners Seeking Great Flavor

1. Silver Queen

Silver Queen is an heirloom sweet corn variety known for its excellent flavor and high sugar content. This variety has white-colored kernels that mature in early to midsummer on tall, sturdy stalks that can reach over six feet in height. 

The large, arrowhead-shaped leaves and vigorous growth require ample space and full sun exposure to provide optimum growing conditions. To prevent issues like ear rots and fungal diseases, keep the soil moist but well-drained.

Proper spacing between plants helps reduce damage from common sweet corn pests like corn earworm and European corn borer. Give the sweet corn ample space to grow, water it consistently, and provide full sun exposure for the best results when growing Silver Queen corn.

2. Sugar Buns

Sugar Buns is a midseason white corn hybrid with an extended harvest period spanning from midsummer to early fall. The stalks grow to around six feet tall, bearing 12 to 14-inch ears covered with creamy white kernels arranged in uniform rows on the long, cylindrical cobs. The medium-sized, flat leaves maintain strong vigor throughout the growing season as long as the well-drained soil is regularly watered to avoid any moisture stress.

Ornamental grasses planted as a border around the corn patch can help deter damage from corn earworm, the primary pest threat for Sugar Buns sweet corn. The elongated shape and high sugar content of the kernels make Sugar Buns ideal for preparing corn by steaming, boiling, or grilling. When harvested at peak maturity, Sugar Buns sweet corn offers a delicious, sugary flavor.

3. Precious Gem

Precious Gem is an early maturing yellow sweet corn variety ideal for spring and summer harvests. The stalks grow to around six feet tall, producing eight to 10-inch-long ears covered in bright yellow kernels within 70 days after sowing the seeds. The upright and narrow leaves allow for close plant spacing to maximize ear production per square foot. 

Full sun exposure and evenly moist but well-drained soil throughout the growing period are critical factors for this variety to develop its peak levels of sweet flavor and sugar content. Common early-season corn pests for Precious Gem, due to its narrow foliage which is less resistant to pest damage, include Japanese beetles and cucumber beetles. 

Planting ornamental grasses around the border of the corn patch can help deter beetles from entering the plot. Spraying the stalks and leaves with neem oil, an organic pesticide, twice per week also helps reduce damage from these pests during the early growth stage. When given the proper conditions, Precious Gem produces an abundant harvest of flavorful, sugary yellow sweet corn.

4. How Sweet It Is

 

How Sweet It Is is a popular midseason white sweet corn hybrid. The ears of this variety measure eight to nine inches long and mature approximately 80 days after being planted. The medium-height upright leaves form a good canopy that covers the earshot without excessively shading the developing ears. 

Growing the corn in wide 30-inch rows with three to four-foot in-row spacing between plants helps maximize ear size and flavor potential by exposing the ears to full sunlight and ample air circulation. This extra space also makes it easier to manually pick common pests like Japanese beetles and corn earworms before they can cause significant damage. 

Once harvested, the crisp white kernels of How Sweet It Is have a deep, sugary flavor that works well for salads, stew recipes, and grilling ears of corn on the cob. With its reliable performance, high yield, and undeniably sweet flavor, How Sweet It Is has remained a favorite variety of white sweet corn for home gardeners for many years.

5. Kandy Korn

Kandy Korn is a popular midseason yellow hybrid sweet corn variety known for its super sweet flavor and high sugar content. The tall stalks yield ears measuring eight to nine inches long and packed with golden yellow kernels in attractive rows on broad cobs. The medium-height upright leaves provide good coverage of the stalk while allowing ample sunlight and airflow to reach the developing ears, aiding their sweet flavor development.

Kandy Korn grows best when planted in wide rows with three to four feet of spacing between plants for optimal yields and ease of maintenance. This spacing facilitates the manual removal of common leaf-eating pests like Japanese beetles and allows for easy identification of signs of damage from corn earworm larvae.

Once harvested, the ears of Kandy Korn have a rich, buttery taste that caramelizes nicely when grilled or roasted. The ability of the sweet corn kernels to maintain their quality and prime eating condition for several days after harvesting makes Kandy Korn a favorite variety for roadside farm stands and pick-your-own operations. When given the proper care and spacing in the garden, Kandy Korn consistently produces an abundant harvest of supersweet corn.

6. Peaches and Cream

Peaches and Cream is a hybrid yellow sweet corn known for its unusually creamy texture and flavor. The tall plants yield six to nine-inch ears with uniform rows of bright yellow kernels on sturdy stalks. The medium upright leaves allow adequate sunlight and airflow while still shading the developing ears.

Peaches and Cream grow best in full sun with wide spacing between plants and ample, consistent watering throughout the season. The additional moisture and nutrients help produce ears with maximum sugar content for a distinctively sweet flavor. 

Proper care also reduces pest pressure from corn earworm larvae and adult Japanese beetles — two common threats. Once harvested, the super-sweet Peaches and Cream corn has an incomparably rich, buttery taste that pairs wonderfully with butter, cheese, and spices.

7. Golden Bantam Heritage

Golden Bantam Heritage is an heirloom yellow sweet corn variety dating back to 1902. The compact plants grow around five feet tall, bearing eight to nine-inch ears 60 to 70 days after planting. The narrow flat leaves provide decent sun exposure and airflow around developing ears. 

Golden Bantam Heritage grows best in full sun with supplemental irrigation during dry spells. Regular watering helps minimize the stress that can impact sugar levels and flavor. Proper moisture and fertilizer also aid in pest resistance, though Japanese beetles and corn earworm larvae still pose threats requiring occasional handpicking. 

Once harvested, the medium-sized ears yield a superior creamy sweet corn taste renowned for over a century. The versatile sweetness suits boiling, grilling, and consumption raw straight from the cob.

8. Honey and Cream

Honey and Cream is a midseason yellow hybrid sweet corn variety known for its buttery texture, rich flavor, and high sugar content. The tall stalks bear symmetrical ears measuring eight to nine inches long and filled with plump golden yellow kernels arranged in tidy rows on the cobs. 

The upright, medium-sized leaves provide ample cover and shading for the developing ears while still allowing strong sunlight and air circulation needed for optimal sweet corn growth. Planting Honey and Cream in wide 30-inch rows with three to four-foot spacing between plants maximizes yields per square foot and minimizes pest issues by providing adequate space. 

Regular handpicking of leaf-eating threats like cucumber beetles and corn earworm larvae can help remove these pests before they cause lasting damage to the developing ears. Once harvested, the flavorful ears of Honey and Cream sweet corn have a delicate texture and subtle honeyed sweetness that works wonderfully when grilled, used in salads, or simply enjoyed freshly picked straight off the cob. 

With its high yields of supersweet, buttery kernels and extended harvest period, Honey and Cream have quickly become a favorite choice for home gardeners looking for the ultimate sweet corn-eating experience.

9. Country Gentleman

Country Gentleman is a classic heirloom late-season yellow sweet corn variety. The tall stalks reach heights between six to seven feet, bearing symmetrical ears measuring 9 to 12 inches long and filled with golden yellow kernels arranged in evenly spaced rows on broad cobs. 

The narrow upright leaves provide ample sunlight and air circulation to the developing ears while still covering the stalk to protect it from damage. Country Gentleman grows best with consistent soil moisture achieved through regular irrigation and thinning of neighboring plants to reduce competition for nutrients, water, and sunlight. 

Proper spacing between plants also helps minimize potential damage from pests like Japanese beetles and corn earworm larvae. Once harvested, the memorable shoepeg sweet corn taste comes from the extra-starchy, thick, and plump kernels that grow on the broad ear shoots. Cooks prize Country Gentleman for its deep, buttery sweetness when the ears are grilled, roasted, or prepared as cream-style corn. 

With its classic yellow color, storied pedigree, and undeniably rich flavor, Country Gentleman continues to be a favorite heirloom late-season sweet corn variety for home gardeners and chefs alike.

10. Weber’s Wonderful

Weber’s Wonderful is a popular midseason yellow sweet corn hybrid noted for its super sweet flavor, high yields, and long harvest window. The tall stalks produce symmetrical ears measuring 8 to 10 inches long and filled with golden yellow kernels in orderly rows on the cobs.

The medium-width upright leaves allow for ample sunlight exposure to maximize yields while still shading the ears during the hottest parts of the day. Weber’s Wonderful grows best with consistent soil moisture throughout the growing season achieved through regular irrigation.

Planting the sweet corn in wide 30-inch rows with proper three to four-foot in-row spacing maximizes yields per acre and minimizes the potential for pest damage from common threats like Japanese beetles and corn earworm larvae. 

Once harvested, the flavorful ears of Weber’s Wonderful offer an exceptionally sweet taste great for grilling, eating raw straight from the cob, or preparing as cream-style corn. The long harvest window of around three to four weeks allows gardeners to enjoy the supersweet flavor of freshly picked Weber’s Wonderful sweet corn for an extended period. 

With its vigorous growth, disease resistance, and high level of ear maturity uniformity, Weber’s Wonderful has emerged as a favorite choice for growing sweet corn with maximal sweetness potential.

Conclusion 

Growing and enjoying your own sweet corn is one of summertime’s simplest pleasures. Whether you choose early, mid or late-season varieties, focusing on proper care practices like providing ample sunlight, spacing plants appropriately, and maintaining even soil moisture will help maximize their natural flavor potential. 

• Silver Queen, Sugar Buns, and Precious Gem offer early-season sweetness with excellent flavor profiles.

• Midseason varieties like How Sweet It Is, Kandy Korn, and Peaches and Cream produce high yields of supersweet kernels.              

• Heirloom late-season selections like Golden Bantam Heritage and Country Gentleman offer the ultimate in traditional sweet corn taste.      

Most importantly, have fun experimenting to discover your own personal favorite varieties for an abundant harvest and truly memorable corn-on-the-cob eating experiences. With so many excellent options to choose from, the possibilities for sweet corn enjoyment in your garden are endless!