Glass Gem Corn

Check out ourCorn Growing Guideto learn more about how to grow corn in your garden.

Glass Gem Corn may look too beautiful to be real but this open-pollinated field corn variety is just as stunning in photos as it is in real life. Bred by the late Carl Barnes, Glass Gem Corn is the result of a lifetime of work by careful cross-pollination of different varieties of native heirloom Seeds that were specifically chosen for their striking color. The translucent kernels resemble glass beads and all have different colorations like lilac, merlot, robin’s egg blue, pearl, baby pink, and emerald green. This variety has a longer growing season and the stalks can grow from 6′-9′ tall producing ears that measure between 3″-8″. Glass Gem makes a truly stunning ornamental but can also be used as popcorn or ground into meal. Zea mays. 120 Days to Maturity.

Field corn should be planted in the spring after the last frost date. Corn can be grown throughout the warmer months up until fall, as long as time is permitted for harvest before the first frost. Succession planting is recommended with at least two plantings, one in early spring and one in late summer/early fall. Corn earworm pressure will be greater in the warmer months, but this can be alleviated by applying spinosad to silks and tassels once they appear.

We recommend planting Glass Gem Corn using a walk-behind planter like our Hoss Garden Seeder. Once plants emerge, thin plants to 8-12 depending on adequate irrigation. If drip irrigation is used, in-row spacing may be as close as 8. If water is scarce, wider in-row spacing will be necessary. For pollination purposes, corn should be planted in a square plot with rows on 30-36 spacing. Planting a few long rows will result in poor germination and the absence of kernels on the cobs.

Glass Gem Corn Planting Information

Planting Method: direct seed

When to Plant: after last frost

Planting Depth: 1

Seed Spacing: 8-12

Row Spacing: 30-36

Days to Maturity: 120

Disease Resistance: None