We had similar results with our stalks here in Utah just north of SLC - 6 stalks, about 10 viable ears and only two that came out like the really cool glass kernels. After using the nicest ears to decorate the table in our entryway I held the seeds to try and plant again next year. I am hoping to get enough (and yes, I know it means planting more) to grind into flour to have cornbread made using our own harvest. Guess we'll see what next year brings. Thanks for sharing this video!
I'm glad to hear you had similar results to mine! I wasn't sure if my yield was good or bad or average since this was my first time growing it. I too saved a few dozen seeds to grow next year. Let's hope we both have an awesome crop next season! Thanks so much for stopping by!
You actually need to wait till January for the kernels to dry out more. I grew this corn this year and am still waiting 1 more week to have some home grown popcorn!
Do I leave the corn out on the stalk till it is dry or pick and dry them inside where bugs and critters don't get to them? How do you tell if they are dry enough to pop? Can it get too dry and cause problems popping? 1st time growing and I dehydrated some over night and hardly any popped. So I assume it's still too moist. Any advice.
Hi Kim, that's a great suggestion! Thank you so much. I would not have thought to do that. I'll be growing this again next year and I will be sure to try that method. Thanks again!
I was thinking they might be too dry too. They need moisture inside to build up enough pressure to pop. I think about %12 to %14 moisture is best from what I've read but I don't know how to test that.
I've been eyeballing the glass gem corn on a couple different websites for a bit. It's interesting to see what you got when you grew yours. I did NOT expect to see the ears turn out like that as far as coloration goes--like the one that you saved back that's all blue-purple shades, for example, and that wee stumpy one being all burgundy kernels. I rather expected more mixed up colors on each ear, kind of like on the one you described as gorgeous. One thing that I do with corn that I didn't see in the video: I rub the kernels off like you showed and then, in a fair breeze or in front of a fan, I will slowly pour the loose kernels from one bowl to the other several times so the moving air can help to blow away the little fluffy bits from the cob without blowing away your kernels. You'll get a cleaner product that way. But you may well have done something like that and cut it out of the video (short and concise, after all). While I did see a bit of what looked like cob chaff blowing out the top of the popper, there wasn't very much. It may not be a big issue with this particular variety, either. Your poor yielding ears, like that burgundy one, are most likely the product of poor pollination if I had to guess. If you try it again next year (or any other corn for that matter) you might consider tying paper bags over the tassels to catch the pollen, then kind of dusting it onto the silks by hand, or slipping them into the pollen bag and giving them a shake. I think there's even bags available specifically for that. My grandma did something similar when she grew sweet corn on the farm and the field corn was planted close. She'd bag off the silks as well to make sure they didn't get pollinated by the field corn or they'd end up with tougher, less sweet kernels than they were supposed to have. Corn's got a LOT of genetics and it's AWFUL promiscuous if you give it half a chance!
Hey there! Thanks so much for watching. These are great suggestions you make about the pollination and sifting out the chaff. I will try both of those methods next year! Promiscuous corn, hahaha!! That's a great way of putting it! I had the same expectations you did as far as the coloration of the kernels. I was surprised to see many of the cobs stayed within a similar color range. It really was quite exciting opening each one because you never knew what you were going to get! Definitely a fun variety that I will be growing again. I hope you'll give it a try too! Best of luck!
I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. Especially since it was out for decoration. Could be it just dried to much. At the same time, from the ads I read, it sounded to me like it isn't a 'true' popcorn, but rather a hybrid that CAN pop. So could be that even at the ideal moisture content it might not do as well as we are used to seeing from regular old store-bought popcorn.
Hey there! They're best to harvest once the ears turn brown and dry out. I harvested some too early before and the color wasn't really there yet. They were still a yellowish white color. Once they're fully dry, they'll be beautiful and ready to use!
We had similar results with our stalks here in Utah just north of SLC - 6 stalks, about 10 viable ears and only two that came out like the really cool glass kernels. After using the nicest ears to decorate the table in our entryway I held the seeds to try and plant again next year. I am hoping to get enough (and yes, I know it means planting more) to grind into flour to have cornbread made using our own harvest. Guess we'll see what next year brings. Thanks for sharing this video!
I'm glad to hear you had similar results to mine! I wasn't sure if my yield was good or bad or average since this was my first time growing it. I too saved a few dozen seeds to grow next year. Let's hope we both have an awesome crop next season! Thanks so much for stopping by!
You actually need to wait till January for the kernels to dry out more. I grew this corn this year and am still waiting 1 more week to have some home grown popcorn!
oh wow! I will try that next year. Thanks so much!
@@inchwormgardens
Did it end up working?
Do I leave the corn out on the stalk till it is dry or pick and dry them inside where bugs and critters don't get to them? How do you tell if they are dry enough to pop? Can it get too dry and cause problems popping? 1st time growing and I dehydrated some over night and hardly any popped. So I assume it's still too moist. Any advice.
Love an experiment! Thanks for sharing your results with us. ❤🎉
Thank you so much! Thanks for watching!
If your kernels are too dry they may not pop well. Put them in a mason jar, add 1 tsp. Of water and let sit over night, and try again!
Hi Kim, that's a great suggestion! Thank you so much. I would not have thought to do that. I'll be growing this again next year and I will be sure to try that method. Thanks again!
I was thinking they might be too dry too. They need moisture inside to build up enough pressure to pop. I think about %12 to %14 moisture is best from what I've read but I don't know how to test that.
That was some crazy looking kernels!
Yeah! Really pretty corn.
I've been eyeballing the glass gem corn on a couple different websites for a bit. It's interesting to see what you got when you grew yours. I did NOT expect to see the ears turn out like that as far as coloration goes--like the one that you saved back that's all blue-purple shades, for example, and that wee stumpy one being all burgundy kernels. I rather expected more mixed up colors on each ear, kind of like on the one you described as gorgeous.
One thing that I do with corn that I didn't see in the video: I rub the kernels off like you showed and then, in a fair breeze or in front of a fan, I will slowly pour the loose kernels from one bowl to the other several times so the moving air can help to blow away the little fluffy bits from the cob without blowing away your kernels. You'll get a cleaner product that way. But you may well have done something like that and cut it out of the video (short and concise, after all). While I did see a bit of what looked like cob chaff blowing out the top of the popper, there wasn't very much. It may not be a big issue with this particular variety, either.
Your poor yielding ears, like that burgundy one, are most likely the product of poor pollination if I had to guess. If you try it again next year (or any other corn for that matter) you might consider tying paper bags over the tassels to catch the pollen, then kind of dusting it onto the silks by hand, or slipping them into the pollen bag and giving them a shake. I think there's even bags available specifically for that. My grandma did something similar when she grew sweet corn on the farm and the field corn was planted close. She'd bag off the silks as well to make sure they didn't get pollinated by the field corn or they'd end up with tougher, less sweet kernels than they were supposed to have. Corn's got a LOT of genetics and it's AWFUL promiscuous if you give it half a chance!
Hey there! Thanks so much for watching. These are great suggestions you make about the pollination and sifting out the chaff. I will try both of those methods next year!
Promiscuous corn, hahaha!! That's a great way of putting it!
I had the same expectations you did as far as the coloration of the kernels. I was surprised to see many of the cobs stayed within a similar color range. It really was quite exciting opening each one because you never knew what you were going to get!
Definitely a fun variety that I will be growing again. I hope you'll give it a try too! Best of luck!
I would guess your moisture content was not optimal.
Probably too dry.
Hi Greg, thanks for the input! Maybe I'll try removing the kernels earlier and storing them in a glass jar. I do plan on growing these again!
I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. Especially since it was out for decoration. Could be it just dried to much.
At the same time, from the ads I read, it sounded to me like it isn't a 'true' popcorn, but rather a hybrid that CAN pop. So could be that even at the ideal moisture content it might not do as well as we are used to seeing from regular old store-bought popcorn.
@@joshuatheregularguy8974 That's a great point! I think the true value of this variety is just the beauty of it.
Put the kernels in the freezer to add moisture.
Hi Cynthia, thanks so much for the suggestion! I appreciate that.
The glass gem corn you have are beautiful!! Thanks for the video. Curious about why the corn didn’t pop. Good to see the kids!!
Thank you!! 🥰
When do you harvest the ears off the stalks?
Hey there! They're best to harvest once the ears turn brown and dry out. I harvested some too early before and the color wasn't really there yet. They were still a yellowish white color. Once they're fully dry, they'll be beautiful and ready to use!
@@inchwormgardens Thanks! : )