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Homestead Popcorn (Zea mays var. everta) Seeds – Open-Pollinated Multicolor Mottled Ears, 3.5-5 Ft Plants, Delicious & Decorative

$3.49
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Minimum: 15+ Seeds

Mottled, Multicolor Ears That Pop and Decorate

Some corn is grown to eat, and some is grown to display. Homestead Popcorn does both. These small, mottled ears in a wild range of colors and they pop into genuinely delicious popcorn while doubling as some of the best autumn and holiday decor you can grow. Every year, saving a few ears for seed can turn up new color patterns you haven't seen before. This is open-pollinated seed.

Who Grows Homestead Popcorn?
The home gardener wanting a popcorn that's as decorative as it is delicious.
The homesteader wanting an easy, productive crop for the pantry and the fall table.
The seed saver who enjoys watching new color patterns appear from year to year.
The crafter and decorator wanting colorful ears for autumn and holiday displays.

What This Heirloom-Style Popcorn Actually Is
Zea mays var. everta 'Homestead' is an open-pollinated popcorn developed on this homestead from a cross of three parents: Strawberry Popcorn, Dakota Black Popcorn, and an ancient Seneca variety. Plants grow 3.5 to 5 feet tall and generally produce two small ears each. Kernel colors vary widely from ear to ear, and most are mottled and speckled in a pattern that makes each ear one of a kind. Because the variety is open-pollinated and descended from several colorful parents, saved seed tends to bring new surprise patterns season after season. Grown as a warm-season annual, not frost-hardy.

In the Garden & Kitchen

  • Popping: Dry the ears fully, shell the kernels, and pop them for fresh homemade popcorn.
  • Autumn and holiday decor: Display the colorful ears in wreaths, centerpieces, and rustic arrangements.
  • Seed saving: Keep a few ears each year to grow out and see what new patterns appear.
  • Homestead pantry: Store dried kernels for popcorn through the winter.
  • Children's garden project: Grow for the fun of colorful ears and homemade popcorn.
  • Fall gifts: Share dried ears or shelled popcorn as handmade seasonal gifts.

Growing Homestead Popcorn Seeds

  • Start method: Direct sow outdoors after last frost, once soil has warmed.
  • Germination: Sprouts in 7 to 10 days in warm soil.
  • Soil temperature: Germinates best between 60 and 85°F.
  • Spacing: Space plants 10 to 12 inches apart in rows.
  • Planting layout: Plant in blocks of several rows rather than a single row, since corn is wind-pollinated.
  • Sunlight: Full sun.
  • Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil supports the strongest growth and ear fill.
  • Watering: Consistent moisture, especially during tasseling and ear formation.
  • Harvest: Let ears mature and dry on the stalk, then pick once the husks are dry and papery.
  • Curing: Finish drying the ears in a warm, airy spot for several weeks before shelling and popping.
  • Isolation note: Keep away from sweet corn and field corn, which can cross-pollinate and spoil popping quality.
  • Hardiness: Grown as a warm-season annual; killed by frost.

Before You Close This Page
This is the popcorn that earns its spot twice, once on the table and once on the mantel. Homestead Popcorn offers mottled, multicolor ears on compact 3.5 to 5 foot plants that are easy to grow and generous with their harvest. Keep some ears for seed, and each year the colors may surprise you. Grow the popcorn that's delicious, decorative, and a little different every season.