The Hickory King variety of corn is more of a dent, or field corn, than it is a sweet corn classification. While it tastes very sweet, Hickory King is used most often for roasting ears or for grinding. The plant will grow to 6 to 12 feet high and will produce two to three ears of corn. Hickory King is an heirloom seed plant and is not a hybrid, so seed can be saved each year for the next year's planting.
Instructions
1. Select the area of the garden where you wish to plant the corn. You will need a large area, as you need to plant the corn approximately 9 to 12 inches apart, and you will need several rows for open pollination to occur.
2. Test your soil using a soil test kit available at your local garden center or hardware store. Hickory King prefers soil that is neutral with a pH reading 6.6 to 7.5. Discuss with your garden center whether you may need fertilizers or soil conditioners to bring your garden soil into the proper pH range.
3. Plant the seed 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep and 9 to 12 inches apart in rows that are 12 inches apart.
4. Replant any seed that does not germinate within two weeks. Remove and replant seedlings that appear weak or unhealthy.
5. Test for maturity after 100 days. Depending on how far south your are, the corn matures in 100 to 130 days. Mature Hickory King ears are 7 to 8 inches long, 5 inches in diameter and have approximately 10 to 12 rows of kernels. The kernels will juice when split with your thumbnail when they are mature.
6. Allow several ears to remain on a few plants until the corn is dried. This will give you seed for next season's plantings.
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