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Post by hiven on Dec 1, 2009 4:37:09 GMT -5
I am trying to find more infos about this beautiful corn/maize ,but so far not much info found apart from very ornamental. I am planning to grow 2 rows of them as an annual hedge and found it offer at here: www.tradewindsfruitstore.com/servlet/CategoriesAnyone grow these beauty before ? and what is your experience growing them (good or bad) ? Here is my plan, during early spring I will grow some pole peas at the site (it got a simple sturdy fence around 1.20 m tall, 9 meters long) and by early summer, the peas are gone and the Japonica Striped maize will can go in. These maize will hopefully work as a living shield against the tourist "staring eyes" as our hedge is still tiny. I will try to grow some sunflower too, looks lovely . Any thought to share ? Thanks in advance...
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Post by Penny on Dec 1, 2009 6:54:03 GMT -5
I grew that this year , i didnt have alot to start out with, and all i ended up with was 2 husks , but the color was amazing and it did quite well considering. Mine was in partial shade, and still got to roughly 5 feet , now i know if it was in full sun, it would have been higher. I think you'll be happy with it, and like i said, the colors ;D!!!
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Post by denninmi on Dec 1, 2009 16:00:59 GMT -5
I've grown it for a number of years. It's very pretty as an ornamental. Some years, I think mostly due to weather factors, the variegation is better than other years. It its best, it can be quite pink and white.
My original source was Thompson and Morgan, and the seeds were dark, burgundy-black. After probably six or seven years of saving my own, it has morphed into a range of pretty much all of the ornamental corn colors, from white/cream to almost black, with a lot of yellows, reds, oranges, browns in between.
By the way, this stuff is a popcorn, although it frankly doesn't pop as light and fluffy as many popcorns do, but it will work in a pinch.
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Post by stratcat on Dec 1, 2009 20:11:33 GMT -5
A few year's ago, I only had a few seeds sprout, so I grew Japonica in a triangle surrounded by a circle of purple millet and other flowers in the Hellstrip. Japonica is a pretty plant and a great focal point to distract prying eyes. john
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Post by Alan on Dec 1, 2009 20:30:04 GMT -5
I've never grown it but I seem to remember Ken Ettlinger of www.liseed.org having it on his seed list and there being a mention of it in his "ramblings" session. It is a very beatuiful plant from what I know of it and I believe is a dark crimson possibly purple kernal type corn.
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Post by pugs on Dec 1, 2009 20:46:29 GMT -5
I remember reading back in the dark ages, when I was in high school (or was it jr. high?) that Luther Burbank futher developed it. I don't know what he named it, but he used the Japonica Striped Maize in breeding his variety.
Pugs
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Post by gardenvato on Dec 2, 2009 0:03:29 GMT -5
its a fun one to grow. i didnt have a whole lot of plants, just put a few seeds randomly in the flowerbeds to add something interesting. they had a lot of great color, and considering how few plants there were there was actually really good ear development and i got a lot of seed for next year. im thinking ill put some seneca red stalker mixed in with these next year.
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Post by Alan on Dec 2, 2009 0:36:37 GMT -5
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Post by hiven on Dec 2, 2009 9:53:39 GMT -5
Thanks one and all, the JSM sounds like the right one... I am placing my order now . Any idea about the good/proper spacing ? It said that, a bigger/wider spacing will result in prettier colour of the leaves. I will grow 2 rows of 5 or 6 metres of these corn and then the rest will be for the red sunflower (Evening sunflowers). The site is very sunny (also pretty windy), the fence will come in handy as their support (if need be). TIA.
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Post by canadamike on Dec 2, 2009 18:51:13 GMT -5
I would plant it like I saw it in many places in Europe, around 35 cm between plants. This will insure plenty of sun touches the leaves, providing you with the colors.
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