Silver Queen Corn
Zea mays 'Silver Queen'
vegetableSilver Queen is a classic late-season white sweet corn, prized for its large ears packed with small, tender, creamy-white kernels and an old-fashioned sweet corn flavor. A standard sugary hybrid maturing in about 88 to 92 days, it is a longtime favorite for fresh eating, best picked and cooked the same day before its sugars turn to starch.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 3 days
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Harvest
~92 days
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Difficulty
medium
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Lifecycle
annual
One season, then done
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Spacing
8-12 in. apart (in blocks)
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Planting Depth
1-2 in.
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Soil pH
6.0-6.8
Growing Details
Soil Type
Rich, well-drained
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4 – 11
Grown as an annual. This range is its winter hardiness, but you can grow it for a single season in any zone.
When to Fertilize
At planting and again when knee-high
Fertilizer
Nitrogen-rich (21-0-0)
🌱 Growing Guide
Sow seed directly after the last frost once the soil reaches at least 60F, planting in blocks of at least four short rows rather than one or two long ones, since corn is wind-pollinated and block planting ensures the ears fill out fully. Give full sun, rich soil, and plenty of nitrogen and water, especially as the plants tassel and the ears fill, and keep this sugary type isolated from other corn to protect its flavor.
Planting Calendar
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Direct sow
Apr 29
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Projected first harvest
Jul 30
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Beans: Fix nitrogen and climb the stalks in a three-sisters planting
- Squash: Shades the soil and deters raccoons in a three-sisters bed
- Borage: Draws pollinators and beneficial insects
- Sunflowers: Support beneficials at the field edge
❌ Keep away from
Tomatoes
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Apply a few drops of mineral oil to silk tips after pollination; plant on time
Rotate, destroy stalk debris after harvest, and choose tolerant types
Fence or use an interplanted squash understory to deter them near harvest
🌾 Harvest & storage
Pick about three weeks after the silks appear, when the silks are brown and dry, the ears feel full, and a punctured kernel spurts a milky juice. Sweet corn peaks only briefly, and standard sugary varieties lose sweetness within a day, so harvest just before cooking and chill or eat the ears promptly.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
Sweet corn provides fiber, B vitamins like folate and thiamin, vitamin C, and potassium, along with the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin that support eye health, in a satisfying, naturally sweet package.
For educational and informational purposes only. HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.