Forgotten Gems landrace corn

I successfully grew and bred corn last year from cherokee glass gem and peaches x cream hybrid.  I used no water or fertilizers,  looking to grow something hearty for the missouri weather.  I planted it again this year and will be doing the same, selecting the more vigorous plant seed.

 Again this year, no water or fertilizers will be used.   A forgotten plant set into the margins.   I have 3 locations with 15 to 25 plants in each. Will attempt to expand next year to 150 plants.

The plants are rather short, between 2 and 3 feet at maturity last year. Maybe lack of extra water....  but these babies need to be tough.

The 3rd spot. Its fertile and moist all the time. A real gem of a yard. This blob is the exact same plant time as the two previous photos (spring full moon right before rain) .  

Same routine, no water no fert.  Compost occasionally, but I'm trying to build topsoil with guilds instead. This is 12ft off the south drip line of a 40 - 50ft sycamore.  Jujube and seed apple is on that drip line, with this bed in the drip line of those in 5 or 10 years hopefully.  

There's one big one that I'm eyeing.  It's so purdy

Interesting mix.  Once you establish your hardier variety, are you going to then select for wrinkled seeds (sweetness with color)?  I'm across the river from you in IL, and am working on a couple sweet corn projects myself.  

Once I get some hardiness I'll go from there.   Fresh kernels were pretty sweet to eat this past year.  made into popcorn they werent big and fluffy but still very edible.  

I'd be curious to hear updates on your corn project as time goes on.  Thanks!

Hard year already, my old hardpan spot generally isn't happy.   Since it is isolated from the other 2 spots I'll put an * on the no watering and ensure that things don't die.

The other 2 spots are holding strong though despite 100f and zero rain for weeks.

My infamiliarity with corns cycle may have led to a critical error. The heat combined with lack of water for 2 to 3 weeks caused the pollen to throw from most but only one silk developed. I will attempt to collect pollen from good plants in case of later silk development, although it seems that would defeat the purpose of selecting for drought tolerance.  I'll have to keep seed separate from the one plant that made the silk .

I did a staggered planting time so there is hope some of the smaller ones that didn't bloom will bloom later.

If this resets the project I'll go about a more subtle weaning of supplemental water over the summers. Any resources for corn genetics?

They took to a few waterings well, the staggered planting has ensured plenty of pollen waves.

john holmes wrote:Any resources for corn genetics?

Are you looking for advice, reading material or seeds?

T Melville wrote:

john holmes wrote:Any resources for corn genetics?

Are you looking for advice, reading material or seeds?

Any of the above. I suspect that adding genetics over the years will be beneficial. But I don't want to just add any old corn

One thing about corn genetics, is glass gem is bred by a Cherokee man, but I know 2 of the Corns, long time read ago, where of different tribal decent then Cherokee. Pretty sure it’s more a western corn, but can’t find the info again. I really like native seed search for corn, mostly western arid corns, highly recommend them for crossing. Heirloom corn has much more protein in seed, protein correlates directly as nitrogen, therefore may do better from that standpoint. I didn’t fertilize or irrigate either, some I planted a little to tight, but the latter planting is getting fat. Hope rain falls, it still alive with almost no rain since the later batch sprouted.