The Cottage Gardener

Heirloom Seedhouse & Nursery

Preserving the Past. Protecting the Future

The Cottage Gardener Online Catalogue

We have been providing rare and endangered heirloom varieties of vegetables, herbs and flowers to gardeners and market growers since 1996. Our online catalogue has over 650 heirloom seed varieties available, in retail packet sizes and bulk amounts. We have one of the most diverse selections of Certified Organic seeds in Canada, and we add to this each year.

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905-786-2388
Fax:
905-786-2204
 
heirlooms@cottagegardener.com

Corn

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  1. A Description of Corn

    History: Native to the Americas, corn was one of the "Three Sisters", planted with squash and beans by First Nations people in one of the first companion-plantings. Originally a grain-like plant with tiny heads, it was developed by natural selection over thousands of years to produce the size of ears we are familiar with today. Cultivation: Direct sow seed 1/2 to 1" deep, after the soil has warmed. Sow 5-6 seeds per foot, in rows 30-40" apart. A minimum of 4 rows side by side are needed for best pollination. Companions: beans encourage growth; squash suppresses weeds; peas add nitrogen to the soil.

  2. Fresh-eating; Grinding; Decorating; Sustainably Grown
    Bloody Butcher Corn

    Fresh-eating; Grinding; Decorating; Sustainably Grown

    This is a very old dent corn, grown since at least 1845. Very tall (10-12'), sturdy stalks produce 12" cobs that are a beautiful dark red (hence the name). A later season corn, it needs 100-120 days to mature, but it is very drought-tolerant. The cobs are excellent for fall decorations, but they can also be eaten fresh when young or making red-flecked cornbread. Very rare.

  3. Sorghum Vulgare; Certified Organic
    Broom Corn, Mixed Colours

    Sorghum Vulgare; Certified Organic

    (Sorghum vulgare) (105 days) Not actually corn, but a type of sorghum (a grain), this is the crop used to make "corn brooms" centuries ago. I'm offering a mix of a number of heirloom varieties that grow in shades of gold, bronze, brown, black, burgundy and cream. The colour deepens as the seed-heads mature. Grow your own corn broom or use the stalks for dried arrangements!

  4. Fresh-eating; Certified Organic
    Country Gentleman Sweet Corn

    Fresh-eating; Certified Organic

    (80-100 days) Growing to 8', this old variety of sweet corn was very popular in the late 1800's. It gives good yields of very sweet and tender 6-8" cobs. It was also known as 'Shoe Peg', because its kernels are small and densely packed on the cob, not in rows. I believe that's because they look like they needed a shoe-peg to cram them in.

  5. Sweet Corn; Certified Organic
    Double Standard Sweet Corn

    Sweet Corn; Certified Organic

    SORRY, SOLD OUT. (73 days) This is an early maturing, open-pollinated sweet corn whose kernels are a mixture of yellow and white. Developed by Johnny's Seeds from two old heirloom varieties known for their sweetness and earliness, this beautiful corn grows to 5' and averages ears of 7" with 12-14 rows of yellow & white kernels (some will have yellow kernels only). Germinates well in cool soil. Finally - a bi-coloured sweet corn with that old-fashioned taste!

    Sold Out
    1. Pkt - 50 seeds: 3.00
    2. Trade Pack - 150 seeds: 6.00
  6. Decorative; Certified Organic
    Japonica Striped Maize Corn

    Decorative; Certified Organic

    1890's. This is a breathtakingly-beautiful ornamental corn originally from Japan. A rainbow of colours, it sports variegated leaves striped with green, white, yellow and pink; dark purple tassels and burgundy kernels. Grow a rainbow! Colours develop better when widely spaced.

  7. Grinding; Certified Organic
    Mandan Bride corn

    Grinding; Certified Organic

    (85-90 days) One of the best-tasting and most ornamental flour corns around! Mandan Bride bears soft, multi-coloured ears that have kernels that are various beautiful combinations of purple, red, yellow, white and variegated. The ears grow to 8" and the stalks to 6'. An old heirloom from the Mandan First Nations people of North Dakota. Tolerates heat and humidity well and ripens well in short-season areas. This one will do well in markets.

  8. Fresh-eating; grinding; decorating; Certified Organic
    Painted Mountain Corn

    Fresh-eating; grinding; decorating; Certified Organic

    (80-90 days) This all-around corn is the most widely adapted and genetically diverse corn available. Dave Christenson developed this variety over 20 years from a number of old native varieties. A very early producer, it is extremely hardy and tolerates poor soils. Narrow, 7" cobs come in an array of colours - oranges, golds, reds and purples - with each ear having its own unique colour combinations. Perfect for fall decorating, flour and also for eating fresh!

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  1. Faery Garden Collection

    1. 1 x Collection Package
      $ 12.00

Subtotal: $ 12.00

The Cottage Gardener

4199 Gilmore Rd., RR#1, Newtonville ON, L0A 1J0

heirlooms@cottagegardener.com

905-786-2388

Note: Due to recent U.S. changes in import regulations, we regret that we cannot ship seeds to the U.S. at this time.

© Cottage Gardener 2012