Mirai Sweet Corn

[TomatoDon]

I saw this in Parks' Seed and it sure sounds good. I have some ready to plant. Has anyone here tried it?

Don

[douglasls]

I have 16 Mirai-I think 131Y- corn plants from Parks in an Earthbox growing for about a month. The largest stalk is about waist high. I was afraid to plant so many in the Earthbox, but that is what they specify. They look extremely healthy. I sized them up against a farmers field of corn and my plants were definitely bigger. I always heard the phrase "knee high by July" as a kid so I assume these plants are doing great. I have never grown corn before so I personally have nothing to compare. I was a little worried to since it does not get full sun all day, but so far so good!

[douglasls]

Well my Mirai corn in the Earthbox trial was a bust. The top tassels came out so much sooner than the ears. By the time the tassels on the ears were showing the pollen was almost all gone and then it rained hard and I am sure all the pollen was washed off. I opened up a few of the ears this weekend and it was sparse kernal development. Bummer because the few kernals I did get were incredibly sweet. I planted another set of about 23 plants in a regular container a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully I won't run out of time to try it again this summer. They produce in about 70-75 days. This time I will bag the top tassels so the pollen is not gone when the ears develop. Does anyone know if that is unusual to have the ears come in so far behind the top tassels that the pollen is gone?

[Razorback04]

I have the 301BC bi-color Mirai from Park Seed, and it's just starting to mature. I didn't have any problems at all with the tassels maturing before the silks, and the few ears that I've opened so far have had great kernel coverage.

Park's web site recommends to:

Let the ears mature fully, following the old rules about waiting 3 weeks after the silks appear, checking that the silks are brown and brittle before picking

....but of course, I wanted to sample it asap. The 4 ears of corn that I've tried so far have been very, very tender. As far as it being just incredibly sweet, well....it's been sweet but not unbelievably so. I'd say that it's been lacking in corn flavor, but that may be because I jumped the gun and pulled some early. It's does look nice. It's a nice bi-color yellow and white with good tip coverage. Park also mentions that it's a

very, very heavy-yielding

. That's not how mine is, but mine could be planted a little too close.

So far, I'd say the jury is still out on this one. I should be able to give a better update in a week or so.

[Razorback04]

Here are a few pics of my Mirai corn. As I said earlier, it's very, very tender, and it's also sweet. IMO, it lacks a little corn flavor, but everyone else that I've had try it just raves about it.

[douglasls]

WOW! It looks gorgeous! I did not even get half full of an ear of kernals. Maybe I will get some of the cultivar you grew for next year. But like I said what was there was very sweet!