Corn Maize - Manning White

Note:This seed is not pure. We have tried to select out to purity but there is still red corn in the genetic pool. Cobs are either pure red or pure white in colour. Currently 90% of cobs are white.

(Zea mays) - Certified Organic Seed - Grown at Greenpatch Organic Seeds

NOT TO WA

Manning white is a tall grower to 3.5 metres, producing 1 large cob of white corn. Eat fresh or use as animal feed. Bred in the Manning Valley since 1932.  Manning White Maize is a Australia variety of open pollinated heirloom maize. When eaten young Manning White is rather sweet and enjoyable.

How to Grow

Corn is a heavy feeder of key nutrients in your soil, it is important to plant corn in very fertile soil with good moisture holding capacity. You can improve your soil by using compost, animal manures and fertilisers. Choose a full sun position and sow during the warmer months in Spring & Summer. Sow seed direct into the garden by forming a furrow roughly 2cm deep. Sow a couple of seeds together then cover with 2cm of soil and keep moist until germinated. Thin out plants to the strongest seedling once they germinate. Space seeds 30cm apart and try to grow in blocks of at least 10 plants to improve pollination.

Plants will set cobs between 70-90 days depending on the variety. For maize varieties allow the cob to mature on the plant before you harvest. Harvest time is indicated by the colour of the sheath on the cob with 50% of it needing to be brown off before picking. Ideally allow 100% of the sheath to dry off before harvest. 

Sow spring & summer direct into garden.

Packet contains approx 40 seeds.

Open pollinated variety, Non - Hybrid, Non - GMO

80 days to harvest

Uses

Manning White Maize is primarily grown as a feed corn for cattle. The cob can be harvested and stored as grain or the whole plant can be fed to cattle. The young imature cobs are excellent eating either fresh or on the BBQ. 

Corn/Maize Success Story

We received this seed as part of our corn/maize project. With many heirloom varieties no longer being grown in Australia we felt there was a need to find varieties, get them grown out and re-distribute seeds amongst home gardeners to ensure they are easily available into the future. Manning White Maize was bred as a cattle feed in the Manning Valley with the area being strong in the dairy industry. This variety was almost lost for good but a local farmer had a small amount of seed that he grew year by year. We decided to grow this variety and it produced huge cobs laden with large white kernels. It was easy to see why it was used as animal feed with the sheer volume it produced. Surprisingly we found ourselves eating fresh cobs like sweet corn, it isn't as sweet but it was very tasty and perfect for the BBQ. We will continue this project into the future and we are always on the lookout for unusual varieties or people willing to grow a crop for us.