Customer Service Hours
Mon-Fri 8-4 MST
Features
Family
Poaceae
Native
Americas
Life Cycle
Annual
Plant Height
Tall (Greater than 24")
Further Information
Growing Conditions
- Cold Tolerant
- Frost Sensitive
About Buttergold Sweet Corn Seeds
Zea mays (hybrid)
7"–8" ears with 12–14 rows of tightly packed yellow kernels.
Planting Corn
Plant Spacing
A group of 2 seeds every 12"
Light Required
Full sun
Plant Height
Tall (Greater than 24")
Planting Depth
1"–1 ½"
Planting Details
| Row Spacing | 24"–36" |
|---|---|
| Seed Depth | 1"–1 ½" |
| Seed Spacing | A group of 2 seeds every 12" |
| Thinning | When 4" tall, thin to 1 every 12" |
| Germination | 5–10 days |
| Start Indoors | Not recommended; roots sensitive to transplanting. Best results occur when seedlings are transplanted less than 2 weeks old. |
| Direct Sow | RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is at least 60°F; ideally 65°–90°F. |
| Growing & Harvesting | Corn is ready about 3 weeks after the silks appear. Harvest when the silks are brown, but not dried, and the husks are dark green; ears should be plump, and rounded rather than pointed at the tip. To test for ripeness, gently pull back the husk and pop a kernel; the liquid should be whitish; if it is still clear, ears are not quite ready. |
Find Your Frost Date & Grow Zone
Average First Frost Date
October 19
Average Last Frost Date
May 19
Your Hardiness Zone is
5b
Send Your Recommendation
Total 5 star reviews: 6 Total 4 star reviews: 3 Total 3 star reviews: 1 Total 2 star reviews: 2 Total 1 star reviews: 1
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Rating
Which best describes you as a gardener?
13 reviews
- GailRated 5 out of 5 stars1/13/26Delicious and really did set earlier~!
I am in Portland, OR, so was worried about having a long enough growing season for corn. I planted a very small patch by corn standards (4x8 feet) and was not consistent about feeding or watering after the seeds came up. We got lots of very sweet corn!
Tips for people who had problems: you really do have to water lots at first to get it going, and corn is a pretty heavy feeder (especially nitrogen). keep watering if you don't see good germination! You will need to plant the whole packet in a block to assist in wind pollination (you can't just grow 10 corn plants, you really do need a grid of 50 plus, but PACK 'EM IN - they like being shoulder-to shoulder so long as they get all the food and water and sun.
Great corn for people with shorter summers, VERY tasty eaten raw in the garden or just barely blanched with butter and salt. Thanks, Kevin!
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests1/19/26Hey Gail,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a detailed and helpful review of our Buttergold Sweet Corn Seeds! We're absolutely thrilled to hear that they set earlier as promised and gave you lots of very sweet corn, even in Portland's shorter growing season! Your success with just a 4x8 patch is fantastic and shows what's possible with this variety.
We really appreciate you sharing those valuable growing tips about watering, feeding, and planting in blocks for proper pollination - that's exactly the kind of wisdom that helps fellow gardeners succeed! Your advice about packing them in shoulder-to-shoulder is spot on. And we love that you enjoyed them both raw in the garden and lightly cooked - there's nothing quite like fresh sweet corn!
Thank you for choosing us and for sharing your growing success with us. Keep on growing 🌻️
- Patricia R.IL, United StatesVerified BuyerRated 3 out of 5 stars10/7/25Hot Summer
most seeds came up. dry hot summer caused no ear and very small ear development. Will try again next year
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateWho do you grow for? YourselfHow do you prefer to grow? In GroundBIBotanical Interests10/10/25Hey Patricia,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with Buttergold Sweet Corn Seeds! We're really glad to hear that most of your seeds came up beautifully - that strong germination is always such a promising start to the growing season!
We totally understand how challenging those dry, hot summer conditions can be for corn development, especially when it comes to ear formation. Sweet corn really does need consistent moisture during those critical pollination and ear-filling periods, and extreme heat can definitely impact how well those ears develop even when the plants themselves are growing strong.
Your plan to try again next year shows exactly the kind of gardening spirit we love to see! Sometimes Mother Nature throws us curveballs with weather conditions, but that good germination you experienced tells us you've got the growing skills to have great success with Buttergold when conditions are more favorable.
Your experience will be so helpful for other gardeners who might face similar hot, dry conditions - it's a great reminder of how important consistent watering can be during those crucial corn development stages, and that sometimes patience and trying again is just part of the gardening journey!
Keep on growing 🌻️
- Ariel H.Rated 4 out of 5 stars8/21/25Corn!!
First round of this corn failed me, so now I just let the beans climb them. But last week I planted a fresh round and I really hope to get some before Halloween! Taste so nice even when raw, it turns a beautiful yellow when boiled, and the taste is so nice.
Which best describes you as a gardener? BeginnerBIBotanical Interests8/21/25Hey Ariel,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with our Buttergold Sweet Corn Seeds! We love that you're making the most of that first round by letting the beans climb them - what a clever way to turn it into a support system! We're so glad to hear you planted a fresh round and we're keeping our fingers crossed that you get some delicious corn before Halloween. Your description of the taste being so nice even raw and turning that beautiful yellow when boiled really captures what makes Buttergold so special - that sweet, tender flavor is exactly what this variety is known for. Thanks for sticking with it and giving it another go, and we hope this second planting gives you plenty of those tasty ears you're looking forward to! Keep on growing 🌻️
- Ray W.Rated 4 out of 5 stars7/30/234 Stars
My first time planting Buttergold and it grew beautifully. I made the mistake of leaving it on the stalk until the silks started drying and that was too long. I should have harvested it earlier. Still, it was quite good, just not as good as it would have been had I harvested it at the right time. Corn is hard to grow here in my part of the Mohave desert but this did well.
- Carleton G.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars6/21/235 Stars
We purchased these seeds to put in storage so we haven't had a chance to try them yet. We will say the service was excellent and the shipping was fast and the seeds packaged beautifully.