Strawberry Popcorn Seeds

Strawberry popcorn grows small, red ears shaped a little like strawberries. Let the ears mature and dry fully before testing a few kernels for popping.

Packet: 15 seeds

Planting at a glance

• Season: Warm season
• Start: Direct sow in blocks rather than one long row
• Seed depth: 1–1½ inches
• Germination: Usually 4–7 days around 65–85°F
• Final spacing: Thin to 8–12 inches; rows about 28–36 inches apart
• Light: Full sun
• Harvest planning: A full-season dry-ear crop: leave ears until husks are dry and kernels are hard; curing continues after harvest

When to plant

Plant outdoors after frost danger passes and the soil has warmed. In short-season areas, count back from your intended outdoor planting date for indoor starts. South Florida sweet-corn planting is generally October–March.

How to plant

1. Prepare loose, well-drained soil or a clean seed-starting mix. Direct sow in blocks rather than one long row.
2. Sow 1–1½ inches deep. Keep the seedbed evenly moist until seedlings emerge. Then water when the soil needs it, allowing excess water to drain.
3. Thin or transplant to the listed final spacing. Give seedlings sufficient light and check moisture as roots establish.

How to harvest

Harvest mature ears with dry husks, then dry the kernels further in an airy place. Test a small batch before shelling the whole crop; popcorn needs suitable kernel moisture to pop.

Aunt E’s tip: Keep different corn types apart in time or distance to reduce unwanted cross-pollination.

This is popcorn, so do not use the milk-stage harvest cue for sweet corn.