How to grow Popcorn
Updated October 2026
Popcorn is grown much like sweet corn, but the ears stay on the plant until the kernels are hard and dry. It needs a long warm season of about 100 days or more, a block planting for good pollination, and distance from any sweet corn. Home-grown popcorn keeps its pop for years if dried and stored well.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Popcorn
Not to be confused with: Popcorn and sweet corn are the same species and cross readily. Sweet corn pollinated by popcorn turns starchy, and popcorn pollinated by sweet or field corn pops poorly.
Where to plant
Grow popcorn in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil. Corn is wind pollinated, so plant several short rows in a square or rectangle rather than one long row; otherwise many kernels on each ear will be missing.
Keep popcorn away from sweet corn and field corn. Iowa State advises at least 300 feet between them, or staggered planting dates so the two do not shed pollen and silk at the same time.
- Florida, the Gulf South, Texas and the Desert Southwest: sow in early spring and again in late summer. In the desert, a September sowing will not dry down before frost, so sow by August.
- California and Hawaii: a long sowing window from spring into midsummer.
- Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic and Southern Plains: sow from mid to late spring into early summer.
- Northeast, Midwest, Northern Plains, Mountain West and the Pacific Northwest: sow in May or June once the soil is warm, and choose an early variety that matures in under 100 days.
- Alaska: the season is too short for popcorn to dry on the stalk.
Choosing a variety
Most popcorn needs more than 100 days. In short-season areas, choose earlier varieties such as Early Pink, Robust or White Snow Puff. Colorful types such as Strawberry are grown as much for decoration as for popping.
How to plant
- Test the soil if you can and add fertilizer to the results; corn is a heavy feeder, especially of nitrogen.
- Sow seed 1 to 2 inches deep once the soil has warmed after the last frost.
- Sow in a block of at least four short rows, 30 to 36 inches apart.
- Thin seedlings to one plant every 10 to 12 inches.
- Side-dress with nitrogen when plants are about a foot tall.
Watering and feeding
Popcorn needs about 1 inch of water a week from rain or watering. Water is most critical from tasseling through silking and kernel fill; dry soil at that stage gives poorly filled ears.
Iowa State suggests a side-dressing of nitrogen once plants are about a foot tall, following a soil test.
Harvesting
Leave the ears on the plant as long as possible so the kernels dry in the field. Harvest when the husks are completely dry and papery and the kernels are hard; in the Midwest that is usually mid to late September.
Peel back or remove the husks and hang the ears in a warm, dry, airy place away from mice. Kernels pop best at about 13 to 14 percent moisture. Each week, pop a small sample. When most kernels pop crisp and fluffy, shell the whole crop and store it in airtight jars. Chewy popcorn with jagged edges is still too wet; many unpopped kernels mean it has dried too far.
Using it
Stored airtight in a cool place, home-grown popcorn keeps its popping quality for several years. If a batch has dried out too far, add a spoonful of water to a sealed jar, shake, and leave it for a few days before testing again.
Companion planting
Popcorn can anchor a traditional Three Sisters planting, though corn mainly needs sun and room.
Good companions
- Beans Pole beans can climb the stalks once the corn is well established.
- Pumpkin Vines shade the ground between rows and smother weeds.
- Lettuce A quick crop that uses the space between young plants before they shade it out.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to popcorn.
- Sweet corn The two cross, spoiling both the sweet corn and the popcorn. Keep 300 feet apart or flower them at different times.
- Tomato Corn earworm and tomato fruitworm are the same insect, so growing them side by side gives it two hosts.
Pests and diseases
Popcorn shares the pests of sweet corn, though its hard kernels resist some damage late in the season.
Pests to watch for
- Corn earworm Caterpillars feeding in the tip of the ear under the husk, with damp droppings.
- Birds Pulled-up seedlings after sowing, and pecked, torn husks on ripening ears.
Diseases to watch for
- Rust Small, rusty orange powdery pustules on the leaves.
- Smut Large gray-white swellings on ears, tassels or stalks that burst into black powder. Cut off and remove before they break open.
Common questions
Can I grow popcorn next to sweet corn?
No. They cross-pollinate. Sweet corn pollinated by popcorn turns starchy, and popcorn pollinated by sweet or field corn pops poorly. Keep them at least 300 feet apart or plant them so they tassel at different times.
When do I harvest popcorn?
When the husks are completely dry and papery and the kernels are hard. Leave the ears on the plant as long as the weather allows, then finish drying them indoors.
Why won't my homegrown popcorn pop?
It is usually the moisture. Popcorn pops best at about 13 to 14 percent moisture. Chewy, jagged popcorn is too wet, so dry it longer. Many unpopped kernels mean it is too dry, so add a little water to a sealed jar and wait a few days.
How long does popcorn take to grow?
Most varieties need more than 100 days from sowing, and then time to dry. In short-season areas, choose an early variety such as Early Pink, Robust or White Snow Puff.
How should I plant popcorn for good ears?
Plant a block of several short rows rather than a single long row. Corn is wind pollinated, and a block gives each silk the best chance of catching pollen, which gives fully filled ears.
How long does homegrown popcorn keep?
Several years when shelled and stored in airtight containers in a cool place.
Sources we checked: Iowa State University Extension: Growing and harvesting popcorn in the home garden; University of Minnesota Extension: Growing popcorn; Utah State University Extension: How to grow popcorn in your garden; University of Vermont Extension: Growing popcorn.
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