Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Bodacious in USDA Zone 7
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Bodacious · Zones 3–10
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | August – September |
| Zone 4 | — | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 5 | — | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 6 | — | — | May – July | July – October |
| Zone 7 | — | — | April – August | June – October |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – August | June – November |
| Zone 9 | — | — | March – September | May – November |
| Zone 10 | — | — | February – September | May – December |
Complete Growing Guide
Before planting Bodacious corn, prepare your site with full sun exposure and well-drained soil. While this variety adapts to various soil types, you'll get the best results by working 2-3 inches of compost into your planting area and ensuring pH stays between 6.0-6.8. Space your rows 30-36 inches apart to allow for good air circulation, which helps prevent fungal issues even with Bodacious's natural disease resistance.
Direct sow your seeds when soil temperature consistently reaches 60°F - typically mid-April in zones 7-8 and early May in zones 5-6. Plant seeds 1-1.5 inches deep and 6-8 inches apart, then thin to 12 inches once seedlings emerge. Unlike many corn varieties, Bodacious's exceptional heat tolerance means you can make successive plantings every 2-3 weeks through mid-July, extending your harvest well into fall.
Fertilize at planting with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer, then side-dress with nitrogen when plants reach knee-high (about 18 inches). Apply another nitrogen boost when tassels first appear. Consistent moisture is crucial during tasseling and silk development - aim for 1-1.5 inches weekly, but avoid overhead watering once silks emerge to prevent disease.
Plant in blocks of at least 4 rows rather than single long rows to ensure proper wind pollination. Poor pollination shows up as kernels missing from cob tips, a common mistake when corn is planted in insufficient blocks.
Watch for corn earworms starting when silks appear - apply mineral oil to silk tips every few days as a natural deterrent. European corn borers tunnel into stalks, so remove any plants showing sawdust-like frass around the base. Bodacious's strong disease resistance means you'll rarely see Stewart's wilt or rust issues that plague other varieties, making it particularly valuable in humid climates where these diseases typically thrive.
Harvesting
Harvest Bodacious corn 75-80 days after planting when silks turn brown and dry but husks remain green and tightly wrapped. The key test is feeling the ear through the husk - it should feel plump and full with kernels reaching the tip. Perform the thumbnail test by peeling back a small section of husk and pressing a kernel with your thumbnail. Ripe kernels will release milky juice, while overripe ones appear doughy.
Harvest in early morning when sugars are at their peak, ideally before 10 AM. Twist and pull ears downward with a quick snapping motion, or use a sharp knife to cut the stalk just below the ear. Bodacious maintains its sweetness longer than many varieties due to its heat-stable genetics, but still consume within 24 hours for peak flavor. The variety's robust ear structure means you're less likely to damage kernels during harvest compared to more delicate sweet corn varieties.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Bodacious corn stores best with husks left on, kept in the refrigerator for up to one week. Remove husks only just before cooking to maintain moisture and sweetness. For longer storage, blanch ears in boiling water for 4-6 minutes depending on size, then plunge into ice water before cutting kernels from cob and freezing in portion-sized bags.
Bodacious excels for canning due to its firm kernel structure that holds up well to processing. Use standard boiling water bath methods for whole kernel or cream-style corn. The variety's natural sweetness intensifies slightly during canning, making it superior to field corn for preservation. You can also dehydrate kernels at 125°F for 12-18 hours to create your own corn meal or storage corn that rehydrates well in soups and stews.
History & Origin
Bodacious corn was developed in the 1990s by American seed breeders specifically to address the growing challenge of maintaining sweet corn quality in increasingly hot summers across the Southern United States. As climate patterns shifted and gardeners in traditionally cooler regions began experiencing more frequent heat waves, there was a clear need for a variety that could deliver consistent sweetness and tenderness even when temperatures soared above 90°F for extended periods.
The variety was created through careful hybridization, selecting parent lines with exceptional heat tolerance and disease resistance while maintaining the classic sweet corn flavor profile that American gardeners expected. Bodacious represented a breakthrough in heat-stable genetics, allowing Southern growers and those in hot climates to enjoy fresh sweet corn throughout the summer months when other varieties would typically become starchy and tough. Its name reflects the bold promise it delivered - outstanding performance when other varieties failed, earning it a reputation as the "go-to" variety for challenging growing conditions.
Advantages
- +Maintains sweetness and tenderness even during prolonged heat waves above 90°F
- +Exceptional resistance to Stewart's wilt and common rust eliminates major disease concerns
- +Allows extended planting season through mid-July due to superior heat tolerance
- +Produces consistently full ears with minimal tip fill issues compared to heat-sensitive varieties
- +Strong stalk structure resists lodging in summer storms and high winds
- +Kernels hold their quality 24-48 hours longer than standard sweet corn after harvest
- +Excellent processing qualities make it ideal for freezing and canning with minimal quality loss
Considerations
- -As a hybrid, seeds cannot be saved for next season's planting
- -Requires consistent nitrogen feeding for optimal ear development and size
- -Still susceptible to corn earworm and requires monitoring during silk emergence
- -Occasionally affected by corn smut in very wet conditions despite disease resistance
- -May produce smaller ears than some varieties if planted in poor or unamended soil
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Beans
Fix nitrogen in soil that corn can utilize, part of the Three Sisters planting method
Nasturtiums
Trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, deters corn earworms
Marigolds
Repel corn earworms, aphids, and nematodes with their strong scent
Squash
Ground cover suppresses weeds and retains soil moisture, completes the Three Sisters
Sunflowers
Attract beneficial insects and can serve as natural corn supports when planted strategically
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and parasitic wasps that control corn pests
Lettuce
Benefits from corn's shade and doesn't compete for nutrients due to shallow roots
Cucumbers
Can climb corn stalks for support while corn provides partial shade
Keep Apart
Tomatoes
Both are heavy nitrogen feeders creating competition, and corn can harbor tomato fruitworm
Brassicas
Corn can stunt growth of cabbage family plants and both compete for similar nutrients
Black Walnut Trees
Release juglone which is toxic to corn and inhibits growth and development
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Excellent resistance to Stewart's wilt and common rust. Good resistance to northern corn leaf blight and gray leaf spot.
Common Pests
Corn earworm, European corn borer, lesser cornstalk borer
Diseases
Occasionally affected by smut, resistant to most major corn diseases