1# POPCORN-PURDUE 410 YELLOW

Purdue 410 Yellow Popcorn Seed is a well‑known open‑pollinated popcorn variety developed at Purdue University, prized for its excellent popping expansion, classic popcorn flavor, and reliability.

🌽 Variety Overview

• Type: Popcorn (dent‑type popcorn)

• Kernel Color: Yellow

• Ear Size: 4–6 inches

• Plant Height: 7–8 feet

• Days to Maturity: ~100–110 days

• Popped Corn: Large flakes, crisp texture, rich corn flavor

• Use: Home popcorn, drying, long‑term storage

✅ Why Grow Purdue 410

• Excellent popping expansion (large, fluffy popcorn)

• Strong, classic “theater‑style” popcorn flavor

• Developed for Midwest growing conditions

• Good disease tolerance and sturdy stalks

• Performs well in gardens and small plots

This variety is popular with home gardeners and small‑scale growers who want dependable yields and high‑quality popcorn.

🌤️ Growing Conditions

• Season: Warm‑season crop

• Sun: Full sun (8+ hours)

• Soil: Fertile, well‑drained soil

• Soil pH: 6.0–6.8

• Soil Temperature for Planting: Minimum 60°F

⚠️ Popcorn is frost sensitive plant after danger of frost has passed.

🌾 Planting Instructions

• When to Plant:

  • Late spring, once soil is warm

• How to Plant:

  • Depth: 1–1½ inches

  • Spacing: 10–12 inches apart

  • Rows: 30–36 inches apart

  • Plant in blocks (at least 4 short rows) for proper wind pollination

🚫 Isolation Needed:
Keep Purdue 410 isolated from:

• Sweet corn

• Other popcorn varieties
  (by distance or timing) to prevent cross‑pollination.

💧 Care & Maintenance

• Water deeply during tasseling and ear development

• Side‑dress with compost or balanced fertilizer at knee‑high stage

• Control weeds early—young corn competes poorly

🌽 Harvesting

• Leave ears on stalks until husks are dry and brown

• Harvest when kernels are hard and fully mature

• Finish drying indoors in a warm, well‑ventilated area for 2–4 weeks

🍿 Popping & Storage

• Ideal popping moisture: 13–14%

• Test by popping small batches

• Store fully dried kernels in airtight containers

• Flavor often improves after several weeks of curing

🌿 Companion Plants

• Beans (add nitrogen)

• Squash or pumpkins

• Melons

(Avoid planting near tomatoes.)