Pop-stars!

Before you read this blog, here is some music to go with it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBYjZTdrJlA

Right, now you’re in the mood, lets talk popcorn. I have to admit, this is another James Wong suggestion, and one that I am loving so far.

We planted our popcorn seeds in toilet rolls – they don’t like their roots disturbed so when you plant them out you can plant the whole toilet roll and it will biodegrade. Just like the biodegradable plant pots you can get in the garden centre but free from the bathroom instead.

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These seeds grew so quickly, it was six days before they’d all popped up, and another week before they looked pretty strong. When we planted them out we probably planted them too close together, but we have been giving them a comfrey feed once a week and they have shot up, nice and tall and strong.

Our neighbour Mike is growing sweetcorn (as are most of the farmers around us) and it looks almost the same – the main difference is that ours is deep russet red around the tips of the leaves and on the forming husks, unlike the golden yellow of the sweetcorn.

Popcorn husks are very colourful, usually a mixture of reds, yellows, oranges and browns. We’re planning to use the popcorn as decoration at the wedding, I’ve bought some screw eyes to fix in the ends of them and we plan to make colourful autumn harvest bunting with them!

If you want to eat them though, all you have to do is brush butter on the outside of the husk and pop it in the microwave whole. I can’t wait for our winter film nights!