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Robust Pop R400MR Popcorn Corn Seeds
Robust Pop R400MR Popcorn Corn Seeds
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Product Details
Product Details
Once only commercially available, this type of popping corn is now available to the home gardener! 'Robust Pop R400MR' produces large, round popped kernels sturdy enough to hold a coating and stay in one piece, unlike the more common 'butterfly'-shaped popcorn. This is also the type of popcorn found in the popular Cracker Jacks®. Grow it in your backyard to make kettle corn, caramel corn, popcorn balls, or to top with seasonings.
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- Variety Info
- Sowing Info
- Growing Info
Variety Info
Days to Maturity: 95–100 days
Family: Poaceae
Type: Flint Corn (Learn More)
Native: Americas
Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
Exposure: Full sun
Plant Dimensions: 6'–7' tall
Variety Info: 7"–8" ears with yellow kernels that dry to a rich orange color. It has pearl shaped kernels and about 80% of them will have a round, mushroom shape when popped. Tolerant to Grass's wilt disease.
Attributes: Goss's Wilt Resistant, Frost Sensitive
Sowing Info
When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is at least 60°F, ideally 65°–90°F
When to Start Inside: Not recommended; roots sensitive to transplanting. Best results occur when seedlings are transplanted less than 2 weeks old.
Days to Emerge: 5–10 days
Seed Depth: 1"–1 ½"
Seed Spacing: A group of 2 seeds every 12"
Row Spacing: 24"–36"
Thinning: When 4" tall, thin to 1 every 12"
Growing Info
Harvesting: Let the ears dry on the stalks. The kernels are ready for harvest when they are hard and you can no longer leave a mark on them with your fingernail. Before the first fall frost, give each ear a twist until it breaks off. Peel back the husks, then hang the ears in a cool, dark, dry place for 4 to 6 weeks to cure. This is important to prevent mold and to dry to the optimal moisture percentage for popping. (In a perfect popcorn world, that would be 13½–14%.) After that, the cobs are ready for popping or storing. To strip off cured kernels, twist the cobs back and forth to loosen them (gloves are recommended).
- AlexandraVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsSep 28, 2025My first corn to reach maturity!
Never had luck growing any kind of corn, it’s always been infested with caterpillars/earwigs, but I decided to take one more stab at it this year. I hadn’t done a popping corn, so it seemed like a good experiment. The seeds germinated well, and thrived in my three sisters garden. I planted about 15 stalks and wound up with one good ear per stalk. Very excited to try popping it next!
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateEGEpic GardeningSep 29, 2025Hey Alexandra,
What a fantastic review! We're absolutely thrilled to hear that your Robust Pop R400MR Popcorn Corn Seeds finally gave you that corn growing breakthrough you've been hoping for - there's nothing quite like that feeling of success after previous struggles!
Your experience with pest issues in the past is so relatable! Caterpillars and earwigs can be such persistent problems with corn, and it's incredibly frustrating when you put in all that work only to have pests take over. The fact that your Robust Pop corn powered through and delivered such great results really shows what a resilient variety this is.
We love that you chose to experiment with popcorn corn for this attempt - what a perfect way to try something new while tackling that corn growing challenge! And your three sisters garden setup sounds absolutely perfect for corn. That traditional companion planting method creates such a supportive growing environment, and it's clear your Robust Pop corn thrived in that setup.
Getting one good ear per stalk from 15 plants is exactly the kind of solid, reliable production that makes Robust Pop R400MR such a winner! That's a fantastic harvest, especially for your first successful corn crop. There's something so satisfying about seeing those ears develop and knowing you're going to have homegrown popcorn to enjoy.
We're so excited for you to experience that first batch of homegrown popped corn - there's truly nothing like the flavor and satisfaction of popping corn you grew yourself! Your success story will be so encouraging for other gardeners who've struggled with corn in the past but want to give it another try.
Keep on growing 🌻️
- Karen S.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsJun 12, 20235 Stars
Planted the seeds a week ago and they are already several inches tall!!
- Edward M.Rated 5 out of 5 starsJun 8, 20235 Stars
Germinates well. Bought it thinking that, hey, maybe I can grow some popcorn myself. And, I did, 3 years ago. Ever since then, I have been saving a little bit of the seed for the future year, and it germinates+grows well.
- JasonVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsMay 9, 20225 Stars
My 9yro son and I grew these for fun. They grew well and produced lots of popcorn. It has a really great taste. Richer, more flavorful. Much better than the stuff at the store. We stored it in little jars to give away. And saved some for us on movie nights. Highly recommended!
- LindseyVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsMay 9, 20225 Stars
It worked!!! We grew these in our rather neglected garden. We had several stalks grown 9+ feet. From one packet of seed we got about 3 quarts of popcorn. Had we taken better care, I'm sure our yield would have been better.
