# How Is Popping Corn Grown?
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Getting the Kernels
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Popcorn kernels have a distinctive hard coating, which traps expanding moisture inside when cooked, allowing the kernel to 'pop.' Popcorn kernels are available from most seed vendors, just like other types of corn. While it is possible to plant store-bought kernels of corn, microwavable popcorn generally will not grow.
Getting Started
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A clear glass jar or plastic bag is enough to store the growing seeds at first. At home, popcorn can be planted first in a simple plastic bag or glass jar on a bed of wet paper towels with adequate sunlight and moisture. Once the seeds sprout after a few weeks, they can be transferred to a garden.
Growing Time
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While it is possible to grow popcorn indoors, it is usually cheaper and easier to do so in a garden. According to Purdue University's Alternative Field Crops Manual, most varieties of corn require between 90 and 110 days to mature. Thus, popcorn must be planted in the spring, while there are still several months of growing season left, but late enough to ensure that all chances of a late frost have passed. Popcorn, in particular, is less adaptable to extreme conditions than other types of corn, so it requires extra care.
In the Garden
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If popcorn cross-pollinates with other corn, it may lose its ability to 'pop' when cooked. Different varieties of corn can cross-pollinate one another, so popcorn must be planted far enough from other corn that it does not receive pollen from them. Once the popcorn's stalk and husks dry out and harden, they can be harvested by simply snapping each ear from the stalk.
Post-Harvest
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Popcorn has a distinctive, hard kernel which can be simply twisted off the cob when ready to cook. Once harvested, popcorn must be "cured" indoors by removing the dried husk from each ear and leaving the ears in a warm, well-ventilated place for four to six weeks. After curing, popcorn can be stored in a cool, dry place almost indefinitely.
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