Master Gardener: Why you can’t grow popcorn and sweet corn at the same time

Q: I would like to plant corn this summer, but I’ve heard that you can’t grow both popcorn and sweet corn at the same time. Why?
A: Bad things happen when sweet corn and popcorn cross-pollinate.
Corn kernels develop only when they have been pollinated. Therefore, you really can’t grow only a few corn plants. There has to be enough plants so that everybody gets some pollen. Think about having a party with only a snack-sized bag of chips. Nobody’s happy in that situation.
W