I just love the colors of fall. And all of those deep earth tones can be found in one handy packet all wrapped in a husk: calico corn. For many, it is a fall favorite for your centerpiece or as a bow for those outdoor decorations.

Calico corn is also called Flint corn or Indian corn. Native Americans used it as a staple in their gardens for generations.

Blue Indian corn can be ground to make blue flour, and strawberry Indian corn can be shelled and used as popcorn.

If you buy Indian corn at the store, make sure it isn’t coated with any preservative or polyurethane. These products can stop your seed from growing once planted. Indian corn can be planted just like any other corn, using the seeds from a previous crop to grow a new one.

If you would like to grow your own, give them some room. In the spring, plant the kernels about 5 inches apart in narrow rows. Keep the seeds planted in compact rows so they can easily pollinate in the wind. Make sure Indian corn isn’t planted near sweet corn in the garden, or cross-pollination will occur and your sweet corn won’t taste as sweet and take on some of the starchy qualities of the Indian corn.

A string of fall bling

Do you like to decorate your front porch with Christmas lights and garland in the winter? It makes your front entrance seem so cozy and welcoming. So, why not get a jump on it and decorate it for fall?

We end up with many little goblins who ring the bell, looking for treats. So why not light up the front door with a colorful swag of fall lights?

Don’t just string orange lights around the front door. Kick it up a notch. Start by grabbing a big basket of small gourds from your favorite pumpkin farm.

They come in all different shapes and colors.

Pick about two to three dozen gourds that are about the size of softballs. They can be skinny or round, but the key is picking gourds that aren’t too big.

Start by cutting off the bottom end of the gourd and hollowing out the membrane and seeds in the center. A spoon or ice cream scoop makes quick work of this messy part. Once you get your work space cleaned up again and all of the gourd slime off of your hands, shirt, table, and face, grab the power tools.

Use a ¼-inch or ⅜-inch drill bit to drill one hole in the top of your gourd. Use this top port to shove five or six Christmas lights into each gord. I think this is the fun part — continue drilling a few holes all around the gourd to make a decorative shade.

Once you have drilled a top hole and decorated each gourd with holes, set them in a line that will look nice once it is up around your door. You can make the gourd lights go all the way around your door jam or just around the top. It all depends on how ambitious you are.

The string of gourds can be heavy, so use nails or something strong to hold them up and around your doorway. Check the string of lights first, then stuff five or six lights through the top hole of each gourd.

Contact Kelly Heidbreder at: getgrowing@gmail.com.

First Published October 2, 2016, 4:00 a.m.