Can I plant corn??

[N80]

Just got back from checking on my corn. Got some good rain yesterday, unfortunately it came with a good wind and some of the stalks got pushed over. It doesn't look like they broke, just sort of leaned over. Some of them may still make it.

The corn is tassled up good. Making lots of pollen dust. One stalk had some silk on it. What part of the corn does the pollen need to reach?

 

[ray66v]

You can go out and stand them back up, pack the dirt around them with your feet and they will be fine. They will also be ok if you leave them over, but it can be difficult to harvest that way. All part of the fun!

 

[ray66v]

---The pollen needs to get in the joints where the ears will grow off the main stalk. this is the around middle portion of the stalk.

 

[frank_f15]

Ray 66v thanks alot for reminding me of the fried corn. there are certain parts of my body that can't take regular corn let alone FRIED. but i think i just might treat my self to a serving this summer JUST ONE I PROMISE

 

[ray66v]

Ray 66v thanks alot for reminding me of the fried corn. there are certain parts of my body that can't take regular corn let alone FRIED. but i think i just might treat my self to a serving this summer JUST ONE I PROMISE

You and me both, I have Inflammatory Bowel Disease, but I don't let that stop me from pushing my luck for something I really enjoy, (the nurses in the ICU are usually pretty cute).

 

[N80]

---The pollen needs to get in the joints where the ears will grow off the main stalk. this is the around middle portion of the stalk.

Thanks.

 

[N80]

Okay, you guys have talked me though it so far and all the advice has been good. Up to this point the corn has done extremely well. The rows are complete. The stalks are over 6 feet tall. Most but not all have ears on them, from 2 to 4 each. The remaining ones are starting to silk. I put sevin dust on all the silks. For whatever reason the deer and other critters have not found it yet. Which is odd, I got a bumper crop of sunflowers just down the hill from the corn and right about the time they were starting to bloom the deer wiped them out....in less than a week. I suppose the same thing could happen to the corn, but not yet anyway.

So here is the question I never thought I'd have to ask: When do I pick it? How do I know an ear is ready?

Some of them are already full length. But they obviously are not ready since they are still narrow in diameter and very firm. We've gotten a good bit of rain in the last few days, so when do you guys think the first ones will be ready?

 

[ray66v]

Your next and final challenge is to decide when to harvest. I like to get the ears when the kernels are just slightly smaller than full grown. They have a tender crispness at that point, they tend to loose as they become more mature. Do some testing with your variety to see what you like.

When they are ready, the silks will turn brown. And if you feel the tip of the corn below the silk, it will have lost its point, and become more rounded.

Enjoy!

I gave you that info a few weeks ago.
Capiche pizon?

 

[Ordite]

I usually have a small plot of sweet corn every year, approx. 30' x 50' and generally have more corn than we can use. Racoons are my biggest problem. An electric fence works well for me in keeping them from the corn. I run two wires around the perimeter of the plot with one wire about 5-6" from the ground and the second wire about 12-14" above the ground. The racoons usually show up a few days before harvest but I have learned to get the fence up sooner as sometimes in the past they have made their first attack before I was prepared. I have the fencer on a timer and operate it only during the night time.

 

[N80]

I gave you that info a few weeks ago.
Capiche pizon?

Right, but I did not pay attention to that part and completely forgot about it since I had absolutely no expectation of being confronted with the task of harvesting anything. I've been prepared for utter failure from day one. Of course the deer may be fulfilling that expectation as we speak.

But thanks for reminding me, that helps a lot. I also need to figure out how long this corn will keep. I know that true Silver Queen does not keep long. But is it a matter of hours or a matter of days? I know it is best to eat it as soon as you pick it but that may not be practical. My wife does freeze cut corn so I guess we can do that too.

I've really enjoyed this process and figured from the beginning that if I can get one meal from this patch I'd be happy. Now I find myself looking for a one or two row planter!