SLC
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How long can you leave an ear of corn on the stalk? (pic now

I have some corn growing, but the ears are thin. On one plant, for instance, there are two ears growing, both are thin, but on one of them, the silk is already brown and dry, but on the other ear, the silk is not yet. Do I have to pick the dry one now? I need both ears for dinner - can I wait until the other one is ready? Will they get any fatter? How long can I leave them on for before they will start to go bad?
Last edited by SLC on Sat Jul 28, 2012 3:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

pickupguy07
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I've always been taught that when the silk on top turns brown.. pick it. It's gone growing then anyway.
If a different ear still has green silks, I'd leave them until they turned brown.
That's the ONLY problem with growing corn. They grow a HUGE stalk, take up a lot of garden space, expend so much energy, and nutrients from the soil, and they just produce one single ear of corn per stalk (usually).

I grew corn last year, and My corn never got real big and full. And the weather is worse this year... I decided for the work, effort and wasted garden space it takes to grow corn,... in the overall scheme of things, it's just cheaper to go buy it at the store.

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jal_ut
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The silk turning brown doesn't necessarily mean its ready. Feel the ear, does it feel full and the husks tight against the cob? Peel a little bit of the husk back and look at the kernels. If they are all small and white its not ready. If its yellow corn the kernels will be yellow and plump when ready. If you pick it too early, not much flavor, not much volume. If you let it go too long it loses its juicyness and turns starchy. So somewhere in the middle there. How much do you have? You mention two ears, if that is all you planted, you may be lucky if they pollinated correctly and have any kernels at all. You just gotta do the peel back the husk a bit test and see how it looks. If its not ready, you can leave it on the stalk a couple more days.

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jal_ut
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How long can I leave them on for before they will start to go bad?
Sorry, I didn't address this question. It depends some on the variety. The SE and super sweets hold on the stalk longer than the standard sweet corn. There is usually a 4 to 6 day window for the SE type I grow. Might depend some on the temperature too. The higher the temp, the faster it will mature.

SLC
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Sorry, I should have mentioned - it is Super Sweet corn in 4 ft x 4 ft blocks. I was experimenting this year, instead of rows far apart with the corn closer together, I planted blocks. I think I spacked the corn 9 inches apart all the way around, which I know isn't a lot, but like I said, it was an experiment. Last year I planted the corn further apart, had less stalks, but the corn was small. This year, again, the corn seems small. Long, but thin. The corn seems to be doing well otherwise though. It is much taller than last year and maybe 80% of the stalks have 2 ears per stalk. Only a couple of them have only 1 ear.

If I peel the husk back, won't bugs get in?

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jal_ut
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Peel it back about two inches to look, then if you decide to leave it just put them back in place. Ya, a bug may crawl in, but usually they don't do much damage. Earwigs are the only thing I ever have get in the corn when I do that. I would still rather do that than pick an ear that is not ready. You basically waste the whole thing when you do that. Not much to it, small and tasteless.

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jal_ut
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If your corn mostly has two ears, I would say it is doing fine. Corn that is overcrowded will have one or none. The small ear size is most likely due to the variety. Especially if its a short season variety. If you want big ears plant a corn with a longer season requirement. I have tried quite a few varieties here looking for one that gives a good harvest and good flavor in this area. Ambrosia is my choice. I would not plant it as dense as yours though. 16 stalks in a 4x4 bed would be about right. Also corn needs good fertility early on so it will produce a large stalk that can support two large ears. Plenty of nitrogen will get you taller corn and larger ears for any given variety. Do your corn leaves have a good dark green color to them? If not they should have had more nitrogen.

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TheWaterbug
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jal_ut wrote:There is usually a 4 to 6 day window for the SE type I grow. Might depend some on the temperature too. The higher the temp, the faster it will mature.
I agree. In my vast :D 2 years of experience it's at its peak for the less than a week. Hey, that rhymes! Maybe we should tack that onto the end of "Knee high by 4th of July."

SLC
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Thank you jal_ut for all of your advice! Here is the a picture of the corn I was talking about....not really sure if the leaves have the dark green color you mentioned?

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/SecretlyLovesClay/Garden/P1090279.jpg[/img]

Also, I counted and about 80% of the stalks have 2 ears, the rest have 1 and only one has none, and that's cuz the seed didn't take in the beginning, so I replanted like 2 weeks later, and by now the other stalks are so big, I assume they are taking everything away from that little guy. Also, I planted green beans along side the corn to give it extra nitrogen (at least I heard to do that).

I couldn't wait any longer, so I picked the ear on the left and this is what I got...maybe could have waited another couple days???

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/SecretlyLovesClay/Garden/P1090323.jpg[/img]

Either way, I grilled it up, and it was sooooooooooooooooo crispy, juicy and tasty!!!!

And LOL to The Waterbug - I'm gonna always remember your rhyme now!

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sheeshshe
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mmm that looks super yummy! what a pretty ear of corn!

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jal_ut
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Thank you jal_ut for all of your advice! Here is the a picture of the corn I was talking about....not really sure if the leaves have the dark green color you mentioned?
Yes, that corn has good color. Starved corn is almost yellow. Hey, that cob looks so yummmmmmmy. Good full kernels too, right to the tip. It got pollinated OK.

Mine is still a week off. Can't wait.

SLC
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Good to know it looks good cuz honestly I don't know. I am just a second time gardener and I am learning as I go along. Last year I learned I needed a raised bed and this year I learned I will have to plant tomatoes further apart! It's just hard cuz I only have a small garden. But good to know the corn looks good so I will know for the future, and I didnt take any chances, I helped with the pollination as much as I could. It will be interesting to see how the corn in the middle comes out cuz it was hard to get in there to help pollinate.

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JLC I hope you don't mind me asking a question here. This is my first time growing corn. Because of the weather, the tassels are not completely growing up. They tipped over. Should I get a brush and transfer what little pollen I get onto the silk? Any help would be appreciated!! Thanks -helpsos-

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TheWaterbug
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SLC wrote:maybe could have waited another couple days??? . . . . Either way, I grilled it up, and it was sooooooooooooooooo crispy, juicy and tasty!!!!
Your taste buds are your best guide. If the corn tasted good, then you picked it at the right time!

SLC
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Brandywinegirl wrote:JLC I hope you don't mind me asking a question here. This is my first time growing corn. Because of the weather, the tassels are not completely growing up. They tipped over. Should I get a brush and transfer what little pollen I get onto the silk? Any help would be appreciated!! Thanks -helpsos-
That would probably work? I didn't even think of that. I literally held one hand underneath the tassle while I pulled along the tassle gently with my other hand so the pollen would fall into my hand, and then I sprinkled and rubbed my hands together over the silk. I even pulled off some of the little pieces that stick out from the tassle (I don't know what they are called) and rubbed them in my hands so it sprinkled onto the silk. I don't even know if they contain pollen, but I did it anyway!



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