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cherishedtiger
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Skinny corn?

So my corn looks like its almost ready for harvest, at least some ears. The silk is drying and brown at the top no longer white and silky. Yet my ears of corn are very thin, they look to be about 8-9 inches in length but skinny... should I leave them be, and maybe they just need to go longer or did I just wind up with skinny corn?

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jal_ut
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It probably just needs a few more days. As the kernels grow the husks tighten up so they feel full. You can open an ear by peeling the husks down a couple of inches and look at the corn. If it is a yellow type corn and the kernels are white and small wait a few more days to harvest.

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cherishedtiger
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Thank you Jal, I will just be a little more patient then... its Silver Queen, so I am not familiar with it as this is my first year even attempting to grow corn (or anything for that matter!)
I will go out and peel back some to see what its looking like under there tonight...

DoubleDogFarm
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This site gives some information on when to harvest vegetables. I like the fingernail test for corn.

https://gardening.wsu.edu/library/vege022/vege022.htm


Eric

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cherishedtiger
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Eric - very helpful site thank you!!!! Um... you mentioned a "fingernail" test... whats that???? :D

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rootsy
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Be forewarned... If you pull the tip of the husk open to inspect and the ear is not ready for harvest chances are it will have some beetle infiltration by the time it is ready to harvest...

It is difficult to "explain" how to know when an ear of corn is ready... White is especially difficult as that is the color that the ear starts out at and ends at... On top of that the harvest window for that variety is pretty short...

MaryDel
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Silver Queen is known for it's long slender ears. Make sure your corn is getting plenty of water and they should fill out fine.

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cherishedtiger
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Hmmm, well they are long and skinny! At least that much I got right. Almost each stalk has its own water source (drip irrigation morning/evening) so I know they are getting good and watered.
I will just check in them and at least pull one to see where I am!

DoubleDogFarm
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[quote]How to Harvest Corn: (back to top)
Corn normally reaches maturity in 3 months, when the kernels are plump and milky, otherwise known as “the milk stage.â€

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cherishedtiger
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Well thats easy enough! Thanks again Eric!!!

garden5
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I think by the "finger nail" test, he meant that you take you fingernail an poke a kernel. If it's mature, it will sort of "pop" it, if it's not mature, it will feel hard.

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cherishedtiger
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I kinda peeled back my corn a bit just to check and yeah not ready yet, it was to best explain transparent white, and very small kernels so I knew they weren't ready yet. I will give it some more time!



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