In my two patches of corn, the stalks are about 4-5 feet tall and on 3 or 4 of them I clearly see the tassles sticking out of the top. They are not all the way out or ready to pollinate yet but it won't be long. The problem is I can't even feel the baby ears on the stalk yet and I know the tassles is going to be done shedding pollen before the silk gets there. Why are they doing this?
Second question. If I were to shake the pollen into a bag and save it for the silk....Well I am thinking that this won't work right? The pollen (I believe) will only stay alive for a short time. And if I did this it would be no good by the time the silk got there right?
Any help would be appreciated. This is very frustrating for me because the corn is always one of my favorite crops.
This is my first year growing corn. I had the same concern you had about the silks not being ready for the tassels. I thought the tassels were growing too fast. However, the silks on mine came out at the right time. One evening, I saw a few strands poking out and the next morning, the silks were fully expanded.
I caught some of the pollen from my corn and it clumps together after a few hours - it probably isn't a good idea to try to save it. I only have a small patch of corn and I've been hand pollinating it to be sure they are pollinated. On a windless morning, I've been able to get about a teaspoon of pollen from one plant.
I caught some of the pollen from my corn and it clumps together after a few hours - it probably isn't a good idea to try to save it. I only have a small patch of corn and I've been hand pollinating it to be sure they are pollinated. On a windless morning, I've been able to get about a teaspoon of pollen from one plant.
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pickupguy07
- Senior Member
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- Location: GA
I have the same issues you are. My corn is about 5' tall... lots of tassles, but just tiny sprouts where the ears will come from.
My Dad has grown corn for 60 years, and he told me "don't get to excited about getting any corn this year... It's tassled way too soon for it to pollinate and make anything"
So I was kind of curious too if I might do anything to help mother nature out. It was planted on 4/27... so it's only been in the ground 6 weeks... still a LONG way from it's 80 day maturation
My Dad has grown corn for 60 years, and he told me "don't get to excited about getting any corn this year... It's tassled way too soon for it to pollinate and make anything"
So I was kind of curious too if I might do anything to help mother nature out. It was planted on 4/27... so it's only been in the ground 6 weeks... still a LONG way from it's 80 day maturation
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pickupguy07
- Senior Member
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- Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 7:06 pm
- Location: GA
wanted to post this pic...
As you can see the corn has tassled a LOT (this all just in the last three days) You can see it has emerged, and all spread out in that short of time... IN the orange circles you can see where the corn shoots are. I hope all of you are right, and timing isn't gonna be a issue.
I have fears if I get any corn at all,... it'll be like those little finger length corns.
[img]https://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t93/pickupguy07/?action=view¤t=tassles.jpg[/img]
Got my fingers crossed
As you can see the corn has tassled a LOT (this all just in the last three days) You can see it has emerged, and all spread out in that short of time... IN the orange circles you can see where the corn shoots are. I hope all of you are right, and timing isn't gonna be a issue.
I have fears if I get any corn at all,... it'll be like those little finger length corns.
[img]https://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t93/pickupguy07/?action=view¤t=tassles.jpg[/img]
Got my fingers crossed
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pickupguy07
- Senior Member
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- Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 7:06 pm
- Location: GA
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rainbowgardener
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jal_ut
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I don't know why your picture didn't load in your post. I took the url and went to photobucket and copied the img code then just pasted it in my post and it works. ???
Edit:
OK, now I get it. The code you used is different than what I got.
When you are viewing your picture, on the right is a box about "Sharing this photo". There are four different urls you can copy there for what you want to do. Click the one that says "IMG code". it is automatically copied to your clipboard. Now you just have to paste it into the reply window. The img tags are already on it. Makes it pretty easy. If you can have your reply window and Photobucket both open in different tabs it really becomes a snap.
Edit:
OK, now I get it. The code you used is different than what I got.
When you are viewing your picture, on the right is a box about "Sharing this photo". There are four different urls you can copy there for what you want to do. Click the one that says "IMG code". it is automatically copied to your clipboard. Now you just have to paste it into the reply window. The img tags are already on it. Makes it pretty easy. If you can have your reply window and Photobucket both open in different tabs it really becomes a snap.