I'm planning the 2nd Annual Pick-and-Paint Pumpkin Patch Party for October 23rd. The [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=216314#216314]pumpkins will be ready[/url], and in fact they will be early, but I think they'll keep for a few weeks.
I'd like to have a patch of sweet corn ready for picking on that same day, if possible. The ground is already prepped, and I have two packets of [url=https://www.ferry-morse.com/product_detail.aspx?id=7295]Bodacious SE hybrid[/url], ready to go. It's a 75 day variety, but I'm not sure whether planting this late in the season is going to change that dramatically.
This [url=https://www.digitalseed.com/gardener/schedule/vegetable.html]vegetable planting calendar for Southern California[/url] says that I can plant straight through August, but it doesn't say what effect it'll have on maturity date.
Of the two SE varieties I have in the ground now, [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=216699#216699]one is running a few days early, and the other is running a few days late.[/url]
I don't want to be late, since the date of the party is fixed, and I don't want to be too terribly early, since sweet corn loses its sweetness. I'm wracked with indecision!!! As of today I'm 85 days out from the party.
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TheWaterbug
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When to sow Bodacious corn for harvest on 10/23? [Now 10/30]
Last edited by TheWaterbug on Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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jal_ut
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I think corn takes so much heat to mature. It may be 75 day corn in the area where it was developed, but I find that here in this rather cool climate, that it will take a few days longer than the listed time. What have you found to be the case there? If Bodacious will come ready in 75 days spring planted, perhaps it will come close fall planted too. Add 5 days and plant 80 days out. That will give it a few for cooler days toward the end, and it will hold pretty well for 5 days if it comes ready on schedule. Do you have enough space to plant two plantings?
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TheWaterbug
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Heh. I haven't found anything to be the case yet, because the only corn I've ever grown is still yet to mature 
Of the two patches I've planted, one looks like it's early and one is slightly late.
Does corn mature as a result of total heat units (or whatever they're properly called) or length of day or some combination of the two?
Of the two patches I've planted, one looks like it's early and one is slightly late.
Does corn mature as a result of total heat units (or whatever they're properly called) or length of day or some combination of the two?
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TheWaterbug
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TheWaterbug
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Well, I found out that I definitely won't have time to put it in during the week or next weekend, so I put it in yesterday. It's a small patch--4 rows of 16 each, 1 foot spacing--but it's at the intersection of two retaining walls that get morning sun, so I should get some extra heat from that.
I consider this one a science experiment
I consider this one a science experiment
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TheWaterbug
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TheWaterbug
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So we moved the party to 10/30 for reason unrelated to the corn , so that puts the party 91 days out from the planting.
As of yesterday, it looked like this:
[img]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3552590/H_Minus_32Days_web.jpg[/img]
That was Harvest minus 32 days. I think I have a decent shot at edible corn, but no guarantee. It just has to remain warm. I'll get edible ears on the largest stalks, but the smaller ones have to catch up!
I have 64 plants in the ground, and we'll probably have about 30 families.
Fingers crossed!!!!
, so that puts the party 91 days out from the planting. As of yesterday, it looked like this:
[img]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3552590/H_Minus_32Days_web.jpg[/img]
That was Harvest minus 32 days. I think I have a decent shot at edible corn, but no guarantee. It just has to remain warm. I'll get edible ears on the largest stalks, but the smaller ones have to catch up!
I have 64 plants in the ground, and we'll probably have about 30 families.
Fingers crossed!!!!
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TheWaterbug
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Aaaaaauuuugggghhhhh!!!!!! We had wind while I was in Chicago (ironic, I know), and I came back to this:
[img]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3552590/CornBlownDown_web.jpg[/img]
About half the stalks were laying down.
I ran some string and tried it to tie it upright, but it'd been down for 3-4 days, and it had heliotroped its way almost 90 degrees, so a lot of them are now pointing sideways
I'm hoping it doesn't die off
[img]https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3552590/CornBlownDown_web.jpg[/img]
About half the stalks were laying down.
I ran some string and tried it to tie it upright, but it'd been down for 3-4 days, and it had heliotroped its way almost 90 degrees, so a lot of them are now pointing sideways
I'm hoping it doesn't die off
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PunkRotten
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I am trying this with tomatoes and cucumbers. I also planted some bush beans a few days ago. I think for the cukes and tomatoes I will get something but I am not sure if the plant will survive long enough for a full harvest. I am really worried though the bush beans have no time.
It is a science project for me too! We'll see how everything goes and next year I will plan it better. Good luck on the corn.
It is a science project for me too! We'll see how everything goes and next year I will plan it better. Good luck on the corn.