When to apply BTK/Oil to Sweet Corn?

[TheWaterbug]

I planted Bi-Licious sweet corn on June 19 this year, with a plan to harvest on Day 74. The package says "Days to Harvest: 75-80" but I find that it gets starchy if I go more than 74 days in Los Angeles.

In addition to a bug zapper, I applied BtK oil to each ear today, Day 60, which is 24 days before harvest/party time. I'm not quite sure if this is too early, too late, or just Goldilocks. Here's an ear that I pulled for examination. It's hard to see on the photo, but the silks are just starting to darken at the tips. This is among the most mature of the ears in my stand, and I'd say that 1/3 of the stand is at this stage:



Here it is, de-husked. I pulled the silk off by hand, and most of it came off very easily:



Here's the tip. There was no worm that I could see. What looks like a squiggle on the photo is just the remains of a silk strand:



So am I too early? I can't undo it, but I can change the day next year.

[imafan26]

It looks pretty good. I don't use oil on the silkworms, but if you are using oil then it should be applied after pollination.

I grow tight husk corn, they rarely get corn earworm infestations. Normally, corn is ready to pick about 10 days after the silks appear. This year, because of the weather it took longer. The kernels should be full. It looks like you picked yours a little early, the kernels were not full. The juices should be clear but not milky.

I usually feel the corn ear for the plump kernels before I pick the corn and usually the silks will brown and the angle of the corn will drop a bit.

You can bag your tassels and ears and hand pollinate for better and more even pollination. if the ears are bagged the moths can't lay the eggs on the corn ear.

Dipel is probably a better choice than just oil. The oil would be a good carrier for dipel.
https://www.valent.com/agriculture/prod ... r%20larvae.

I grow tight ear husk corn and I have a good garden patrol. I don't really see many moths and butterflies near my garden, so they are doing a good job of keeping them away. I only had trouble with the butterflies when I had the butterfly bush and I got rid of it.

[TheWaterbug]

It looks like you picked yours a little early, the kernels were not full. The juices should be clear but not milky.

Oh, I know it's not ready to eat yet! I'm just wondering if was ready to treat. Harvest day is September 1, so I suppose I'll know for sure, if I have full ears or not.

Dipel is probably a better choice than just oil. The oil would be a good carrier for dipel.
https://www.valent.com/agriculture/prod ... r%20larvae.

I grow tight ear husk corn and I have a good garden patrol. I don't really see many moths and butterflies near my garden, so they are doing a good job of keeping them away. I only had trouble with the butterflies when I had the butterfly bush and I got rid of it.

Dipel contains BTK, which is what I'm injecting, plus a few other bugicides. I may try that next year if the plain BTK doesn't do a good enough job.

What variety of corn do you grow that has tight husks?

[TheWaterbug]

I planted Bi-Licious sweet corn on June 19 this year, with a plan to harvest on Day 74. The package says "Days to Harvest: 75-80" but I find that it gets starchy if I go more than 74 days in Los Angeles.

In addition to a bug zapper, I applied BtK oil to each ear today, Day 60, which is 24 days before harvest/party time. I'm not quite sure if this is too early, too late, or just Goldilocks.

So 74 days was too short to harvest. The corn was pretty good, but could have been better 3-4 days later. So I will probably plant 3-4 days earlier next year.

I had zero earworm this year so Day 60 definitely works for BTK and oil. I had some poorly-pollinated tips, so I might delay BTK/oil next year by 3-4 days and see if I get the same earworm control and fully-filled ears.

[imafan26]

I grow tropical corn developed by the UH. It does not have a name the numbers are UH #9 and UH #10. They are short day corn that can mature with 12 hours of daylight so they can be grown almost year round. UH varieties are tight husked.

I have to select varieties that are resistant to maize mosaic virus and nematodes which are bigger issues so my list is very short.
Silver Queen, Mirai, Illini xtra sweet, Peaches and Cream.

Look for descriptions that say that the husk has good tip cover = tight husked. Your conditions are different so you have other choices.