When does corn tassel?

JaydenSmith Canton, NC Jul 31, 2023

So im new at growing corn in my garden and i was wondering, when does normal yellow sweet corn tassel? or even just how tall it is when it tassels.
Cause i cant seem to find clear answers on the internet by just searching.
If anyone could help that would be great. Thanks!

Post #10553033

Quote

MaypopLaurel Cleveland,GA/Atlanta, GA(Zone 7b) Jul 31, 2023

How tall depends on variety. This year I grew Jackpot and Peaches & Cream. Both are bicolor and grow about 6'-61/2' including tassels. They tassel first and then, in a week or less, silks emerge from swellings between leaf and stalk below. There will be an average of two per plant. Rarely three and sometimes one. So you can somewhat count chickens before they hatch. The tassels will emit clouds of pollen, especially in morning. Bees and wasps will help trigger pollen releases by simply moving through the tassels which is observable. So will the slightest breeze. It's wonderous. You can gently shake stalks in a small stand to help. Each silk emerging is attached to a flower below, which is not observable, but is a future kernel on the ear. To get a perfect ear ever silk strand must be pollinated.

I grow a small stand each year (24-30 plants) and have been harvesting this week. It goes starchy fast so must be picked and dealt with as soon as the silks start browning and ears fill. I make sourdough corn pancakes for breakfast, corn salad for lunch and corn on the cob for dinner or similar for a week or so. Corn in chili and raw on salads. Corn bread with fresh corn. I keep thinking of that corn kid that went viral. I blanched & froze 3lbs. off cob yesterday. Five 10oz. packages plus some for this morning's pancakes. Don't care for frozen corn on the cob and it takes up a lot of freezer space.

Farmerdill is the real expert on corn and everything vegetable with a lifetime of experience. He's helped me out for many years. Maybe DM him with specific questions. Meanwhile here is my corn from weeks ago when it tasseled and silked.

Post #10553034

Quote

MaypopLaurel Cleveland,GA/Atlanta, GA(Zone 7b) Jul 31, 2023

Also grew a different variety of peas under each four rows corn. Whippoorwill, Taylor, Speckled Butterpeas & Pink Lady.

Post #10553035

Quote

JaydenSmith Canton, NC Jul 31, 2023

Quote from MaypopLaurel :

How tall depends on variety. This year I grew Jackpot and Peaches & Cream. Both are bicolor and grow about 6'-61/2' including tassels. They tassel first and then, in a week or less, silks emerge from swellings between leaf and stalk below. There will be an average of two per plant. Rarely three and sometimes one. So you can somewhat count chickens before they hatch. The tassels will emit clouds of pollen, especially in morning. Bees and wasps will help trigger pollen releases by simply moving through the tassels which is observable. So will the slightest breeze. It's wonderous. You can gently shake stalks in a small stand to help. Each silk emerging is attached to a flower below, which is not observable, but is a future kernel on the ear. To get a perfect ear ever silk strand must be pollinated.

I grow a small stand each year (24-30 plants) and have been harvesting this week. It goes starchy fast so must be picked and dealt with as soon as the silks start browning and ears fill. I make sourdough corn pancakes for breakfast, corn salad for lunch and corn on the cob for dinner or similar for a week or so. Corn in chili and raw on salads. Corn bread with fresh corn. I keep thinking of that corn kid that went viral. I blanched & froze 3lbs. off cob yesterday. Five 10oz. packages plus some for this morning's pancakes. Don't care for frozen corn on the cob and it takes up a lot of freezer space.

Farmerdill is the real expert on corn and everything vegetable with a lifetime of experience. He's helped me out for many years. Maybe DM him with specific questions. Meanwhile here is my corn from weeks ago when it tasseled and silked.

I don't remember what variety i think i was just normal yellow corn i'm not sure on the variety though.

Post #10553039

Quote

MaypopLaurel Cleveland,GA/Atlanta, GA(Zone 7b) Aug 01, 2023

You would have to know the variety and its approximate days to maturity. Then you could guesstimate going in reverse. It takes about three weeks from silking to mature ear and tasseling occurs about one week prior to silking. So it would tassel approximately four weeks from days to maturity.

Post #10553049

Quote

JaydenSmith Canton, NC Aug 01, 2023

Quote from MaypopLaurel :

You would have to know the variety and its approximate days to maturity. Then you could guesstimate going in reverse. It takes about three weeks from silking to mature ear and tasseling occurs about one week prior to silking. So it would tassel approximately four weeks from days to maturity.

Bad thing is when i planted the corn in the rows in my garden, i used all the seeds so i dont have the little packet anymore. so i dont know if i can tell you the variety.

Post #10553067

Quote

Please or sign up to post.

Back to Forum Homepage