itty bitty ears of corn

Live on an island and we have raised bed. We shipped in bagged soil, compost, humus etc. We use soaker hoses for watering. Have warm weather so the corn does get a lot of heat. Should be happy with that! Problem!! Tall plants but very small ears. Any help with this would really be appreciated. Also looking for a good dry organic fertilizer since everything we need must be shipped in and weight is a consideration. Thanks Islandgrower

Where are you Islandgrower? It may help us to help you.By the way,welcome to Dave's!

You can go to the Preferences link on the right and set everything so that we'll know your area.

Sounds like a fertilizer problem,or the variety of corn you are trying to grow.

Most people around here rotate legumes with corn every other year to fix nitrogen in the soil.That would be a low cost way of improving your soil without having anything shipped in.

Tell us more,and maybe we'll hit on something.Do people nearby grow corn?That might help with some clues.

I live in the Cayman Islands. I think I'm the only one growing corn. Very few people here care to try. We love fresh corn so well that I just had to give it my best shot. I did Silver Queen. Had a great taste but very small ear. Did use a standard garden fertilizer at planting time and side dressed when the ears started to form. Maybe I'm not giving them enough??? Having problems with the watermelons. Lots of vine but little fruit. We have none or very few bees here maybe that is the problem. All help much appreciated.

Are the ears fully populated? One generally has to plant enough rows of corn side by side to ensure full pollination of the silk from the tassels. usually a minumum of 3 rows or else plant in hills. supposedly the pollen is wind borne.

Pollen is wind born for corn.No bees needed.

You can hand pollinate your watermelons.Just tear the petals off of a male flower and brush it on the female flowers.Females have tiny little watermelons at the base of the flower.

Sounds like a soil problem for your corn,and I'm not sure what to tell you.Maybe someone will come along and add to this.

I live in corn country,so have never thought about it much.Silver Queen won't have great big ears,but they shouldn't be tiny,and the kernals should all be filled in.It's a great corn,and very forgiving of adverse conditions.

From the descriptions of how the corn and watermelons are growing I'd guess there is too high a percentage of nitrogen.

Typical of heavy nitrogen is lots of foliage and plant growth, but litte fruit production.

Is there anywhere down there you can have a soil sample tested?

Thanks for the answer on the watermelon flowers male & female. Had looked and was having a problems telling them apart. There is no where to test the soil and I can't bring a sample back to the USA for testing. We get very little help from the Dept of Ag. in Grand Cayman. Will pick up a soil testing kit next trip back. Thanks again.

You should be able to order kits on line.Check the Garden Watchdog and see if there are any one line sites that would ship to you.

Do your watermelons set quite a few flowers,or are they scarce?

If they set flowers,then nitrogen may not be the problem...it may still be in the soil,and you'll need it tested to determine just what you need.

OK I have checked for flowers and do have quite a few. New problems now. My young melons have something chewing on them. I think our little hermit crabs are hungry!!! Had something awful with the squash! A little hole would appear and then inside a ugly worm was camping out and eating his fill. Not going to do squash again. Did notice white spots on some of crenshaw melons and I'm thinking sunscald. It seems once a problem gets fixed another comes around!!! The fun of gardening.