In about a week........

I should have sweet corn (if I can keep the coon out of it).

Here's a pic of the entire corn patch.

The Native Americans used to plant pumpkins around the edge of their corn. Seems that the coons don't like the vines.I've never tried it, as I don't have problems with them....but you may consider it next year.

have never grown corn. is it hard to do from seed and do you have to protect them from critters?

Mel, I'll try that next year, I've got Connecticut Field pumpkins planted but they're off to one end of my garden. Never thought of planting in my corn patch, the vines just grow so long!

Herbie43, corn is real easy to grow from seed, just make sure the ground is warmed up well before planting. Crows may pull it and eat the seed when it's about an inch tall and coon can be a problem and can wipe out your entire patch just as it ripens, you gotta be fast!

This is my first year to plant corn, and I should have some soon too (smaller patch). BigRed, how do I know when they are ready??? I remember reading not to peek, it opens then up to earworm etc. The earliest silks are 10 days along, and they are turning a medium burgundy color (this variety of sweet corn is blue, yellow and red colored). Can you help? My July patch is small, only 22 plants left -- rabbits chewed them down alot...thanks

BTW, I am planting Pumpkins with my October Ornamental corn, with pumpkins in the middle and corn and sunflowers at each side, I will let you know how it works.

TamaraFaye, usually you can tell just by watching it, when it looks 'plump' you can feel the rows of kernals through the husks. Then I DO take a peek at a couple of ears to see if it's ready :o)...............and mine won't be long now, I peeked at a couple this morning, almost ready!

I can't wait to sink my teeth into one :-)

I look at the silk and feel the plumpness of the ear. When the silk drys and the ear feels fat in the hand it is ripe. This works here but I don't know in hot country if it holds true. Ernie

BIG_RED You've done a fantastic job with your garden. Actually, judging by the size, you really qualify as a truck farm. Your plants look fantasticly healthy and you should have no problem selling your crops at your roadstand. I would imagine you would be proud to display your crops to the public. I know I would if I could. Here in So.Fl., it is to hot to do much in the garden so I intend to do the same come fall. I was wondering -- do you use anything to keep your plants looking so healthy?

Tplant, I'm a big believer in good old cow manure. I tilled in 5 pickup loads this spring and then a big shovel full goes under each tomato plant, cucumber, pumpkin and squash hills, etc.

I also was very lucky to buy a piece of land that had excellent topsoil :o)

I'm waiting for corn and plenty of tomatoes so that I have something else other than cukes & squash to sell. We'll can what we want first and then hopefully sell the surplus.

ernie & BigRed~I checked and the silks that are reddish are just that way, they are not dry, but I found some that are about half way dry, and I can almost feel kernels under there! I think it will be a week or so, I need to check my planting dates. I actually had to fence it to keep the rabbits out, the cobs are forming right at ground level. This is getting really exciting!!! ~WannabeGonnabeatruckfarm

When the silk gets dry it will stick togeather on the end some corn has redish silk some yellow they both get a look to them when they dry. For eating fresh I like it not to dry, to freeze I like it fully matured. Enjoy yours mine is only waist to chest high doubt if it's ripe before the third week of Aug. Ernie

Ern~I planted short season corn, 73 days I think, and it is only supposed to be 4-5 foot high. I didn't figure I would get more than 40 good ears from 22 plants, but some of the stalks have 4-6 ears forming. I took the effort to remove the suckers early, maybe they grew back after I hilled them??? I certainly want mine fresh, but they just don't look big enough yet. I will check my planting date, to be sure...

Big Red & Ernie~
Planted them on May 4, so 13 days after yesterday, would make it about the 17th of July. Should I expect some to be ready sooner? The tassels started up June 17, and the first silks appeared June 22...I want ehm to be sweet and fresh!!!

Finally! Picked these today and they're headed for the pot!

Big Red~
Wow, what variety are they? they surely look nice and big...

TamaraFaye, they're Sugar Baby, a bi-color corn, excellent flavor but only medium sized ears. :o)

Yummy!....I'll be walking down the aisles of my corn patch next week, pulling ears I hope!!

Shoe awesome corn how far are rows apart what type and what was plant date. Ernie

And whats up with no weeds I fight tons of weeds I think weed seeds must come in the corn seed I buy

This message was edited Jul 10, 2004 8:17 AM

ernie, I sowed the rows this year 4 ft apart, did so in an effort to more easily work the garden (used to plant rows 3 ft apart). At that spacing I can easily run my Troybilt between the rows to keep the weeds down. It also lets me get in there and more easily spray for bugs should the need arrive. (This year I haven't sprayed anything. So far, so good.) (I'm sure I'll be shooting squirrels in there next week though!)

The corn is Kandy Korn, only kind I've grown for 12 years or so. Simply delicious and keeps its sugar longer than other types.

Planted it out 5/12...it declared 5/16.

Shoe thought it looked wider than mine I still use three feet and know about the horse and three feet. After it's up a bit I can't go there any more as you know why. Your between spacing is a lot further than mine to making mine harder to weed as well. I have grown candy corn in the past but because of the light soil and the hight it blows down unless I top it and I don't like that. You are right it is sweet. Interesting planted vs harvest time see what heat will do for corn candy would not be ready here for another five six weeks and it takes longer to declare usually. You have to spray corn? never seen anyone do that in this country. Ernie

Yeh...my seeder drops too many seeds with the corn plate on...I went back this year and hand-pulled some of the doubles and stalks that were too close together.

As for spraying, I've sprayed for cuke beetles in years past, just to keep them at bay, usually only one time. Other times I've had to squirt oil on the silks to combat worms. (That was a bit time-consuming but I growing for profit that year.)

As for quick germination...some years back I learned how to trick Ma Nature. Corn seed can be finicky. They like soil temp of 50* and moisture. Sometimes a rain will come along but the corn still won't germinate. It is wise. It knows that first rain might've just been a tease and that conditions are not quite ready yet, so it sits still, as if waiting for a better reservation.

What I like to do is soak my seed at least overnite. Next day, pour off the water and let the seed COMPLETELY dry on a big towel. (This tricks the corn into thinking it just got rained on.) When the corn is dry you can sow it. If there is the littlest bit of moisture in the ground it'll jump up quick as Jack's Beanstalk everytime!

Nice looking corn patch Shoe! Nothing like your own sweet corn, is there?

Nope...ain't nuthin' at all like it! That's gotta be the best lookin' corn patch I've grown in some years.

(Am counting down the days! Yumm...steamed corn; grilled corn; raw corn from the patch; creamed corn; mercy me, I'm gettin' Hongry!)

I am so proud of you guys! Some years ago at the the children's home where I lived and worked, I always had a big garden. I planted corn as well and those 'coons got more than we ever were able to harvest. I agree with Melody, the varmits shy away from being entangled, so plant pumpkins next year in and around the rows.
Red, nothing better than that good aged manure. We use to have a heard of two hundred beef cattle; they sure produced a lot. We always had a few horses; I still go by and help myself to aged horse manure.
Gary/Louisville

Shoe, yumm is right! We've had it four days in a row so far, soon we'll have enough to can some.

Gary, so far no coons, knock wood! I'm surprised because we have a lot of woods and streams around this area. I thought I was having problems with squirrels, some ears were stripped down a little and and a few stalks were broken down. I went out yesterday and two doves took off from my corn patch! They don't do much damage so I just leave them alone.

Red tell you about damage I have golden retriviers that pick their own not so bad since Saraha died I think she was the ring leader. jealous of your four days so far enjoy my day is on the way. Ernie

Ernie, LOL. We have two Bassets that love string beans! We have a six foot chain link fence in our back yard for them and plant pole beans around some of the perimeter. They just pick their own! We lose a plant now and then but it's not too bad!

Red got just enough to eat today had them at luncher with fresh cabbageand steamed onions with red new potatoes on the side a dab of swiss chard and for desert pork tenderloin nummie. Ernie

Boy, that sounds great! BTW that picture you posted is exactly the reason we moved down here from NH! :o)

Red lol that picture is why I stay can't stand the heat I was born in Miss and went there for a few months and had to leave by the end of april because of the temp. Ernie

Wow, everyone's corn looks great! I picked one of mine last night and it has the two colors, waiting for the third... Meanwhile, a worm had gone in to have a taste, so I put mineral oil on the silks just in case. Can anyone tell me how often I will need to do that? If I have to, I'll do it every night...

Tam Faye...just once should be enuff.

And it's best to do it once the silks start browning...any earlier than that and it will upset the pollination/growth of the kernals.

I have used an oil can and marked it for mineral oil only...this way you can go down the rows and give a quick squirt-squirt here and a squirt-squirt there....one or two drops is enuff.

Enjoy that corn!

(We're having a corn grill-out tomorrow!)

Oh Shoe!
Grilled Corn, I am on my way to NC...
I think I watied a little too late to do the mineral oil. And i used an eye dropper, quite messy, I will invest in an oil can for my August crop.

While we are talking about corn, my Triple Play was sure good today! I had never grown my own corn before. Then I was told by my neighbors (who are farmers) that it makes a good windbreak for your garden.

Well, I got carried away and planted four varieties to mature in different months, and now all I want is MORE CORN...
i'm hooked

I think I need to change my username, anyone got any suggestions. I don't have any nicknames, except those from school which I won't repeat...

I think your name is just fine as it is...very rare and original. It's your name! (I suppose we could call you "Corn Freak" or sumpin', eh? Or CornLover! Or how about "Corny"!

As for corn being a windbreak...hmmm...I've had my corn patches knocked down by high winds. Not a pretty site! Often-times they'll pull themselves back up though.

We had success on our corn grilling to nite! (first time w/a new grill too!) I'll post pics in another forum tomorrow!

By the way...them worms, unless they are really over-taking you I don't mind a few worms...they are usually just on the very end and you can easily flick them off, or cut off the tip as you shuck them. (On another note, those oil cans are about $2 at Walmart...get the kind w/the finger lever, makes it easy to operate.)

Even ugly corn is good corn.... : )

Well, call me corny, if you please. Or abbreviate TamaraFaye, whatever makes everyone happy :-)

We don't have a grill yet. If I sell enough of the watermelon, squash, pumpkins, potatoes, onions, carrots, and anasazi corn, then I will be putting in a patio. Maybe next year I can put a cooking center in it... SHOE~ where are your pics?

If I get my laod of manure in this week, I will plant another crop of early corn for shade for my winter crops. It is just so hot here right now, even the watermelon is loving a little shade from weeds... btw~SHOE~oil can is on my wallyworld list...thanks

Unfortunately, even with Assassin bugs hanging around, some ears were worm-eaten past half way, and some didn't pollinate well. But Daisy Avenue is right, it is just plain GOOD.

And maybe we will benefit the earth by not eating the store bought, government subsidized, peesticide ridden, herbicided, hybridized corn that makes all those frogs grow both sex organs...
oops that would be another can of worms in the OG forum...

Corny! (TamFaye)...here are a few corn pics at this link. (Field pics and eating pics!)

http://davesgarden.com/t/444760/

SHOE~ Read a thread earlier about recipes for corn... I was looking for the mexican recipe you requested on another thread, but don't remember who/where? Do you know???
CORNY