Corn catastophy!!!

It rained last night and must've been windy because most of my corn is now horizontal instead of vertical!! NOW WHAT? can I save it? Stakes and stine to hod it up? or is it a gone-er? Batteries are dead in the camera - waitng for a re-charge- sorry no pic.

Heather

Makes it hard to harvest, but does not usualy hurt it otherwise. If it has not eared out you can usually gently raise it back up and prop it. Otherwise it will straighten up itself but grow in a sort of "L" shape. If You straighten it up, try not to disturb the roots.

There are ears on all of it. it's about 6 feet or more tall (or was)

With ears filling out, just prepare to stoop or crawl to harvest it. If you have slugs or other ground hugging pests, you might wish to place a piece of plywood , newspaper etc under ears that are touching the ground.

We have had this happen before. We just left it and as the ground dries out, it will straighten on its own. Maybe not to its original height, may lean some, but it will be all right.

had a friend whose corn fell over. we prayed for it & it is back up now, though not as straight. but might not happen with ears already on it, you poor thing! do what FD said & hope for the best, let us know!

thanks all! When DH got home and saw what happened- he GASPED LOUDLY-- WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CORN??!! I was totally over it by that time-- "oh honey farmerdill says it will be fine...." The corn is what he is really anticipating in the vegie garden...

LOL

Except now-- as I was pruning the heck out of the tomatos... there are little yellow and black bettles eating the silks off and in the tips of the ears!!! I CAN'T WIN!!!! these little nasties were on my zukes too but I hit them with the hose (but not before I lost one zuke) so I hit them with the hose again on the corn....grrrrrrrrr

I WANT MY CORN

Heather

Growing veggies without resorting to insecticides can be quite trying. You have to be more resourceful than those of us who use them.

OH I'LL use em!!!! tell me what and I'll use it! LOL!!! except on my strawberries (the kids tend to pick and eat right away). When it comes to my veggies I take no prisoners! LOL!

In that case, most box stores have liquid ready to use Bug-B-Gone and liquid Sevin (ready to use) in spray bottles. I suspect your yellow and black beetles are either spotted or striped cucumber beetles. They will also have Pyrethrin ( a botanical) in spray bottles.which is also effective.

I wish you and your corn luck. I plant corn every year and every year I lose it. I've staked it. Fenced each row. Tied and fenced ect...We always get a storm and I lose it and it never seems to recover. BUT im not giving up! Im going to plant it again next year...lol

I got corn last year and am hopeful this year....

some of us are just nutty about our corn ,me too. those could be harlequin beetles. let them eat the silks, they have already pollinated. pick just as they start eating the tops, then you know the corn is ready. cut off the top. no worries, no need to dust your corn. you can smash the bug or shake them into bowl of soapy water. when you touch or reavch for them, they automatically fall to save them selves, let them fall into your bucket & drown! ***evil laugh ***

now just pick your corn & enjoy!

the assasin bugs will be along soon to finish the beetles off, esp if you have sunflowers nearby. be sure you squash some or leave a bowl of dead ones sitting outt so they can smell them, it's like calling them to dinner! the predators wil get fat & mukltiply, & come back next year for more remind yourself that you don't want to kill the bees & ladybugs...

if i am out of line, someone slap me, its late & i can't remeber which forum i'm in :-)

As long as somebody is gonna come along and kill em I can be patient (and wield my hose) I am not against pesticides but definatly prefer nature's way. A neighbor just brought me 2 tomato hornworms. WHAT??? you say.... They are COVERED in wasp eggs! LOL!!! And I had 2 praying mantis mamas leave me egg cases last year. But I haven't seen any of the offspring yet (the cases are long covered by perreinials,

did you check to see ift he corn is ready. they don;'t eat it till its ripe you know...

not yet-- I will today.... umm corn....