when is corn 'ripe'?

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naien Capistrano Beach, CA(Zone 10a) Aug 05, 2005

how do i tell when my corn is ready to harvest? i only have one ear and i'd hate for it to go bad on the stalk but i don't want to pick it too soon. thanks for any help :)

scott

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LarryDavid Salt Lake City, UT(Zone 5b) Aug 05, 2005

Great question! I was wondering the same thing...

Lindsey:)

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nannybee Boone, IA Aug 05, 2005

I've found the best way is by sight. Pull back the husk and see if the kernels are large enough. Used to be if the kernels were too big, the corn would be tough but with the all the new ES varieties around today even big kernels can still be tender and sweet.

Nancy

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eweed Everson, WA(Zone 8a) Aug 06, 2005

I never pul the wrpper to look I judge the tassel color and how round the ear feels the darker and drier the tassel the riper the corn. Ernie

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rutholive Tonasket, WA(Zone 5a) Aug 06, 2005

And especially here this year i wouldn't pull the corn wrap back, the darn blackbirds are picking my corn. i went out as someone suggested and put paper sacks over some of the ears. i just go by the full feel of the ear and dry dark color of silks. DonnaS

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nannybee Boone, IA Aug 06, 2005

I never thought about birds. We have a huge field of corn and if I pull the husk off and a bird or bugs get in I've got plenty more. I didn't that about small gardens where every ear is precious. We've had a real nice crop this year and not much problems with pests. Usually the coons are our worst enemy but they must have found something better somewhere else because they haven't got much of our crop.

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Joan Belfield, ND(Zone 4a) Aug 07, 2005

I've noticed that when the kernals are pretty much all filled out, the ear starts to lean outward from the stalk somewhat too. Plus the ear feels full and the tassles are dried up.

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critterologist Frederick, MD(Zone 6b) Aug 07, 2005

On the other corn thread, Horseshoe wrote:

"... the silks. They should be good and brown and dry (the silks protruding from the end of the ears)...I wouldn't even check on the ears/kernels until you see the silks dry like that.

If you can remember the first day you noticed the ears coming on and silking you can pretty much figure 20 days from that time to begin getting full ears."

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