I'm in nearby Cumberland and our sweet corn is doing terrible this year. I think it's a combination of the very wet May-June weather and now the very dry July. The corn also must be planted in blocks, not one or tow long rows (unless it's blocks of rows) so that is can be fetilized properly from the tassel across the rows.

Hi Iris and Farmerdilla,
I'm so sorry it took me so long to respond. I've been out in the garden non-stop and it's the first chance I've had to get on the puter.
Thank you both for your replys.
Farmerdilla, thank you for the info, I did find a few sites that explain the stages of corn but for the life of me I wasn't understanding them. Then today I noticed some tiny little corn. Finally lol...

Iris, you aren't too far from me. I did have some of the corn seeds not come up...guess they rotted from all the rain...but I've been making sure to give them plenty of water during this dry spell. And yeppers, I've got them side by side in about 8 rows. I've also read that to help pollination you can use your hands to move the tassel...but I have to look it up again. I think you only do that when the ears have silk...hmmm...yeah i have to look that part up again. lol

Thank you both again.
Tina

Has anyone grown peaches and cream? Mine is tasseling, and I was wondering if I would get some mature corn before the first of September? Didn't mean to highjack the thread....Thanks

EG

Engineer - I grew some peaches & cream this year. It was as purty as you please right up towards the end when the rain stopped. We managed to get a few messes and two different relatives told me that it was the best corn they had ever eat. Don't remember exactly how long mine took for maturity. Internet says anywhere from 78 days on.
About 2 weeks after planting the P&C corn, I planted some silver queen and the same with it... :(

Photo of P&C 06/02/08 I think.

Shot

{{gwi:49131}}

Shot - thanks for the information, as well as the encouraging photo! This corn is in my raised bed that i'm planning on growing collards and turnip salad this fall. I believe I can let the corn go until late september, and still have enough time for the collards and turnip salad to produce.

EG

I planted silver queen last year and had issue with the neighbors corn cross pol. It was terrible to say the least. I planted P & C this year.

Im just north of Hagerstown so im not far from you guys either. But the cool wet spring rerally slowed things down in my garden. Then all he@@ broke loose with the heat wave. Now no rain. Cant win for loosing :) but they are calling for rain today.

Yes the tassle will form first, then the silks will start to poke out. Then once the poll from the tassles hits the silk, then the mature ears will form. You can grab the tassles and pull off some of the poll and sprinkle on the silks but with a block the size of yours you shouldnt have to do that. If at all maybe the first row or 2 on the western side, since the wind normally blows out of the west around here.

Mine is looking good except I think its going to hit its peek while we are at the beach. :(

Engineer, my wife wants me to plant more P&C next year. It is a little sweeter (SE) than the silver queen (SU).

Billinpa, cross polination is one reason I spaced out the planting. The other was self preservation (too much work at one time).
Maybe the neighbor would come over and pick your corn for you while you baste in the sun :)

Shot

Billinpa, Shot - I have 70 plants (P&C) in a 4ft x 9 ft box, and will probably have to hand pollinate. Could you please give better instructions on how/when to do this? I don't know what a poll is ? This is my first attempt at corn. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks

EG

Engineer, I can't be much help there as I grow about an acre of it at the time. Sounds like Billinpa is de man with the plan.

Shot

Engineer & Tina, if your corn is now tasseling (on top) you should notice ears starting to push out from the lower leaves with ear silks soon to follow. To hand pollinate just wait until you see the ear silks and tap the tassels on top so that the pollen falls down on the silks, do this daily until no more pollen falls and the silks start to turn brown. Morning and evening are good times to tap the tassels when the air is still and the pollen falls straight down on the silks. The whole process from silking ears to picking ears takes about 2 weeks so don't wait until Sept to pick them or they will be tough hard ears way past their peak of good eating. Once the silks are dark brown in 10-14 days then peel back the husk and see if the kernals are formed ok, then heat & eat. There's a 3 day period when corn is perfectly heavenly, then another week when it's just good, then it gets tough from there. Happy harvest!

PS, when you drive by fields of corn just sitting there for weeks on end with black silks - that's not eating corn, that's livestock corn that's harvested once the kernals are hard as rocks. Keep a close eye on your corn and don't delay harvest once it's ready. Believe me, you don't want to miss that 3 day window when it's perfect. I've read too many posts over the years with sad stories of waiting too long to pick ears, only good for birds after that.

vgkg - Thanks! That was an excellent tutorial. Thanks to you, I can now tell my wife "don't worry honey, i've got everything covered, thanks to a nice neighbor in Virginia" Thanks again....

EG