skip to main content

Florida Gardening

question about corn...

an_ill-mannered_ache

16 years ago

so, i grew up in the heart of corn country; my dad raised plenty of corn. but, i don't remember much about the stuff. it's funny how something totally common gets no attention.

i have waist-high (about 40") silver queen corn. planted it a month ago. growing well, despite some insect damage. organic, with the exception of a little handful of 10-10-10 early on, when it seemed to be struggling.

i went out today, and it looks like it's blooming (sending out inflorescences).

ok, my confusion is: should it be blooming while it's so short? and in just 30 days from planting? it's supposed to get 7' tall... it'll just keep growing, right, and sending out new ears along the stalk?

or is it stunted, and struggling, and it's blooming in response to stress (like my orchids)?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

sumala
16 years ago
I think silver queen is a hybrid sweet corn and as such, you will not get 7 foot tall plants. You will probably get one good ear per plant and possibly a second but smaller ear. Don't count on the second smaller ear but if it happens, don't count on the super fresh home grown taste you will get from the first.

My Grandfather grew the 7 foot tall stuff but he called it "field corn" and it was primarily raised for live stock feed. If you caught this field corn at just the right time, it was great as boiled corn, if you caught it a little later, it was great as "parched corn" orrr, catch it a litte later, grind it up and now we have cornb.....
delta_charlie
16 years ago
Hi , I tried to grow sweet corn (hybrid) last spring and I only got about 3 foot tall plants. Had a huge problem with ear worms. From what you decribe above:

"i went out today, and it looks like it's blooming (sending out inflorescences)."

I think you may be at the silk stage (that's the hairy stuff growing out of the ends of the ears)

The moths of ear worms lay their eggs in the silk and the little worms work their way into the ear to munch away. You might want to look into using BT dust at this time to try and keep the ear worms at bay.

BTW - I ran across an interesting little bit of info while running google searches a while back. Florida has more sweet corn prduction then any other state. Most people think of corn growing states as Iowa, North Dakota Ect. but the sweet corn is right here in our back yard. The other thing I remember is most of it is grown in peat soil and not sand.

Please let us know how the corn does.

Take care, DC
Related Discussions
questions about corns.
Q
Comments (2)
1 Chop the corn up right away after harvest while it is still green and cuts easily. 2 You help pollinate corn by shaking the stalks when the silks first appear, those stalks will shed a cloud of fine dust during about 9 AM to 6 PM.
...See More
question about filed corn?
Q
Comments (1)
i usaully file corn info under the letter C. be it field corn or sweet corn
...See More
Question About Using Corn Gluten Meal
Q
Comments (8)
Hi Steve, I did find this site through your post on the Cedar Hills forum (you may know me as grbpwr on that site). I did try the Scotts last year in Spring and Fall but it didn't seem to help. I also sprayed weed killer on all the weeds every week without any noticeable difference. I changed all my cleaning supplies to organic over the past year and love it, it is so much more effective than chemical cleaners (baking soda, vinegar and Dr. Bonner's are my life) so I thought I would do the same for my yard, especially since chemicals didn't seem to get the job done last year. I have TONS of weeds. The yard on one side of my driveway (luckily this is the smaller area of front yard) is nothing but weeds and bare spots and my backyard isn't much better. I was actually planning to get one of those claw things for my dandelion problem because digging them up by hand like I tried last year was a flop due to the super long roots. I will try that on my existing crabgrass. Skoob, I hadn't heard about using plastic to kill existing crabgrass, but I had heard that a VERY light dusting of baking soda on existing crabgrass would kill it in about 5 hours without damaging the soil or grass around it. However, this has only been tested in warmer climates (FL, TX, etc.) so I was hesitant to use it, I think I will try both methods and see which is more effective. At this point nothing short of setting the grass on fire and starting over will make most of my lawn look any worse (although I do have a really nice section directly in the front which I want to encourage to spread).
...See More
Question about homemade corn tortillas....
Q
Comments (5)
If the tortillas are fresh (and especially if homemade), they should not split or crumble. I assume that Lisa wants to make Tex-Mex tacos, which have tortillas that are fried until crisp and usually deep fried. In Mexico, soft tacos are the norm and are made with two tortillas heated on a griddle or in a wok - I use a cast iron skillet with no oil. Tortillas are sauteed in oil generally only for enchiladas, as they would be messy to eat by hand if the tortillas had been sauteed, but you can make them either way. Personally, I steam tortillas for enchiladas because I do not want the extra oil, but it's not traditional. Lars
...See More
an_ill-mannered_ache
Original Author
16 years ago
here's the corn...

some bug damage, but not much. i'm growing it mixed in with melon and beans from summer. i knew corn grew fast, but i'm still amazed at how quickly this grew... like grass!
rdean61
16 years ago
Hello, I grow silver queen every year, but ONLY in the spring. Here' my 2 cents. I certainly am no expert and what I'm going to say is just my opinion.

Corn tassels at a certain time regardless of the stalk's height. The secret is to grow the corn as quickly as possible without burning it up. Corn is a HEAVY feeder and requires frequent feedings with nitrogen. You can buy potassium nitrate (or other types of nitrogen) at garden stores. My silver queen does routinely get over my head and I'm almost 6 foot tall. Also, I believe that corn is grass!

The worms can be a problem. If you have a small patch, just pick them by hand.

I've never grown corn in the late summer/fall so I don't know if that has any bearing on your situation.
an_ill-mannered_ache
Original Author
16 years ago
down in zellwood (not far from me), they grow two corn crops, one in spring, one in fall. they get it in earlier than i did this fall -- they plant it mid-august, then blast it with every insecticide known to man. still, zellwood corn is some darn tasty stuff.

my corn is growing like mad, so i don't think nitrogen is an issue (the ground was very well prepared with lots of ground organic material, cow manure, mushroom compost, and leguminous cover cropping). i think i'm ok here, just got a little freaked out when i went out to find tassles a full three weeks before i expected them...

Related Stories

SUMMER FRUITS AND VEGETABLES How to Grow Your Own Fresh, Sweet Corn

By Marianne Lipanovich

Here's how to plant and care for your own mini cornfield

WORKING WITH PROS What Do Landscape Architects Do?

By Falon Mihalic

There are many misconceptions about what landscape architects do. Learn what they bring to a project

LIFE Houzz Call: What Has Mom Taught You About Making a Home?

By Vanessa Brunner

Whether your mother taught you to cook and clean or how to order takeout and let messes be, we'd like to hear about it

PETS So You're Thinking About Getting a Dog

By Alison Hodgson

Prepare yourself for the realities of training, cost and the impact that lovable pooch might have on your house

Easy Green: 6 Must-Answer Questions Before You Buy

By Laura Gaskill

Thinking about buying ecofriendly furniture? For a truly environmentally conscious home, ask yourself these questions first

WORKING WITH PROS 10 Questions to Ask Potential Contractors

By Ventana Construction LLC

Ensure the right fit by interviewing general contractors about topics that go beyond the basics

MOST POPULAR 8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Meeting With Your Designer

By Kelli Kaufer Designs

Thinking in advance about how you use your space will get your first design consultation off to its best start

ORGANIZING Pre-Storage Checklist: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Store

By Laura Gaskill

Wait, stop. Do you really need to keep that item you’re about to put into storage?

REMODELING GUIDES 9 Hard Questions to Ask When Shopping for Stone

By Ventana Construction LLC

Learn all about stone sizes, cracks, color issues and more so problems don't chip away at your design happiness later

GREEN BUILDING Considering Concrete Floors? 3 Green-Minded Questions to Ask

By Melanie Loftus

Learn what’s in your concrete and about sustainability to make a healthy choice for your home and the earth

Sponsored

More Discussions

Diagnosing problems with firespike in Sarasota

5

Rats in the garden ID?

6

Garden plans for 2024?

6

Greening Satsuma

2

Leaving my final garden

5