Larry,

I think the corn is on-schedule, days-wise, even if the plants are a little short. It is likely that the inadequate soil preparation left you with stunted corn. If you'd spent one more day and rototilled more organic matter like compost or cow manure into the soil, your plants probably would have attained a little more height before they tasseled. Chopped or shredded leaves are great for soil improvement, but I usually add them in November-December and plant into that soil in March. That gives the leaves time to break down more. By adding the leaves the same day the corn was planted, you likely improved drainage but weren't adding nutrition to the soil.

Your corn should be fine although the ears might be a bit shorter than usual. I'd had Early Sunglow tassel while it was still quite short some years and still had a good crop. It is such an early variety that it has to tassel pretty early in order for pollination to occur and then for the ear/kernels to develop within that 62-63 DTM. In our climate, I usually see Early Sunglow mature and ready to pick even earlier than that...more like 57 to 59 days. If I plant the last week in March, I usually harvest Early Sunglow before Memorial Day.

Some of my neighbors don't like it because it has short stalks and little ears, but I like it because it usually matures before the corn earworms arrive. I didn't plant any Early Sunglow this year though.

Dawn

Thanks, Dawn

I have not grown corn many times. I have only grown about 15 gardens in my life, most were small, between 200 and 500 sq ft., just not enough room for corn. I have grown 4 gardens between 3000 and 4000 sq. ft.. I am up to 1000/1500 sq. ft. now at this house, which is too much because we give most of our produce away. With the economy like it is there is no reason to pay high water bills and then give the food away.

Thanks again, Larry

Larry,

I agree that it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money on the garden and then give most of the food away. I used to do that, but now I just focus more on freezing, canning and dehydrating it. All that kitchen work sure cuts into my gardening time, but when it is time to go 'grocery shopping' I just visit my pantry, freezers, and root cellar. I do still give away some stuff here and there, but not in huge quantities like I used to.

Dawn

I've had some start tasseling while the corn is shorter this year. But the corn is still growing some. I imagine it will end up close to where it should be. I think it is more of a weather issue here. I feel my soil is in good shape and the color of the leaves is a very dark green. I don't worry if it is shorter. Most of the time the ears will be just as big. I would prefer it a little taller to provide more wind break for my tomatoes. But as long as the ears are good sized and tasty I am happy. I expect my first ears around the first week of July. Jay

Same here Jay,
I was shocked with my corn started tasseling at three ft. Then we had the deluge of water that stood for about a day out there in the corn patch, but the corn seemed to drink it up, still looked nice, green and healthy. No sign of nitrogen deficiency. I just summed it up to the weather and variety. Anyways, today I notice it's silking, alive and well.

Larry, I don't really have room for corn either, but planted anyway so I could grow pole beans up it. May have made a mistake with the Early Sunglow as it may not support the heavy vines :(

I did plant a taller dent corn in another area. I hope it will fare better. Time will tell.

Good luck with y'all's corn. Good eating if it makes okay, even with smaller ears.

Barbara

Barbara, I have pole beans growing up some of my Tendertreat. I did not plan it that way, I just planted too close.

I stake almost everything with tee post and rebar. The tall stuff like tomatoes and pole beans I also add a 30" piece of rebar to get the top height up about as high as I can reach. I then attach 1/2" rebar horizontally at about 6.5 or 7 feet. On tomatoes I add more horizontal pieces.

If I were starting gardening now I would do it a little differently because of the cost of tee post and rebar.
The reason I started out this way was because of storage of the material.

Larry

I have everything growing on everything else. Every day it is more like a jungle. It is going to be a real trick to harvest some of it. I don't think I have ever had so many things getting so huge. I thought I left plenty of room for everything, but obviously that isn't true.

A month ago, I was thinking that I probably could have gotten more peppers in if I had planted them closer. Now they are almost touching. I am glad that I planted a double row then left a path before starting the next rows so I can at least get in to pick them. If the blooms are any indication, then I am going to be picking a lot of peppers.

Today I noticed that one of the zuchetta squash branches has already reached the top of the trellis which is an arch made from a 16 foot cattle panel. I was hoping that my cukes could climb on the chainlink fence, but had to put up some other supports for it today because the squash plant growing 6 or 7 feet away has already claimed the top of the fence behind the cukes. I put hay down so some of the cukes could go down out of the container, but mostly they will just have to fight it out with the squash for fence space.

I need to decide how many plants I am going to put in next year, and make sure I have cages for everything that needs it. Those of you who know me just know that's going to happen, don't you?

My long beans are on a trellis that is 7' 6", and they have reached the top. They haven't filled out yet, but they just went straight up until they went over the trellis. They look really funny with just a skinny vine going straight up.

I am trying to keep the tomato vines tucked in, but it is a chore after the wind whipped them around this week.

The 'windmill' bean tower has a new coat of paint and I hope to get it moved and planted tomorrow. I also hope to dig the fingerling potatoes, but that will depend on the heat index tomorrow.

The high wind and heavy rains did take its toll though. I still have corn on the ground and tomatoes that fell over the top of the supports. Only one pepper was broken. I left it to see if it would come back. If not, I have more to replace it. It was a short storm, but it was a bad one.
At least there was no hail. Carol

Larry,
Those pole beans know a good thing to climb on when they see it. I'll stick a pole bean seed on anything vertical I think will support it. I even have some climbing tall sunflowers.

Ya, gardeners are an innovative sort. I've seen just about everything imaginable for tomato supports and maybe used some myself. Whatever works, or you have on hand or can invent..the neighbors if you have any might throw a hissy fit but the tomatos don't care.

Carol,
Sounds like before the summers over you may need a machete to get through your jungle.

You're having a lot better luck with what sounds like a way earlier start than I got this year. I did have a good spring veggie garden tho. I even had some choice crunchy head lettuces. Still harvesting tons of green onions.

Still, the summers not even started yet, (Dawn might disagree on that!)

... and I'll probably catch up with the stuff that's most important to me. That would be tomatos, sweet and hot peppers, okra, summer squashes and corn, cantaloupes and big ole honkin watermelons:).

Then on into munching our way through fall stuff.

Life is good :)

Barbara

Carol,
You do use the addict method of determining amount of plants for next years garden don't you. Estimated amount times 2 plus 20 for error factor.

Sounds like all of your gardens are doing good. Mine is also. Sure I will see some stress issues from the heat we're having. We are starting day 3 of 10-13 predicted days of mid 90's to low 100's. One source says it may be July 1st before we see any relief.I will keep watching and spray bloom booster a few days before hand. Our days our running 8-10 degrees above normal. Heading out now while it is cooler to brush the plants and put out more mulch. Jay

Jay, that's too funny. I'm glad to know it has a name and especially when it 'comes from the voice of experience'.

I am getting the normal yellowing at the bottom of some plants which I don't worry about. My garden is holding true to form, and the potato leaf plants aren't holding up as well as the regular leaf.

I have seen quite a few bumble bees and I think my squash is finally getting pollinated.

We pulled all the mulch back from the Yukon Gold potato plants and I am trying to let it dry a little in the sun and then will be moving the mulch to those pepper plants that don't yet have mulch. Actually the moisture is bothering me as badly as all of the ants in it. We did get all of that tiny patch of potatoes dug this morning tho. Hopefully I can get back out and work a while longer. I need to do some more work out there so I can plant some more things. I actually have a little space.

I had left a small broccoli plant that was growing in the end of the potato bed. The head was only about as big as an orange and I told DH to go ahead and pull the plant. He stood outside and ate the broccoli and fed the leaves to the chickens. No waste there. LOL

The other potato plants still have green leaves, so I guess I have to put up with them for awhile longer.

I still don't have ripe tomatoes, except for currant and cherries, but I don't think it will be too long before I have a Black Krim. I have these monster plants that are covered in tomatoes, but no ripe ones. My across-the-street neighbor has the worst looking tomato plants you have ever seen with ripe toms hanging on them. I guess my plants are too comfortable and they are taking their time.

Barbara, Summer started here in mid-May but now it has found the rest of y'all!

Jay, I like the formula. Our heat is similar to yours through the end of this month. I think we'll break 100 next week for the first time. We've been close but not quite there seveal times. Supposed to be 98 today. Our days are running about 8 degrees above normal, and even worse is that our nighttime lows are well above normal too.

Our local TC meteorologist said May was one of the Tenth Driest Mays since they started keeping records, and he says June is going to rank among the Top Ten Hottest Junes. It sure makes you wonder what July will be like.

Carol,

I bet your plants will produce better than the sorry ones your neighbors have even if theirs produce tomatoes first.

It is too hot. I just came in and the heat index is already 99 degrees. My gardening day is done and now my kitchen day begins.

Dawn