If the corn tassels at the same time, they're going to cross-pollinate. The pollen will be mixed, so you're not going to get red or yellow corn. They may still be edible, but don't complain to the seed company that they sold you faulty seed. If they didn't tassel at the same time, it wouldn't be a cross-pollination problem, but since you planted each one (same variety) farther apart than recommended, you might end up with only partially-filled ears. Don't try to be too clever when you're planting. Even if you had planted just the red variety and your neighbor had planted the yellow variety, they would still cross if they tasseled at the same time. Corn is wind-pollinated, that's why you have to plant it in blocks rather than long thin rows. That's also why it's practically impossible to protect your corn plants (even if you planted only one variety) from other types of corn that are upwind of yours. Corn is also one of the few vegetables where cross-pollination affects the first-generation ears (the ears you will be eating). With most other vegetables, the crossing only affects the next generation (seed), not the taste of the first generation (fruits). For instance, if you had planted one variety of SE corn, and a farmer or neighbor upwind of you planted field corn (grain type, not sweet type) that tasseled at the same time, there is an excellent likelihood that his corn would cross with (contaminate) your sweet corn, and what you get would be a mix, and much less 'sweet' than you had hoped. And if you had planted a rare, wonderful variety that some experienced seed saver had given you, and your farmer upwind had planted a Genetically-Modified (GM) corn that tasseled at the same time, your seed would be contaminated by the GM corn, and your corn would no longer be wonderful and rare, it would be worthless. Sue

Hello! it is Draceana Janet Craig. Not compacta, what it looks like is inconsistent watering mixed with no humidity. What i would do is since this plant works wonderfully when pruned is you can cut this plant into 12 inch peaces and push them into a fresh pot with dirt. Water until evenly moist and allow to completely dry out inbetween waterings. This makes a fuller more beautiful plant. ALSO you can cut about 8 inches below the first leaves that show up on the stalk. it will grow new heads from the cut stalks and the bushiness of the crowns will camouflage the naked stems that were left. goodluck! and post anywhere you want:) thats what we're here for!

Jess. your poor Dracaena! It's been through a lot. Tap water is fine. You don't need Spring or any other bottled water. Also, it's not sunburn. One thing you should have been doing the last 5-years is rotating your Dracaena 1/4 turn once a week. I think your Corn Plant has/d a 'Dehydration' problem. How long did it go without being watered? You didn't mention time spent away from home. You also stated the pot doesn't have drainage. Do you know the container size? Was it watered before you left? Let's say soil dried completely and was w/o water for a good amount of time. Then you returned and gave it heavy drink..Possibly too much?? Even though there are rocks on the bottom of pot, if you added too much water, the roots could have been sitting in water all this time. Do you check soil between waterings? Not only the top, but halfway or further down? Your container looks large, 'by the picture.' If the top soil dries, it doesnt' mean the bottom soil is dry too. It needs to be checked..A thin stake is sufficient. Insert the stake as deep as possible. If the stake comes out wet, the bottom soil is still wet. And visa versa. Lifting a pot is another way to check. Lift after watering. Wait a week, two, etc, and relift. If the pot is light, most likely the soil is either drying out or dry. Only you can determine its weight and use judgement whether or not it needs a drink. Why did you start watering twice a month instead of once? It's possible its roots aren't absorbing water, 'if it's beens sitting in muddy soil.' Short periods of drought won't cause much harm, but heavy periods can cause permanent damage, preventing the plant from breathing. This happens frequently. Soil dries too much, then the plant ends up over-watered. Especially if the pot is w/o drainage. If your plant was in a pot with drainage, the first thing that should have been done is, soaking in a bucket of water, until top of soil is moist. Soaking can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes. Possibly more depending on pot size and amount of soil. What type of soil was used when you last repotted? Have you repotted in the last 5-years? Do you fertilize? It's going to require some work, but you love your plant so it's well worth it. Unpot the plant. Toss out old soil. Add fresh, semi-well-draining soil. Although your pot is very pretty, instead of potting directly in the container, pot in a plastic pot w/drainage. Pot size should be determined by the root-ball. 1-3 sizes larger is fine. After your plant is potted, it can be placed in your pretty blue pot. BUT, it's important you place something inside the pot so when you water, roots don't sit in water. I use styrofoam sheets. Break a piece or two to fit inside ccontainer, 'depending on thickness,' in the blue pot, then set the plastic pot on top of the styrofoam. Water well...enough all parts of the rootball are moistened. Remove dead leaves, or trim brown edges of leaves. Is the air in your house dry? If so, start misting. Or, if your plant isn't too heavy, give it a shower. Rain water is the best medicine, but if it's cold or not raining, that's out. lol. Instead, spray each leaf. After your Dracanea settles in, renews growth, give it a half-dossage of an All Purpose Fertilizer. In the future, rotate, once a week, so the entire plant gets balanced light. an unobstructed, south window is usually harsh for Dracaneas, in summer, when sun is blazing, but since your Corn Plant has been in that window the last 5 yrs, it probably adapted. Sunburn would be obvious. I wish you luck..It's going to take some work, but you love your plant, so get to it. BTW, check its roots. Corn Plants are pretty forgiving. Toni

all evergreen plants.. lose the older leaves on an annual basis ... some years worse than others ... and that usually happens in winter ... when light levels ebb ... i think.. one of your problems.. is that it has outgrown the window ... when it was much smaller... it got much more light on top of its leaves ... i dont have time to find you the latin name.. but i do know.. when you get it.. and google such.. there are millions of websites on how to propagate it [youtube also] ... as you are well aware.. its not that hard.. if the whole family has the plant ... and once you cut the trunk to say.. about 6 inches.. and propagate 20 or so plants from the trunk .. the part still in the pot ... will rebud lower down ... do not swamp it... over-watering it .... in winter ... it will be much worse.. if you rot off its roots... been there.. done that.. lol and no.. a stressed plant does not need to be fed ... perhaps in late spring would be better time for a bit of plant food ... ken ps: when you cut it back to 6 inches.. that would be a great time to get rid of all the old 'used up' media... and repot it ... potting media does not last forever ...