One thing that struck me about this article, versus typical gardening advice, is how the botany is much more accurate. My corn isn't showing any ears yet, but if I dissected a plant I'd find tiny ones behind each leaf. Until the top one or two grow larger and send out silks, they can't be pollinated. Ideally, I should have begun watering after the 5th leafs formed. I don't think the plants were too stressed so they'll probably still make their crop. Tassels are those things on top producing pollen. If you read through the article to the end, it explains what causes unfilled rows.

Most likely that ear will not be usable. It is exposed to the elements aswell as every bug you have available. It is not un usual but relatively rare. Might get two or three per acre of corn.

I'm in zone 6b and I only got tassels a couple of weeks ago. The silks and ears are just forming between the stalks and leaves. I planted Serendipity which is an 82 day corn. Silver Queen is a late season corn...around 92 days. Be patient. I think you'll have some tassels in a few weeks. Kim Here is a link that might be useful: Kim's Garden

I am going to see how it turns out. I am growing it more for decoration than eating (though it can be used as popcorn). I am the only one in the area with any vegetable garden, and last year I had 3 varieties. Glass gem, which is an heirloom variety, purchased from Native Seeds - a nonprofit in Arizona, and 2 varieties I likely got from Burpee and could have come from Monsanto - strawberry corn and caramel-krisp corn. The 3 varieties had staggered maturities and I didn't have any cross-breeding problems last year, though this plant sprung from a discarded ear from then. These are the only two years I have grown corn, though, so I wanted to make sure this was something unusual and not something that happens and I just hadn't seen before. The picture doesn't show it, but this plant also towers over all my other ones, even others that sprouted in the compost (lesson to self, careful what I toss in there). If anyone else has any thoughts on this, or has seen it before, would be glad to hear it. I will post an update once I see how it turns out.