when is corn ready?

[Andy Hamilton]

I have grown 50 or so corn plants this year in a 6ft squared area. They have all come up and are doing well with up to 4 corns on each plant. Last time I grew some I failed miserably so I am well happy. The thing is when to harvest, the top 'hair' bit has gone brown on some of them but the corn is still white. I have read that when the whole jacket goes brown it is overipe which is usefull but when is it ripe, is it just a question of tearing back the jacket and looking.

Just being a bit impatient really.

[Wombat]

Peel the husk back mate, if the kernels look well filled, prick one and if a milky fluid comes out, they are ripe!

Nev

[Millymollymandy]

Good grief Andy - how do you fit so many plants in such a small space? Aren't they all scrunched up together? (Mind you the agricultural maize is planted very close).

[Chickpea]

I just looked it up and found that Nev has already posted the answer - you squeeze a kernel with your fingernail and if a milky liquid comes out they're ripe. I tried growing it last year in growbags but the cobs never ripened. We didn't get much sun here last year - my tomatoes never ripened either. Next year I'm going to try Three Sisters.

[albert onglebod]

Dont pick it till you want to eat it unless you are going to freeze it immediately or it'll lose the sweetness.

[Han&Matt]

Nice problem to have Andy! I am glad the wind didn't destroy them...

We tried corn this year for the first time - it has to be the most satisfying thing to harvest, surely?!
Our plants are around 5' high and 'flowering', and each plant has a couple/three cobs - however these are pretty slim and I can see the 'hair' is starting to colour. Will the cobs fill out? I fed with tomato feed last week and have kept them watered, plus they are in a sunny spot and well sheltered - what are we doing wrong or haven't done well enough or better still, what can we do? My father expressed serious doubt that we would get to eat our own corn, hence I am desperate to prove him wrong!!

[red]

My father expressed serious doubt that we would get to eat our own corn, hence I am desperate to prove him wrong!!

there are always doubters - and we grew our own corn last year so pllllppp! is possible!
I wait until the hair bit has gone brown and crispy, then feel the cob to feel if it feels firm.. then gently open one up - still on the plant and take a peek. if its ready - pick - if not.. wrap back up and wait...

Red

[Millymollymandy]

Nice problem to have Andy! I am glad the wind didn't destroy them...

We tried corn this year for the first time - it has to be the most satisfying thing to harvest, surely?!
Our plants are around 5' high and 'flowering', and each plant has a couple/three cobs - however these are pretty slim and I can see the 'hair' is starting to colour. Will the cobs fill out? I fed with tomato feed last week and have kept them watered, plus they are in a sunny spot and well sheltered - what are we doing wrong or haven't done well enough or better still, what can we do? My father expressed serious doubt that we would get to eat our own corn, hence I am desperate to prove him wrong!!

Mine seem to be at about the same stage as yours and my cobs are still very slim so far - now you've got me worried!!! I wasn't before!

[Han&Matt]

Oops, sorry MMM - they may be just fine! I'm only concerned as I have a smug father to prove wrong... May have to resort to taping a Sainsburys corn onto the plant and taking cunning photographs...

[Andy Hamilton]

We have had four cobs so far and they have been delicous

[Wombat]

Well done mate!

[elfcurry]

The first time I grew corn a few years ago it was a great success and I was delighted. I tried the following year and the crop was poor. I've tried since with mixed success but the last couple of years have been good.

I've never really found a better way to be sure they're ready than to do as Red says and gently examine the cob on the plant and re-wrap if not ready.

I will certainly not pick them all in one go. I haven't cooked any at all so far this year. I pick one and eat it raw within minutes. Why people leave them to turn starchy and then boil to drive out any remaining flavour beats me.

They're lovely raw and fresh!

Hmm... I haven't had one in the last couple of days. Mid-morning snack, I think. 8)

[*stuffed*]

I share my parent's allotment at the moment. The reason behind that was for me to get a taste of allotment life and to give my parents reason to go there more often. I don't drive and they always take me over there as it is quite a way. During the school holidays they have been going without me a lot of the time as it isn't always at a good time for the little one.
Anyway to get to the point, I planted some corn and have been happy to see it growing well. Last time I went I tested it as suggested above and it wasn't ready so I left it.
Okay to really get to the point now
I got a phone call a couple of days ago, it was my Mum, they had been over to the lottie and the birds had been at the corn and stripped a couple of cob bare so they decided that the best thing would be to pick the lot.
They brought them over to me and on going through them I found I had 3 ripe cobs, about 5 that were nearly there (I froze them and am hoping they will be edible) and about another 6 that were nowhere near ripe (the guinea pigs seem to like them) There were afew which hadn't pollinated properly which had a few kernals on which I cut off and used.
Now I know they did what they thought best, they wanted me to get some corn, they didn't want me to lose it all to the birds, but I wish I had at least been consulted before they made the decision. I may have agreed with them but at least I wouldn't feel so peeved about all the unripe cobs that would have been lovely just given time
Okay that wasn't entirely on topic but I just needed to have a moan, sorry!
Hope to have my own lottie soon

[Millymollymandy]

Hey, sorry to hear that Stuffed. I didn't think birds would go for corn - or at least I've never thought about it. Strawberries and cherries - yes!

I wonder what the answer is. Bird netting? I'm a bit concerned about bird netting everywhere as we've already had one casualty (a young blackbird caught upside down by one leg - very sad - it finally flew away when released but its leg was all twisted) and another time I found a Yellowhammer trapped inside the netting but at least unharmed.

[*stuffed*]

There is a family of pheasants near the site and when they go for something they don't leave anything.
Netting/wire or somthing may have been possible but they decided the corn was too tall to net so it wasn't an option.