sweetcorn - kernal problems

Hi there,

harvested the first of our sweetcorn and noticed that not all the kernals have formed on the cob. We believe this to be an issue with the cob not being properly fertilized.

Click here to see an image of our Deformed Cob

Are we correct in the diagnosis? Have you had similar issues if so what have you done to stop this? Are yours better or perfect this year.

Also this week, first full carrot harvest, beetroots coming out of our ears, also with runner beans.

Regards
Lottieblogs

 

I've not grown sweetcorn for a while now but it was always stated that you should run your hand through the male flower head on a sunny day and then through the silky tassels on the cob.
This should be done over a period of a few days, the weather has been a bit against you this year though.
That way you make sure the pollen gets onto the female flowers and stops the gaps in the corn.

 

excellent advice as always, pete, assuming one knows which one is the male flower head.

 

The male is the one on top, I'll rephrase that, its the terminal "flower" on the plant, the cobs form lower down the stem.

 

I don't think you could do much this year. It was just too wet and cold. The pollen was probably not running in sufficient quantities.
Just hope for a sunny summer next year.

 

I checked my corn last thursday, I picked what looked like the plumpest, ripest and best looking cob in order to sample my first corn harvest. It was also partly unformed in that about 20 kernals were missing.
I have to say though it tasted delicious.

On sunday, with friends round for lunch I decided to try a few more, I picked 7 more cobs and they were all perfectly formed and all better than the first one I had picked. My friends said it was the sweetest and best corn they had ever tasted (I thought so too).

I have another 15-20 ears growing, some look a little small yet but I will be eating more this week.

 

There are fields of the stuff growing around here, or it may be maize.
Either way there is a lot of it, and I cant believe the farmers will be able to put up with poor pollination, in fact its only just formed the male flowers in the last two to three weeks.
Maybe us gardeners tend to try growing it too early.

 

The farmers don't neccesarily need it to pollinate. They just cut the whole plant and turn it into silage.
They can direct sow it whereas we gardeners really need to start sweet corn under cover so we can get it to ripen in time.

 

Ah, right Geoff, thought there might be something like that going on.

 

I thought they used to cut it up when they harvested it but at the farm where I keep the caravan the farmer showed me the silage clamp he was digging into and you could just see these layers of whole maize plants lying on top of each other.

 

The variety of sweet corn that ruffmeister is growing is Minipop and should be picked as soon as the tassles show, before it is pollinated. It is the small corn that is used in stir fries and as it doesn't need to be pollinated can be grown in rows instead of blocks.

 

So are you saying that you eat the whole cob, Lesley, and not just the corn, ( which presumably does not form if its not pollinated)

 

Sorry for crashing this thread guys, but something has eaten all the tassels off my cobs...how will I know if it's ripe?? Also it 's skin seems a bit baggy..is this a watering problem???

 

Hi Pete, this variety produces those small, 4 inch long, yellow sticks (best way I can think of describing them!) that you see sold as a miniature vegetable and also used in stir fries. Peel the leaves off the cob and you are left with this tiny yellow cob that doesnot have any corn on it. So, yes Pete you eat the lot! Personally I love 'normal' sweet corn!

[ 09. September 2007, 10:45 AM: Message edited by: Lesley Jay ]

 

You will need to peel back the sheath on the cobs a little and pierce a sweet corn kernel with your finger nail. If a watery liquid comes out it is unripe but if a creamy, milky liquid comes out the sweet corn is ripe and ready to eat.