DH is growing extra tender brand 277a from Johnny Seeds, purchased this year. The corn was planted in June, stalks looked promising. Had 1 crop earlier in the year that was marvelous...sweetest corn you could get!
This newest batch has issues maybe you can diagnos for us.
Another image from the corn.
It's a fungus called smut. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_smut
patrob: THANK YOU! You've solved our mystery. And to think EATING this smut is a delicacy in Mexico! EWWWWW! When I told my husband Native Americans used it to induce labor he said he'd save me some. LOL! NO thanks. I guess there is no way to clean up the corn beds to save what is left....
By removing this crop is there anything one can do to help prevent this again? Is there a certain duration the garden should be corn-less for fear of the disease lingering in the soil?
Oh I see...read it again....it is most commonly seen during times of DROUGHT. Figures....whole veg garden is suffering. =(
Corn smut is nasty-looking, and I wouldn't eat it. You certainly shouldn't! We used to harvest ears and cut off the infected parts. Now we don't even plant corn as it is relatively inexpensive and prone to worms, smut, etc. As we get older, our veggie garden is shrinking. There's a lot to be said for farmers' markets and HEB. lol
lol Tir_...now I know you are getting close to the end of your term...but please don't eat corn smut! lol...yuckers..! :p lol
patrob,
Actually the type of corn we had planted (darn drought) is the one that goes for $3.99 at HEB for 4 small ears, but it is the SWEETEST CORN you ever did eat. I won't even go back to the plain field corn anymore. But I'll remember for next time we need wetter conditions for growing it. It's only small scale anyway, just enough for us.
LOL@TxT....yeppers, she's due any month now. ROFL. She's starting to hurt me so hopefully she'll come early. =)
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't eat anything called Smut! Yikes what a horrible name and how awful it looks.
You know you'd be required to name your child after it, so I'd lay off. :p
? LOL I suppose. =) She's already stuck with another name though.
And I wouldn't eat any smut either...so sick!!!! I'm sure glad it's never caught on here in the states...but the link DID say it has a taste similar to mushrooms. And those are unwanted spores to me to. =)
Wow...and here my mama had a craving for raw oysters when she was pregnant with me....sure am glad I wasn't named "Oyster." lol... :p
Melanie
Hehe....oh that wouldn't be to bad in today's world....where babies get named "Apple," etc. =)
lol...true....apple is sweet tho! :D
I thought so to!....I'm not as hard on names as some folks are...especially with the challenge of having to name my own lil' one soon. Already warned the family they won't like the name I pick. =)
