Okay, a dumb corn question

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chicochi3 Fayetteville, AR(Zone 6b) Jun 22, 2007

How do I know when my corn is ready to pick. The old folks back when I was a kid used to tell me it was ready when the silks turned brown, but I never have found that overly reliable. Does anyone know a tried-and-true method?

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Farmerdill Augusta, GA(Zone 8a) Jun 22, 2007

That is about as tried and true as any. Corn does vary among the cultivars, so the best you can do is observe the silks, feel the ear, and when in doubt open the end of the shuck and peek. In a little while, you will able to tell by looking when your corn is ready. It just takes a little bit of experience.

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chicochi3 Fayetteville, AR(Zone 6b) Jun 22, 2007

Thanks for your help!

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growingup Tucson, AZ Jun 22, 2007

When the silks brown and the corn isn't ready, I've heard that you could put a bit of oil on them to keep them from getting brittle and burning.

Another tip is that when you peak in, the kernals should go all of the way to the top of the ear.

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Farmerdill Augusta, GA(Zone 8a) Jun 22, 2007

Thats a new one on me. There are lots of conditions where corn does not fill out to the tips. Unless you looking for perfection, you will lose a lot of good corn that way.

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growingup Tucson, AZ Jun 22, 2007

I'll take your advice Farmerdill, you have a lot more experience than I do, but that is just what I gathered from different sources on growing corn. It makes sense that waiting until the ear is full cannot always be the case.

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glendalekid Tuscaloosa, AL(Zone 7b) Jun 25, 2007

I like the corn best when the ear is not filled quite all the way to the top. In the market, that's how I pick the ones to buy.








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