Corn and pollination question.

itsablondething 7/11/2010, 8:20 pm

This is my first time growing corn, and even though I grew up surrounded by cornfields, I never took the time to really look at the corn while it was growing.

My corn is starting to get tassels on top, some just poking out, some appear to be out the whole way.

A few stalks have what appear to be baby ears of corn, but no silks showing.

One tassel on a plant with one baby ear of corn with no silk definately releases pollen when I touch it.

Is is normal for tassels to start to show before evidence of baby ears of corn? How about showing before the baby ears of corn start to produce silk? In what order do they grown and appear?

I'm worried that I am going to have corn stalks without any corn!

Thanks!

Terri

Garden_State 7/11/2010, 8:40 pm

I had the same thing. The silks are starting to show up now, about 5-7 days later. depending on how much corn space you have, you might need to hand pollinate. You can cut the tassel off and dust the silks with it, or you can cover the tassel with a paper lunch bag and staple it on overnight. In the morning tkae the bag off and sprinkle the pollen onto the silks.

I like the second method so that the tassel is still in place if you get a second ear per stalk.

Not sure how long the pollen is viable in the bag so I go out early in the morning to dust the silks. It seems to be working since the ears are startingto get big.

Happy Gardening....

Pete

**Josh** 7/11/2010, 9:20 pm

I took the corn and shook it and it made a cloud of pollen.

itsablondething 7/12/2010, 4:06 pm

First ear now starting to show silk!! And now evidence of some more baby ears starting. Smile

Sponsored content

Corn and pollination question.

Corn and pollination question.

Re: Corn and pollination question.

Re: Corn and pollination question.

Re: Corn and pollination question.

Re: Corn and pollination question.


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.