Corn - Red Leaves

**sanderson** 6/30/2018, 2:54 am

Last year, the leaves on my corn turned red, like they were bleeding. This is what a search turned up. Anyone else have this happen?

https://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/timeless/PurpleCorn2.html

http://www.southeastfarmpress.com/grains/red-corn-leaves-stalks-not-good-sign

**sanderson** 7/2/2018, 2:43 am

Bump. Am I the only one who has experienced "bleeding" corn?

yolos 7/2/2018, 7:59 am

I have been thinking about this for awhile. I do not remember if I have ever had this problem before. If I did have it, I can't remember or it was so long ago that I forgot. I am sure I have not had this problem since I finally figured out how to properly grow corn. Regular watering and heavy nitrogen and lots of sun and heat.

**sanderson** 7/2/2018, 3:47 pm

Thanks, Yolos.

BlackjackWidow 7/3/2018, 8:49 am

I have only tried to grow corn once, and it was a dismal failure as I didn't really do any research or tend to pollination or anything. Just too much work for me for a fairly low yield. My grandfather had a huge row garden every year when I was young, and he grew corn successfully - eating sweet corn at Grandma and Grandpa's house was a yearly tradition. I do remember a few of the stalks with a kind of purpley-red leaves and husks. Those never had good ears; they were either spindly or just a few kernels on them. I never really knew what caused it, as my focus was on eating it, not growing it Smile

I have a feeling your problem was probably due to the plant trying to pollinate in high heat, and failing.

https://graincrops.blogspot.com/2012/08/red-corn-leaves-and-stalks.html wrote:This season, a lot of corn in central Kentucky reached full height, or close to it and looked relatively healthy from the road. But, much of that corn tried to pollinate when temperatures were above 100 degrees during the day for about seven consecutive days. Heat stress during pollination was the primary culprit of red leaves in these fields. In western Kentucky, much of the corn made it through pollination, but the kernels did not make it through early seed set and aborted. In those fields, kernel abortion led to the red leaves. In either case, poor pollination or kernel abortion, the producer is left with low yields.

**sanderson** 7/3/2018, 3:08 pm

That's probably what happened last year. Maybe a dozen kernels on each corn so very poor pollination. It didn't help that they fell over! Embarassed

This year they are supported with trellis netting. Corn - Red Leaves Corn_s10

BlackjackWidow 7/4/2018, 8:32 am

That's the great thing about this forum - we just keep learning and getting better every year. And I get to reap the benefits of your trials and tribulations.

**sanderson** 7/4/2018, 2:12 pm

**Scorpio Rising** 7/4/2018, 10:26 pm

It’s pollination.

I grew corn (sweet corn) in my original SFG, old style. 2 or three years, Country Gentlemann, Silver Queen, and another combo white and yellow.

I planted them in a 2x2 in the middle of the “box”, and they delivered! But when they don’t?

It s bees,

If you are using Sevin Dust,, it kills bees.

**sanderson** 7/8/2018, 11:22 pm

I never use Sevin. Rarely even Neem. Every pollinator is precious on my lot. All 22 of them. Razz

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