pn,
I too had a big oak causing shade problems for the garden. What I did was raise the canopy by cutting off lower branches. It allows more sun into the garden but still shades the house with the tall branches. Would the neighbor allow you to raise the canopy of his trees? Corn looks wonderful!

Pat, pretty corn and a pretty little garden gnome too.
Looks mighty healthy and hope you get some fine ears from it.
Didn't your folks in Florida plant some too?

Shot

Thanks, sir.

I planted the hickory king in florida. They say it didn't amount to much, a few ears. Of course, me not being there whatever dry ears there were are not put away under cover so with the rain and humidity no doubt being eaten up by bugs right now.....

Pat, you might be surprised about the corn in Florida. Hickory King has a hard shell plus a thick layer of shucks, so pretty hard for bugs or predators to eat. Just hope it got polinated well so it filled good.

Shot

Here is the corn in the dry-garden this morning. Rain has been continuing fairly regular so this is getting 9-10 feet tall and earing up pretty good. Knock-on-wood and all that. I hope the coons and skunks find it not sweet enough to bother with:

{{gwi:83399}}

Actually it was almost noon and way too bright so that's why the photo is terrible. One heck of a nice day though - thanks a lot for that crisp air, canada, we'll take it anytime!

Nice job, Pat. Can't wait to see the ears.

Shot

Well, I've been watching the ears for ages now and they just don't seem to be getting any fatter, so I picked one this morning. I guess this is what they call an 8-row type of corn, and the cob is very narrow. The kernals were quite full and it was right at perfect milk stage. Also better-tasting than I had expected for a grit-variety - just sweet enough. Probably not sweet at all for most, I prefer "cow corn".

The ear-worms are into it, though. Not sure what to do about that because this stuff is so tall that most of the ears are out of reach and the patch is too dense to go about with a step-ladder.

Another down-pour last night, about an 1.5 inches. I think that makes about 4 inches already for August and July had more than average also. I guess I picked a good season for the first serious attempt at growing corn for grain. It'll be interesting to see how this variety does in a more normal summer.

I always said that the best gardens were in the North. Our best gardens are in the winter down this way.

As you know hickory king is a field corn and is really only good for the table for a short window. If it gets very ripe it is almost inedible. You might want to try sweet corn for your table next time

I was only eating it green to see how it was. I'll let most of it go for grits and meal.

Pat, I know people who prefer the field corn over the sweet and vice...
Got to pull some of mine to shell for seed for next year.
I like it roasted in the oven on the cob the way my mom use to do it for us kids when she creamed corn and some of it was too hard.

Shot

Well, here's some ears drying up. This is most of the cobs from the home garden, but I should get 2 or 3 times that from the other dry garden. If it keeps us in cornbread and grits for the cold weather I'll be well pleased. Had some grits already - quite good.

{{gwi:83400}}

Cornbread for supper:

shell it
{{gwi:83401}}

grind it
{{gwi:83402}}

done ground it
{{gwi:83403}}

ready for butter!
{{gwi:83404}}

For more information on non-sweet corn varieties to grow for grits, bread, and fresh eating, have a look at this thread (and the pics).

Good to know that coons aren't much interested in these varieties.

Here is a link that might be useful: Corn for meal and grits

Pat, way to go. Man, that cornbread looks tasty! I pulled enough to shell for seed for next year. Got to keep this string going. Do you put bacon grease on top of your cornbread to bake?

Shot

Thanks Mr Shot, sir. Nope no grease. I put plenty of oil in the pan though.

Regarding varmints, there has been some damage in my dry garden - a number of ears stripped. Hopefully as the corn gets drier they will get even less interested.

Thanks Pat for the information. The varmits never bothered my Hickory King. I think it is because of the thick shucks and hard kernels. Besides, there have been too many peas and sweet corn for them.

Periodically, I mow down a couple of rows of the Hickory King and I noticed that the kernels that were knocked off by the mower and the partial ears that were shucked have been eaten.

Pat, any word from your parents down in Florida how theirs did?

Shot