Dear Not-A-Corn-Whisperer,

In this particular case the cooler weather is a blessing. Most sweet corn has pollination issues when the temperatures average much over 90 degrees during tasseling and silking because hot temps can make the pollen sterile. So, count your blessings and hope the temperatures stay cool while the pollination continues.

And, if you're wondering when those ears will be ready, if you remember when the silking first began, then count ahead 18-24 days to know when to expect your first ripe ears.

It stays so hot down here in southern OK well into September that I have to plant my corn later than is recommended so that it will not pollinate during the high heat. Most years that works out all right, but I always feel 'guilty' for not planting as early as the experts say I should. LOL

Not a corn whisperer either,
Dawn

Dawn
Not to worry. I think I said something on another thread about not always taking the advice of "experts", and go to those who actually have to deal with situations in their own environment.

In the case of the corn pollinating, if the weather holds through the next week, most of the corn will make it, and put the harvest somewhere around the first or second week in September. Boy! What a narrow window this one was!

Funny how we "sweat these things out". Pun intended :)

Again, thanks for the wonderful advice. Next year I am looking ahead to a spring planting, and maybe set my fall planting several weeks later than I foolishly did this year, cause most of our August's are nothing like what we've seen this year, as all of us here on Okie GW well know.

Barbara

corn 'ers,
I've just planted some Early Sunglow. It has a DTM of 62 or so days, so if I don't get any early freezes or frosts I should be stocking the freezer around the first of Nov.
Last year i planted a row of those beautiful Red Ripper crowder type peas. They are the ones with 18 or so peas in a hull, and was really wanting to gather some seed for the future. But, the early freezes got me and now I have only a few seeds left of these certain peas. I do have a half row planted of those, and am hoping again.
Good luck on your corn,
Bill

Bill,

I am planting corn tomorrow. Mine has a 60-something day maturity too. I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for cooler weather, and have decided 95 or 96 is as good as it is going to get for the next week or two.

I haven't grown Red Ripper in several years, but they are amazing crowder peas, aren't they? I hope yours do well.

Good luck with your fall plants.

I hope the tomatoes survived the spider mite invasion.

Dawn

Thank you Bill!
I can look out my kitchen window and see the corn tassels slightly waving in the breeze and happy that they seem to have made it thru that narrow window of time when the temps are in the low 80's, and the pollination should be fine. Just to make sure in my small plots though, I'm going to go out tomorrow and do some hand pollination.

Along with the Country Gentleman, I've planted some beautifully colored Earthtones Indian corn. I am really excited about both, but the Earthtones I want to save to make cornmeal out of.

I hope your corn makes it before the freeze, but watch out for those awful grasshoppers that seem to have flown in from somewhere!

I'll make a note of your Red Ripper crowder peas. They sound tasty :)

Barbara