Always used #2 myself. More like a fly swatter than a feather duster though. ;) You sure those tassels are ready to go? Still look awfully green in the photo.

Dave

Sorry. Not best photo. The anthers (I think they are) seemed open. That is little purple flowers seemed to be hanging from tassels on close inspection.

other question is ive seen videos online of pollination in regards to breeding and stuff and theyre sways working with these trimmed silks. Does it make sense to make a quick pony tail and trim the silks before pollinating to ensure good coverage of pollen?

I have used #2, also. I'd guess my "method" was in between the fly swatter and feather duster approach. As various tassels looked ready, I'd take a few pieces off several of them and hit any silks I saw that were not turning brown already. No silk trimming and little overall time was spent in doing any of this. I did repeat the hand pollinating two or three times on the patch since not every plant seemed ready at the same time. I've used this method several year on a 4 by 7 foot bed with 25-27 plants in it. I'm not sure if it would have pollinated fine on it's own, but it was great with the help I gave it.

Nothing sadder than cracking these things open when done and seeing random unpollinated kernels. I think I'll go with #2 and attempt trimming the silks to see how it goes.

I use #2 on the outside corner plant ears. My main method (my #3) is used in the early morning and late evening when the air motion is perfectly still. I'll take a long stick or pole and gently brush/tap the tassel tops, the pollen then falls straight down onto the silks when there's no breeze.

Got some done this morning. Here's the tassels. Still some anthers closed.

I planted a half row of country gentleman shoepeg corn about 35 days before filling out the row with Mirai to try and give plenty of isolation time. Little did I know the Mirai would start tasseling at about 2 feet high. Do you think, judging by this picture that my Mirai will be ruined?

There is no way to tell from the photo. It all depends on when the tassels mature and the two types have silks exposed to be pollinated. None of that is visible in the photo.

Bigger concern is why any variety would begin to form tassels at only 2" in height?

Dave

I use method #3...shaking the tops and watching the fine dust fly. It helps some times to give a bit of windage.

Is there a 'best' time of day to do this?

My method is when its dry cut off a little tassel and rub on silk. It works pretty good. I am far from an expert but most times all my kernels develop. I do it even when silk is brown. Basically I cut tassel off and rub on all silk around - cutting more tassles if I have to do a lot. I then leave tassel wedged in stalk/leaf closest to and above silk hoping it continues to pollinate.

I love telling everyone I make more corn have sex.

@gumby_ct I'd say the tallest is maybe close to 7ft? Square foot gardening. 4 per square. About 16 corn. This is the Bodacious corn variety. Got good reviews so I figured I'd give it a go. Kind of surprised how well it grew considering how sandy the darn Long Island soil is just a few inches down.

of course doesn't matter how good it looks until I get that yummy corn!

Do you need to brush tassel on end of silk or does the middle of silk work? I think the end- never seen them turn brown after pollinating in the middle.