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i've only ever had success with potatoes, carrotts and green beans. our growing season is typically very short, i plant a few small rows of corn knowing i am only going to use the stocks for decoration in the fall, and i've collected recipes for green tomatoes because i have never had one ripen before the first frost and i plant pumpkins around the edge of the garden to keep the rabbits out. but this year, with the early spring, all the heat, sun and little fog it looks like the tomatoes, corn and pumpkins might actually get to a point we can harvest some! yeah! my question is- how do i know when the corn is ready to pick- before it gets seedy. and any suggestions on freezing tomatoes?
thanks (and hopefully i havent just jinxed myslef into an early frost or late fog settling in!)
i've only ever had success with potatoes, carrotts and green beans. our growing season is typically very short, i plant a few small rows of corn knowing i am only going to use the stocks for decoration in the fall, and i've collected recipes for green tomatoes because i have never had one ripen before the first frost and i plant pumpkins around the edge of the garden to keep the rabbits out. but this year, with the early spring, all the heat, sun and little fog it looks like the tomatoes, corn and pumpkins might actually get to a point we can harvest some! yeah! my question is- how do i know when the corn is ready to pick- before it gets seedy. and any suggestions on freezing tomatoes?
thanks (and hopefully i havent just jinxed myslef into an early frost or late fog settling in!)
Each cornstalk should produce at least one large ear. Under good growing conditions (correct spacing; freedom from weeds, insects and disease; and adequate moisture and fertility), many varieties produce a second ear. This second ear is usually smaller and develops later than the first ear.
Sweet corn ears should be picked during the "milk stage" when the kernels are fully formed but not fully mature. This stage occurs about 20 days after the appearance of the first silk strands. The kernels are smooth and plump and the juice in the kernel appears milky when punctured with a thumbnail. Sweet corn remains in the milk stage less than a week. As harvest time approaches, check frequently to make sure that the kernels do not become too mature and doughy.
Other signs that indicate when the corn is ready for harvest are drying and browning of the silks, fullness of the tip kernels and firmness of the unhusked ears.
To harvest, snap off the ears by hand with a quick, firm, downward push, twist and pull. The ears should be eaten, processed or refrigerated as soon as possible. At summer temperatures, the sugar in sweet corn quickly decreases and the starch increases.
I grew the best corn I've ever had right here in my yard. It was called Seneca I believe and was a large bi-color ear. The seeds came from Vesey's seeds. They have a great catalog and specialze in seeds for short seasons. I grew 10- 40 foot rows and it was excellent. I hilled it to keep the roots covered and side dressed it with a combination of miracle grow and 10-10-10- fertilizer one time before it fully tasseled out.. I watered it frequently with a sprinkler I rigged up on a step ladder. All of that corn produced two ears. It was delicious. I found if I grew a patch much smaller than that there was a problem with not enough cross pollination and the ears tended to be smaller and less developed. When we planted we did four seeds per plant. "one for the mouse, one for the crow, one to rot and one to grow" and covered the seeds with strips of newspaper. Theory was if something dug down to the paper shield it would stop. The theory worked well and I thinned much more than I replanted..
thank you very much for the answers! i will check the ears today- i wondered how many ears came from a stalk. i wonder now if i have missed the right picking time, i think they have had silk for about a week or so already, it isnt brown yet, but some of them were purple yesterday and they havent felt very full. i didnt dare strip back any of the husk to check the size of the kernels. i'll let you know what i find tonight.
sorry didnt get back on sooner- we have had a busy weekend. i am in cutler- right on the water- very short growing season usually.
the corn isnt ready yet, and the tomatoes look like they might ripen soon, starting to turn kind of a yellowy orange. and i think i did jinx myself- fog started rolling in this afternoon.
We are just north of you New Dawn, and we've been harvesting cherry tomatoes, but the romas and beefsteaks are still green. Interesting the difference 25-30 miles makes
sorry didnt get back on sooner- we have had a busy weekend. i am in cutler- right on the water- very short growing season usually.
the corn isnt ready yet, and the tomatoes look like they might ripen soon, starting to turn kind of a yellowy orange. and i think i did jinx myself- fog started rolling in this afternoon.
Cutler, on the water...you must be close to where a lot of my family is, or used to be. After my Great Uncle died, I think the kids and their kids decided to cash in and sell of the land for high prices. Lots of fog there on Holmes Bay. When I was a kid, I remember times when you couldn't see your hand stretched out in front of your face. Made finding the well or the outhouse an adventure.
To get back on topic, our garden is looking good so far but it went in a little late. Been getting some yellow pear tomatoes but nothing else is even near ready. No corn this year.
Last year it was so wet for so long that everything got blighted (downy or powdery mildew, I think) and we lost it all, except for two pumpkins.
No tomatoes have ripened in Cutler since they put in the ULF submarine tower network!!!!
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