Corn is Tasseling!

Discussion in 'Fruit and Veg Gardening' started by marlingardener, Apr 22, 2011.

  1. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    I was watering the corn this morning and noticed it's beginning to tassel! :smt041 This is the first time we've grown corn in Texas, and when I was told to plant it in March, I thought someone was pulling my leg, but no, the advice was good and we've got the possibility of home-grown sweet corn!
    Can you tell I'm thrilled?
     
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  3. Jerry Sullivan

    Jerry Sullivan Garden Experimenter Plants Contributor

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    Time to dust the cobwebs off the corn pot. Tassels! A delicious word to munch on while we wait for the corn to reach the elephant's eye. :)

    Jerry
     
  4. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    Congrats Marlingardener, I can remember the feeling when I saw my first tassle too!! Be sure to try eating the corn fresh from the plant, the taste is hmmmmm ...... it is wonderfully pleasant that words cannot describe. I am thrilled for you too!! My second batch is on the way and is looking forward for the first sign of tassles to appear soon. :D
     
  5. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    KKNG, yes, here in Texas we put the pot on to boil and then go pick the corn, and shuck it on the way to the house!
    If our corn gets as high as an elephant's eye, it would have to be a mighty short elephant! I planted a variety that gets to 5' at maturity, hoping our high winds wouldn't knock it down as easily.
    Our neighbor gave us corn last year, which is what got me thinking I might be able to grow some. In addition to loving corn ourselves, the chickens have great fun with the fresh cobs.
     



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  6. Green_Numb

    Green_Numb In Flower

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    i was going to say "wow u got corn tassels already?" but then i forget about how we all have different temperatures and season times...

    congrats on your tassels though!
     
  7. bunkie

    bunkie Young Pine

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    i was thinking the same thing gn!!! we are still getting heavy frosts here.

    mg, congratulations! how exciting...and tatsy-to-be! what was the variety?
     
  8. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    Bunkie, the variety is "Honey and Cream" which has more of a corn flavor than super-sweets. I'll let you know if it passes the taste test!
    Green Numb, when my garden has shut down in July and others are enjoying fresh vegetables, I'll stop bragging!
     
  9. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    Yeah for you!!!! I can't wait for ours . Yesterday my husband drug me out to the garden to help plant corn and lay plastic over it. It's a lot of work, BUT we have the earliest corn in the area when we do it this way. The weather is COLD and DAMP this SPRING and doesn't seem to be getting any warmer or drier. I wish we could send all the extra rain your way for your corn. Have a bite for me and say MMMMM.
     
  10. Jerry Sullivan

    Jerry Sullivan Garden Experimenter Plants Contributor

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    I thought since everything in Texas is so big that they would have corn at least as tall as in Oklahoma, where:

    The corn is as high as an elephant's eye,
    An' it looks like it's climbin' clear up to the sky.

    How about a Giraffe's knee? :)

    Jerry
     
  11. Coppice

    Coppice In Flower

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    The old guys put a drop of mineral oil on their silks to drown borer.

    Now-a-days its olive oil ;)
     
  12. Green_Numb

    Green_Numb In Flower

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    Hey Marlin i guess we all have roughly the same time period for our gardens but we just have different stop and start points depending on location?
     
  13. cherylad

    cherylad Countess of Cute-ification Plants Contributor

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    Great news on the corn Jane. The corn out the garden is almost knee high. Which reminded me of that old saying about corn... "Knee high by 4th of July". Guess we're a bit early? :D
     
  14. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    Green Numb, you're right. Corn takes a certain number of days to maturity, and a certain range of soil temperature for planting. We get warm soil sooner, so we get corn sooner, but it takes us the same amount of time between planting and harvest to get the ears.
     
  15. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    What I meant is to eat it raw without having to boil it first, yes raw ... it is delicious!!! yum! yum!! :D :D :D
     
  16. marlingardener

    marlingardener Happy

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    KKNg, if we eat it raw, the butter won't melt!
     

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