[angel1237b]

hi everyone,
a little confused....01.my corn is starting to silk...about 1/2 inch....do i polinate it now or let the silk grow a bit....the tassle is starting to ripen as well...02.after it starts to turn dark do i put the oil on right away or do i wait a bit for it to dry then add the oil.

 

[stephanie]

oil on corn WHY? and corn should be self pollinating. I am growing sweet corn and have never heard of putting oil on corn.

 

[angel1237b]

hi steph,
i have been reading about pollinating corn in a home garden and alot of the reading suggested i put two drops of oil in the base of the silk after it is pollinated to help with any worms that might hatch and eat the corn....this is my first year gardening and everyone has a different opinion on how to do this...i am just trying to do what is good for my corn...i am so afraid of it not turning out for me.

 

[stephanie]

don't worry so much about the garden and corn in it. it will work out just fine each year is a new experiment in gardening. If some thing fails this year but another does fantastic it is still a job well done. I started small and have been slowly adding things over the 3 yrs I have been gardening each year I earn some thing new and try some thing new. I do know corn takes a huge amount of nitrogen out of the soil to grow proper and when it starts to tassel just get a feather duster of sorts and swirl that around on each tassel this will insure it get proper pollination as far as worms go they don't eat much and I have found that if you let nature into the garden with adding good bugs to help battle the bad bugs the bad loose allot. I buy good bugs and spread them around the garden every year and they never fail me. sure I loose a few leaves here and there but there are no pesticides or chemicals being used in any part of the garden. try the oil on the silk when it comes out on each ear of corn let us know if it worked at keeping the bad bugs out. enjoy all aspects of the garden from the good to the bad. this year I am worried about the carrots in mine seem Bamby has a huge fondness for them and what I get is going to be meager this year but next year ha the carrots will prevail.

 

[angel1237b]

thank you steph...i guess i worry too much...i am sure the corn will look after itself...

 

[angel1237b]

My corn didn't make it...it is skinny and white..i will try again next year...):

 

[stephanie]

bummer still waiting for mine to ripen and do it's thing. In the PNW every thing is a little slower growing I don't expect corn til mid/late September.

 

[angel1237b]

i had a little bit of a change...mine stayed small but we did get some out of it,although every one had a corn worm it it...i just cut off the good part...and it was tasty..i blanched the rest and froze it....i hope i can get a handle on the corn worm next year..that was very disappointing...and creepy...lol