Corn

[vfem]

How long after the corn ears get silks would you say they are ready to harvest?!

 

[Greenthumb18]

How long after the corn ears get silks would you say they are ready to harvest?!

its always been about 2 to 3 weeks for me, of course depending on the weather they develop faster in hot weather. Make sure you keep watering them at this time they need all that moisture for developing the "ears".

 

[Ridgerunner]

A trick I learned to slow down those ear worms is to put a few drops of mineral oil on the silks about once a week. The moth lays an egg outside the ear and the worm travels down the silks to get to the corn. If you oil the silks, they suffocate on that journey. It made a difference in mine last year.

Something interesting about those ear worms. You notice that you only find one in each ear, hardly ever two or more. They are cannibalistic. If two invade the same ear, the stronger eats the weaker.

 

[Texan]

A trick I learned to slow down those ear worms is to put a few drops of mineral oil on the silks about once a week. The moth lays an egg outside the ear and the worm travels down the silks to get to the corn. If you oil the silks, they suffocate on that journey. It made a difference in mine last year.

Something interesting about those ear worms. You notice that you only find one in each ear, hardly ever two or more. They are cannibalistic. If two invade the same ear, the stronger eats the weaker.

Really? Interesting. I just replanted corn because a neighbors cows ate all mine. I will have to use the mineral oil tip. Thanks.

Mjd

 

[seedcorn]

A trick I learned to slow down those ear worms is to put a few drops of mineral oil on the silks about once a week. The moth lays an egg outside the ear and the worm travels down the silks to get to the corn. If you oil the silks, they suffocate on that journey. It made a difference in mine last year.

Something interesting about those ear worms. You notice that you only find one in each ear, hardly ever two or more. They are cannibalistic. If two invade the same ear, the stronger eats the weaker.

Except for those lucky enough to be in Iowa, they have an insect that isn't cannibalistic. Their larva eats, silks, corn, and cob.

 

[gone 2 seed]

Would olive oil do the same thing? I hate to have go out and buy mineral oil.

 

[Debby]

Can I ask another corn question on this post? My corn is getting side shoots at the base that go off on a 45 degree angle. Am I supposed to take them off? Will they produce ears?

Thanks, Debby

 

[Ridgerunner]

Would olive oil do the same thing? I hate to have go out and buy mineral oil.

I can't remember where I got the oil on the silks info last year, but this site gives some good info on when to do it. Olive oil would work on the worm but am not sure if it would turn rancid or possibly grow mold. Mineral oil should be neutral as far as rancid amd mold go. I apply mine with a medicine dropper, not an oil can.

Here is some very usefull information from North Carolina University: "Corn earworms are a major pest on corn. The night-flying, light brown- or buff-colored moth lays eggs on the corn silks. In North Carolina, the moth can emerge as early as late March. These tiny, dome-shaped eggs hatch in 1 to 2 days in warm weather or 10 days in cool weather. The small caterpillars move down the silk into the ear, where they feed on the tip. After 12 to 13 days, the caterpillars leave the ears by boring out the side or crawling out the tip. They burrow 3 to 5 inches into the soil to pupate. After about 12 more days, they can emerge to start the cycle again. There can be at least three generations per year, and the pupal stage can also overwinter.

Once earworm caterpillars have worked their way inside the ear, they cannot be controlled. Early plantings often are not affected by earworms, but late plantings can be under serious pressure. Low infestations are often handled by simply removing the damaged ear tip of the corn after harvest. Some growers provide a free "de-silking" of the ears at sale, so the consumer never sees the worms.

Earworm adult moths should be monitored by pheromone traps placed near the corn field. In Oklahoma, Kuepper and colleagues (1991) used oils and oil-pesticide blends to control corn earworm on small acreages. They injected oil into the neck of the ear (where the silk emerges from the husk), with a standard oiling can. To be effective, oil must be applied 2 to 3 days past the full-brush stage (when silks are at maximum extension from the eartip). Addition of Bt or pyrethrum is more effective than the oils alone. Be aware that using Bt with oil is difficult, time consuming, and not always effective. Estimates obtained for costs of these methods, however, are competitive with the conventional pesticide methods.

 

[seedcorn]

Can I ask another corn question on this post? My corn is getting side shoots at the base that go off on a 45 degree angle. Am I supposed to take them off? Will they produce ears?

Thanks, Debby

No, let them be. They will set additional ears after you pick the first one off. They may not pollinate as well or big as large but they still eat.

 

[dickiebird]

(How long after the corn ears get silks would you say they are ready to harvest?!)
What my dad always did was pull the shuck back a little bit and see how the kernels have developed.
THANX RICH

People say I'm getting crankier as I get older. That's not it. I just find I enjoy annoying people a lot more now. Especially younger people!!!