Date: 26/01/2009 14:22:20
From: artychoke
ID: 45136
Subject: Corn Plants

Iam fairly new at gardening and very new to this site I have just grown about 80 corn plants in 4 rows they are about 2 meters high and the silk on the cobs has just turned dark when i picked them 50% are a good size and 50%are small but still edible i have fed the plants up untill 5 weeks ago they are in good soil & have had plenty of water Help

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Date: 26/01/2009 14:55:24
From: pepe
ID: 45137
Subject: re: Corn Plants

artychoke said:


Iam fairly new at gardening and very new to this site I have just grown about 80 corn plants in 4 rows they are about 2 meters high and the silk on the cobs has just turned dark when i picked them 50% are a good size and 50%are small but still edible i have fed the plants up untill 5 weeks ago they are in good soil & have had plenty of water Help

sounds like a good crop. welcome artychoke
i’m not sure of the question

either -
how do i know when to pick?
answer – once the silks have turned brown feel the outside of the cob for bumps or – better still – prise open the covering with your nails and peek
or
how can i make the 50% small ones into big ones?
answer – fertilise and water more. if you are picking more than one cob per plant – the second cob should be left for later.

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Date: 26/01/2009 20:33:14
From: artychoke
ID: 45148
Subject: re: Corn Plants

Thanks for that info Pepe its what i need to know i expected all the cobs would be big but the last few weeks i got a bit slack on the fertiliser i have about 15 plants about 2 foot high coming on so i will give them some TLC and see how they go

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Date: 26/01/2009 20:38:37
From: pepe
ID: 45151
Subject: re: Corn Plants

where are you approx in australia – nearest big town?
corn throw out aerial roots and these should be covered in manure and mulch for best results.
i’m in adelaide and i am having difficulties keeping the water up – so they stop at about 1.5m high.

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Date: 26/01/2009 20:48:13
From: artychoke
ID: 45153
Subject: re: Corn Plants

Lower north coast nsw i have mulched them and i have a really good sprinkler system from a dam river or tank so water is no problemand our rainfall is about 1500mm a year

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Date: 26/01/2009 20:54:57
From: pepe
ID: 45155
Subject: re: Corn Plants

artychoke said:


Lower north coast nsw i have mulched them and i have a really good sprinkler system from a dam river or tank so water is no problemand our rainfall is about 1500mm a year

thanks
yep – good corn country – they are gross feeders – so depending on how close you grow them (300mm each way is about right) i guess you will just keep applying the fertiliser.

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Date: 26/01/2009 21:12:48
From: artychoke
ID: 45157
Subject: re: Corn Plants

Thanks again Pepe i will let you know how the next ones turn out

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