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Fall failures, part 1: Baby corn

Posted on September 20th, 2006 – 11:07 AM
By Jaime Chismar

My crop circle was defeated by crop failure.

I wanted my corn to grow taller than the Jolly Green Giant. I wanted ears as big as my arm. I wanted to hide in the lush green foliage and jump out at Brian as he mowed the lawn.

Instead, I grew anemic stalks with with poorly pollinated cobs barley bigger than baby corn.

I eventually surrendered my Peaches and Cream to the squirrels. They downed all the stalks in less than a week. In the mornings, I’d watch them finish off a cob, then happily preen themselves in the sun. (For a moment, my fury foes looked kind cute, almost endearing. Then they dug up my planters of argula and snap peas — Argh!)

What went wrong? Did I plant my corn too late? Not fertilize enough? Forget to water one too many times?

5 Responses to "Fall failures, part 1: Baby corn"

Chris says:

September 20th, 2006 at 1:32 pm

Ummm…is your back yard Iowa? No? Huh. Well, then I don’t know.

debw says:

September 20th, 2006 at 2:19 pm

It was a crappy year all over for corn. The hot & dry weather made short stalks that didn’t have the large tassels that full, large ears require for that picture perfect crop. I also have noticed when I plant corn the ears on the outside rows are runty and the ones two or three rows in are more in line with what I want. Maybe next year plant a thicker patch. They do however taste good, just aren’t photogenic.
I quit growing corn a few years back as I have a even more formitable corn enemy in the raccoons… just as my menu would feature the back yard bounty the rotten blighters would decimate the whole patch!

Carol says:

September 20th, 2006 at 6:44 pm

I had corn problems, also. Corn Smut, poor ear formation, corn ear worms. Two plots of corn netted six ears. But my they were good ears! I’ll try again next year.

Laurie says:

September 20th, 2006 at 10:55 pm

Corn needs to be crowded to pollinate. The tassels pollinate the ears, and if the plants aren’t close enough together the pollen is wasted (or maybe just inhaled by some unlucky passerby). Make your plot denser next year, and water regularly.

Or do what I do and just buy it at the farmers’ market. Corn takes up too much room in the garden.

Greengirl says:

September 21st, 2006 at 9:54 am

When I was a kid, we lived in Alber Lea. My dad had a large garden and grew the tastiest sweet corn. Though we lived a stone’s throw from the Iowa border, our garden size was probably the secret to our success.

You’re right, Laurie. With only three small beds, corn does take up too much room.