"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...

[snip]

It has been such a poor summer that it isn't too surprising they are
struggling a bit. I'd guess they are still not yet ripe even if the
strings are dry. Mine usually come ripe around the end of September.

I doubt it very much. A ripe mealie pip is too hard to break between
the teeth. It has to be hit with a hammer to achieve that.

[snip]

Franz