Corn DOA
 

Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything. No
tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway, I am
assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.

My question is, what do I do with the corn stalks? Can I just bury them in
the soil and let them decompose there? Would they be sufficiently
decomposed by next spring?

FDR said:

Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything. No
tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway, I am
assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.

One of my blocks of corn failed to silk so was a total dud. I have no idea
why, as it wasn't treated any differently than any other block. I guess
these things happen...

My question is, what do I do with the corn stalks? Can I just bury them in
the soil and let them decompose there? Would they be sufficiently
decomposed by next spring?

I'd suggest chopping them up roughly, then turning them in. The stalks
will likely rot easily. The base of the stem and clump of roots, not as well.

Hedge shears are what's used to chop up corn stalks for my compost.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

FDR wrote:
Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything. No
tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway, I am
assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.
..........................

Well wait a minute. That doesn't make any sense. Lack of pollination
can't cause no tassels to form. A lack of tassels sure would assure a
lack of pollination though.
I would think your first question would be why the corn plants didn't
mature. Did they all get to a normal height? Are you sure they are done
growing?
If you really meant to say there were no corn silks and they did
actually produce tassels, that's not as hard to believe. That could be
caused by severe over crowding. Even with crowding, the plants around
the edge of the patch should be able to produce an ear of corn, I would
think.

Steve

"Steve" wrote in message
...
FDR wrote:
Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything.
No tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway,
I am assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.
..........................

Well wait a minute. That doesn't make any sense. Lack of pollination can't
cause no tassels to form. A lack of tassels sure would assure a lack of
pollination though.
I would think your first question would be why the corn plants didn't
mature. Did they all get to a normal height? Are you sure they are done
growing?
If you really meant to say there were no corn silks and they did actually
produce tassels, that's not as hard to believe. That could be caused by
severe over crowding. Even with crowding, the plants around the edge of
the patch should be able to produce an ear of corn, I would think.

Steve

I wasn't clear in my post. A few weeks ago tassels appeared along with the
small bulge that the corn would be in. I hadn't been able to keep up with
my garden lately being away for a while on vacation. But I noticed
yesterday that the tassels were missing and the bulge remained the same
size. The cotn stalk is a early season variety that was planted at the
beginning of June and is close to six feet tall. The corn was crowded a bit
I guess. The variety is fleet, and was supposed to be for this northern
climate. The stalks are starting to redden and some leaves appear to be
yellowing and dying off.

I have another set of corn called Tempatation that has reached 3 feet or 4
and has tassles now. I may try to hand pollinate, but it seems that the
stalks are sort of small and won't produce much.

I probably should ditch corn next year and just go with crops that are
easier to grow.

Rob

"Pat Kiewicz" wrote in message
...
FDR said:

Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything.
No
tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway, I
am
assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.

One of my blocks of corn failed to silk so was a total dud. I have no
idea
why, as it wasn't treated any differently than any other block. I guess
these things happen...

My question is, what do I do with the corn stalks? Can I just bury them
in
the soil and let them decompose there? Would they be sufficiently
decomposed by next spring?

I'd suggest chopping them up roughly, then turning them in. The stalks
will likely rot easily. The base of the stem and clump of roots, not as
well.

Hedge shears are what's used to chop up corn stalks for my compost.

Thanks Pat :)



--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

Hi All,
I would let the corn stalks dry out, set fire to them, and then turn the ash
in to the ground. Hope this helps you.

Richard M. Watkin.

"FDR" wrote in message
...
Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything.
No
tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway, I
am
assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.

My question is, what do I do with the corn stalks? Can I just bury them
in
the soil and let them decompose there? Would they be sufficiently
decomposed by next spring?

On Sun, 07 Aug 2005 16:07:16 GMT, "FDR"
wrote:


"Steve" wrote in message
...
FDR wrote:
Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything.
No tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway,
I am assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.
..........................

Well wait a minute. That doesn't make any sense. Lack of pollination can't
cause no tassels to form. A lack of tassels sure would assure a lack of
pollination though.
I would think your first question would be why the corn plants didn't
mature. Did they all get to a normal height? Are you sure they are done
growing?
If you really meant to say there were no corn silks and they did actually
produce tassels, that's not as hard to believe. That could be caused by
severe over crowding. Even with crowding, the plants around the edge of
the patch should be able to produce an ear of corn, I would think.

Steve

I wasn't clear in my post. A few weeks ago tassels appeared along with the
small bulge that the corn would be in. I hadn't been able to keep up with
my garden lately being away for a while on vacation. But I noticed
yesterday that the tassels were missing and the bulge remained the same
size. The cotn stalk is a early season variety that was planted at the
beginning of June and is close to six feet tall. The corn was crowded a bit
I guess. The variety is fleet, and was supposed to be for this northern
climate. The stalks are starting to redden and some leaves appear to be
yellowing and dying off.

I have another set of corn called Tempatation that has reached 3 feet or 4
and has tassles now. I may try to hand pollinate, but it seems that the
stalks are sort of small and won't produce much.

I probably should ditch corn next year and just go with crops that are
easier to grow.

I ditched corn after my first year because the ants swarmed (and I
mean really swarmed) all over it. It was truly disgusting.
Sue


Rob

"Sue" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 07 Aug 2005 16:07:16 GMT, "FDR"
wrote:


"Steve" wrote in message
...
FDR wrote:
Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything.
No tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear.
Anyway,
I am assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.
..........................

Well wait a minute. That doesn't make any sense. Lack of pollination
can't
cause no tassels to form. A lack of tassels sure would assure a lack of
pollination though.
I would think your first question would be why the corn plants didn't
mature. Did they all get to a normal height? Are you sure they are done
growing?
If you really meant to say there were no corn silks and they did
actually
produce tassels, that's not as hard to believe. That could be caused by
severe over crowding. Even with crowding, the plants around the edge of
the patch should be able to produce an ear of corn, I would think.

Steve

I wasn't clear in my post. A few weeks ago tassels appeared along with
the
small bulge that the corn would be in. I hadn't been able to keep up with
my garden lately being away for a while on vacation. But I noticed
yesterday that the tassels were missing and the bulge remained the same
size. The cotn stalk is a early season variety that was planted at the
beginning of June and is close to six feet tall. The corn was crowded a
bit
I guess. The variety is fleet, and was supposed to be for this northern
climate. The stalks are starting to redden and some leaves appear to be
yellowing and dying off.

I have another set of corn called Tempatation that has reached 3 feet or 4
and has tassles now. I may try to hand pollinate, but it seems that the
stalks are sort of small and won't produce much.

I probably should ditch corn next year and just go with crops that are
easier to grow.

I ditched corn after my first year because the ants swarmed (and I
mean really swarmed) all over it. It was truly disgusting.
Sue

I'd just like a chance to taste a freshly picked ear of corn. Oh well....



Rob

"R. M. Watkin" wrote in message
...
Hi All,
I would let the corn stalks dry out, set fire to them, and then turn the
ash
in to the ground. Hope this helps you.

Won't that acidify the soil?


Richard M. Watkin.

"FDR" wrote in message
...
Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything.
No
tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway, I
am
assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.

My question is, what do I do with the corn stalks? Can I just bury them
in
the soil and let them decompose there? Would they be sufficiently
decomposed by next spring?

Ashes are base, not acid. Just like limestone.

John!

FDR wrote:
"R. M. Watkin" wrote in message
...

Hi All,
I would let the corn stalks dry out, set fire to them, and then turn the
ash
in to the ground. Hope this helps you.


Won't that acidify the soil?


Richard M. Watkin.

"FDR" wrote in message
.. .

Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything.

No

tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway, I

am

assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.

My question is, what do I do with the corn stalks? Can I just bury them

in

the soil and let them decompose there? Would they be sufficiently
decomposed by next spring?

"GA Pinhead" wrote in message
...
Ashes are base, not acid. Just like limestone.

I thought burning coal caused acidic rain. I thought soot of burned wood
acted the same.


John!

FDR wrote:
"R. M. Watkin" wrote in message
...

Hi All,
I would let the corn stalks dry out, set fire to them, and then turn the
ash
in to the ground. Hope this helps you.


Won't that acidify the soil?


Richard M. Watkin.

"FDR" wrote in message
. ..

Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything.

No

tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway, I

am

assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.

My question is, what do I do with the corn stalks? Can I just bury them

in

the soil and let them decompose there? Would they be sufficiently
decomposed by next spring?

I believe it is the sulfur in coal that causes acid rain, but I may be
wrong. To make lye I would use wood ashes, that certainly is not acidic.

John!



FDR wrote:
"GA Pinhead" wrote in message
...

Ashes are base, not acid. Just like limestone.


I thought burning coal caused acidic rain. I thought soot of burned wood
acted the same.


John!

FDR wrote:

"R. M. Watkin" wrote in message
...


Hi All,
I would let the corn stalks dry out, set fire to them, and then turn the
ash
in to the ground. Hope this helps you.


Won't that acidify the soil?



Richard M. Watkin.

"FDR" wrote in message
.. .


Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything.

No


tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway, I

am


assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.

My question is, what do I do with the corn stalks? Can I just bury them

in


the soil and let them decompose there? Would they be sufficiently
decomposed by next spring?

GA Pinhead wrote:

I believe it is the sulfur in coal that causes acid rain, but I may be
wrong. To make lye I would use wood ashes, that certainly is not acidic.

Further the ash is solid and basic, the sulfur containing
part acidic and gaseous. Fire in a way separates the two.

"Doug Freyburger" wrote in message
oups.com...
GA Pinhead wrote:

I believe it is the sulfur in coal that causes acid rain, but I may be
wrong. To make lye I would use wood ashes, that certainly is not acidic.

Further the ash is solid and basic, the sulfur containing
part acidic and gaseous. Fire in a way separates the two.

Makes sense.

On Sun, 07 Aug 2005 04:45:51 GMT, "FDR"
wrote:

Well, for some reason this year my corn stalks didn't produce anything. No
tassles and just a little bulge where there should be an ear. Anyway, I am
assuming it's because of a lack of pollination.

My question is, what do I do with the corn stalks? Can I just bury them in
the soil and let them decompose there? Would they be sufficiently
decomposed by next spring?

My recollection goes back to the late 1930's on the farm, and I can
never remember corn not producing because of a like of pollination.

Now I am not talking about hybrid corn, which got popular in the late
40's where we were(but you had to buy your seed each year and we
didn't use it at first).

Here is what we did with stalks. First we "striped fodder" from the
ear down, we bundled it and put it into the barn for cattle and horse
feed. then we "cut tops", just above the ear and shocked them for live
stock feed. After the corn had cured, we pulled the ears and had a
"corn shucking"(a gathering of friends and neighbors to shuck the corn
, feast and sometimes a dance.

Then we cut and gathered stalks and burned them. That is the way we
controlled insect and disease. The only chemical we ever used was
Bluestone(copper sulfate) that we put in next years seed corn to keep
out weevils .

Corn is one of the easiest things to grow (provided you have a
reasonable amount of moisture). You can raise it in pure sand, or
heavy clay- -if you use commercial fertilizer. Next spring, if you
like, lay you off a 100 ft row, sprinkle 1 cup of a balanced
fertilizer like 10-10-10, it will be very thin. work the fertilizer
into the soil good, and then plant your corn. Use a corn that is
recommended for your zone in the seed catalogue . When the corn is
knee high, rake you a small ditch along side the corn and apply 1 cup
of ammonium nitrate, and cover it with dirt (this is called "siding".)
After the first rain your corn will turn a very dark green and grow
very rapidly. If you want to increase your yield, side again with
10-10-10 when the first tassels show.(1 cup). Oh yes, plant your corn
as thick as you like, but thin it to 6" or more after it is all up
good.

Now you have a good day, and don't give up on the corn. The Old Timer.