Corn in Virginia is a disaster
 

This is my first year growing sweet corn in Virginia, and it's a disaster.
Of 32 once promising plants, a little more than half looks like they will
make it. Some got blown over by wind that reminded me more of October than
May. Others are now falling prey to some mysterious critter that ignores
tall weeds sprouting in other parts of the yard, and vindictively bites
cornstalks off at the base.

That's very disheartening--I felt OK coping with the wind by shoveling a
little extra dirt around the base of the stalks, but when you step outside
and the stalk is *completely severed* for no good reason, you're powerless.

There is now a sizeable gap in the corn area. What should I put in there?

It's too late for more corn isn't it? Pumpkins are doing great. It seems
like pumpkins add 2 leaves in one day whenever the sun comes out, which
hasn't been that often. Also, I have leftover pumpkin seed so it seems
natural to plant them.

Tomatoes could be doing better, but they are surviving. Nothing is
bothering them or the pumpkins!

Could it be that all this rain has left the corn stalks unusually tender,
juicy, and attractive to critters? If that's the case, I'll feel a lot
better about trying this again next year. We have plenty of squirrels, the
neighbors cats get into the yard, and there is a chipmonk that is seen
frequently. Rabbits, raccoons, possum, foxes, and deer live around here too
but they rarely leave the parks. I've been thinking that during a normal
season the stalks would have been tough and inedible by now.

Just for the heck of it I surfed to some of the professional corn growers
sites. It's somewhat comforting to know that eastern US corn growers are
also having problems with the rain.

--$teve

Corn in Virginia is a disaster
 

"istartedi" writes:

This is my first year growing sweet corn in Virginia, and it's a
disaster. Of 32 once promising plants, a little more than half
looks like they will make it. Some got blown over by wind that
reminded me more of October than May. Others are now falling prey
to some mysterious critter that ignores tall weeds sprouting in
other parts of the yard, and vindictively bites cornstalks off at
the base.

Sounds like cutworm. Dig down around a stalk that's just been cut
off, or the next one in the row, and you may find it. A ring of ashes
around each stalk should help deter them. It doesn't take corn long
to get too large for the cutworm to attack.


--
Aaron

Corn in Virginia is a disaster
 

On Tue, 10 Jun 2003 00:01:29 -0400, "istartedi"
wrote:


Could it be that all this rain has left the corn stalks unusually tender,
juicy, and attractive to critters? If that's the case, I'll feel a lot
better about trying this again next year. We have plenty of squirrels, the
neighbors cats get into the yard, and there is a chipmonk that is seen
frequently. Rabbits, raccoons, possum, foxes, and deer live around here too
but they rarely leave the parks. I've been thinking that during a normal
season the stalks would have been tough and inedible by now.

Just for the heck of it I surfed to some of the professional corn growers
sites. It's somewhat comforting to know that eastern US corn growers are
also having problems with the rain.


We're in Pennsylvania. Local farmers have now replanted
their corn THREE times as the seed has rotted in the ground
or the corn has come up weak, spindly, and yellow.

This year has - so far - been an absolute gardening and
agriculture disaster here. We've had about 8 weeks with
almost constant rain - never a flash-flood type of rain, but
rain each day.

People can't plant their gardens which are full of standing
water. Farmers can't plant their fields, or when they do,
the seed rots from the wetness.

Please don't be discouraged by this year. I've gardened for
about 30 years, and I've never seen a spring like this
before.

Pat

Corn in Virginia is a disaster
 

"istartedi" wrote in message
...
It's too late for more corn isn't it?

I'm not sure, but why not give it a try? Look for an early variety that can
coexist with what you've already planted. I'm in zone 6 and I'll be
planting a last 2 or 3 rows of Precocious tomorrow (66 days). Parks claims
that you can sow through mid-july. Weve got about 80 days left until mid
september so we should be ok. This is the first time I'll be sowing this
late but my corn is usually all done by mid-august...

--
Bob Provencher
ICQ 881862
AIM bproven