i have some corn in my garden -- first time thing -- and wonder when i
should pick the ears. when the tassels are white? when they are brown?
??? help!

thanks in advance for any assistance,

steve snow

carefully split the leaves on the cob with your fingernail and see
if it looks mature. (while it is still on the plant of course)
kelvyn

"Kelvyn" wrote in message
...


carefully split the leaves on the cob with your fingernail and see
if it looks mature. (while it is still on the plant of course)
kelvyn

That's what we used to do. After some practice, you can learn to judge
by the tassels (they are brown on the end) and the fullness of the ear.
If the kernels of corn are big enough, they are ripe enough. In fact,
if they get too ripe, they rapidly lose flavor. Still, we often take a
peek before picking. If it isn't ready, just cover up the split and
check it later.


Ray

Splitting the end is NOT a good idea.

Monitor the silk.
The ear will be ripe 21 days after the silk appears.
Ripeness is near when the silk begins to dry at the tips.
At this point, grab the top of the ear with your hand (thumb pointing down
toward the stalk). The top of the ear should feel full and blocky (not
sharply tapered).
Shuck the ear and look at the kernels. They should be just snug against
each other. Too snug and bulging, and the ear is over-ripe. Wide gaps,
it/s immature.

If it looks good, pick more of the same. If it/s immature, give it a couple
days.

After the silk appears; be sure to provide good irrigation if rainfall is
lacking and monitor for ear worms to ensure nice, full ears.


"Stephen Snow" wrote in message
om...
| i have some corn in my garden -- first time thing -- and wonder when i
| should pick the ears. when the tassels are white? when they are brown?
| ??? help!
|
| thanks in advance for any assistance,
|
| steve snow
|

When in doubt, pick a little on the young side. If you happen to pick
an ear that isn't quite ready, cook it anyhow. It'll taste just fine --
maybe even better than a 'perfect' ear.


Ray


"TQ" wrote in message
...
Splitting the end is NOT a good idea.

Monitor the silk.
The ear will be ripe 21 days after the silk appears.
Ripeness is near when the silk begins to dry at the tips.
At this point, grab the top of the ear with your hand (thumb pointing
down
toward the stalk). The top of the ear should feel full and blocky
(not
sharply tapered).
Shuck the ear and look at the kernels. They should be just snug
against
each other. Too snug and bulging, and the ear is over-ripe. Wide
gaps,
it/s immature.

If it looks good, pick more of the same. If it/s immature, give it a
couple
days.

After the silk appears; be sure to provide good irrigation if rainfall
is
lacking and monitor for ear worms to ensure nice, full ears.


"Stephen Snow" wrote in message
om...
| i have some corn in my garden -- first time thing -- and wonder when
i
| should pick the ears. when the tassels are white? when they are
brown?
| ??? help!
|
| thanks in advance for any assistance,
|
| steve snow
|

Oh. yah... forgot to mention.

Put the water on to boil before venturing into the corn patch. Don't
pick the corn until the water is boiling. Then, pick it, shuck it, and
pop it into the water as quickly as possible. Sweet corn rapidly loses
its sugar after it is picked.

I understand that one guy experimented with cooking the corn while it's
still attached to the stalk. That's carrying it a bit far, but not by
much.

We haven't had room to plant corn in years. This year, we planted a
bunch. I can hardly wait for the stuff to be ready. :-)


Ray



"Ray" wrote in message
...
When in doubt, pick a little on the young side. If you happen to pick
an ear that isn't quite ready, cook it anyhow. It'll taste just
fine --
maybe even better than a 'perfect' ear.


Ray


"TQ" wrote in message
...
Splitting the end is NOT a good idea.

Monitor the silk.
The ear will be ripe 21 days after the silk appears.
Ripeness is near when the silk begins to dry at the tips.
At this point, grab the top of the ear with your hand (thumb
pointing
down
toward the stalk). The top of the ear should feel full and blocky
(not
sharply tapered).
Shuck the ear and look at the kernels. They should be just snug
against
each other. Too snug and bulging, and the ear is over-ripe. Wide
gaps,
it/s immature.

If it looks good, pick more of the same. If it/s immature, give it
a
couple
days.

After the silk appears; be sure to provide good irrigation if
rainfall
is
lacking and monitor for ear worms to ensure nice, full ears.


"Stephen Snow" wrote in message
om...
| i have some corn in my garden -- first time thing -- and wonder
when
i
| should pick the ears. when the tassels are white? when they are
brown?
| ??? help!
|
| thanks in advance for any assistance,
|
| steve snow
|

When in doubt, wait a day.

Inedible, immature corn where the kernels are tasteless little nubs is a
waste of time and effort.

--
TQ

"Ray" wrote in message
...
| When in doubt, pick a little on the young side. If you happen to pick
| an ear that isn't quite ready, cook it anyhow. It'll taste just fine --
| maybe even better than a 'perfect' ear.
|
|
| Ray
|
|
| "TQ" wrote in message
| ...
| Splitting the end is NOT a good idea.
|
| Monitor the silk.
| The ear will be ripe 21 days after the silk appears.
| Ripeness is near when the silk begins to dry at the tips.
| At this point, grab the top of the ear with your hand (thumb pointing
| down
| toward the stalk). The top of the ear should feel full and blocky
| (not
| sharply tapered).
| Shuck the ear and look at the kernels. They should be just snug
| against
| each other. Too snug and bulging, and the ear is over-ripe. Wide
| gaps,
| it/s immature.
|
| If it looks good, pick more of the same. If it/s immature, give it a
| couple
| days.
|
| After the silk appears; be sure to provide good irrigation if rainfall
| is
| lacking and monitor for ear worms to ensure nice, full ears.
|
|
| "Stephen Snow" wrote in message
| om...
| | i have some corn in my garden -- first time thing -- and wonder when
| i
| | should pick the ears. when the tassels are white? when they are
| brown?
| | ??? help!
| |
| | thanks in advance for any assistance,
| |
| | steve snow
| |
|
|
|
|

Corn does not lose it sugar as quickly as you imply. If it did, then
roadside farmer markets would never be able to sell their corn. Corn picked
in the cool of the morning will be just fine at dinner time.

Another tasty way to cook corn is to roast it over a charcoal fire. As the
leaves char, you strip them off until you get down to the last layer
surrounding the ear. It/s well worth the added effort.

--
TQ

"Ray" wrote in message
...
| Oh. yah... forgot to mention.
|
| Put the water on to boil before venturing into the corn patch. Don't
| pick the corn until the water is boiling. Then, pick it, shuck it, and
| pop it into the water as quickly as possible. Sweet corn rapidly loses
| its sugar after it is picked.
|
| I understand that one guy experimented with cooking the corn while it's
| still attached to the stalk. That's carrying it a bit far, but not by
| much.
|
| We haven't had room to plant corn in years. This year, we planted a
| bunch. I can hardly wait for the stuff to be ready. :-)
|
|
| Ray
|
|
|
| "Ray" wrote in message
| ...
| When in doubt, pick a little on the young side. If you happen to pick
| an ear that isn't quite ready, cook it anyhow. It'll taste just
| fine --
| maybe even better than a 'perfect' ear.
|
|
| Ray
|
|
| "TQ" wrote in message
| ...
| Splitting the end is NOT a good idea.
|
| Monitor the silk.
| The ear will be ripe 21 days after the silk appears.
| Ripeness is near when the silk begins to dry at the tips.
| At this point, grab the top of the ear with your hand (thumb
| pointing
| down
| toward the stalk). The top of the ear should feel full and blocky
| (not
| sharply tapered).
| Shuck the ear and look at the kernels. They should be just snug
| against
| each other. Too snug and bulging, and the ear is over-ripe. Wide
| gaps,
| it/s immature.
|
| If it looks good, pick more of the same. If it/s immature, give it
| a
| couple
| days.
|
| After the silk appears; be sure to provide good irrigation if
| rainfall
| is
| lacking and monitor for ear worms to ensure nice, full ears.
|
|
| "Stephen Snow" wrote in message
| om...
| | i have some corn in my garden -- first time thing -- and wonder
| when
| i
| | should pick the ears. when the tassels are white? when they are
| brown?
| | ??? help!
| |
| | thanks in advance for any assistance,
| |
| | steve snow
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|

"TQ" wrote:

Splitting the end is NOT a good idea.

Monitor the silk.
The ear will be ripe 21 days after the silk appears.
Ripeness is near when the silk begins to dry at the tips.
At this point, grab the top of the ear with your hand (thumb pointing down
toward the stalk). The top of the ear should feel full and blocky (not
sharply tapered).
Shuck the ear and look at the kernels. They should be just snug against
each other. Too snug and bulging, and the ear is over-ripe. Wide gaps,
it/s immature.

If it looks good, pick more of the same. If it/s immature, give it a couple
days.

Stephen I was going through the same and the pattern above is working
for me. The silks will defintiely brown--some web sites say if they
are brittel you are too late--this didn't seem so for me. The thing
about feeling the tip--when you get a ripe one you'll understand it
better. The corn looks like it ripens from the stalk to the tip. The
tip when immature is tapered to a point and looks like those minature
corn stalks you see in asian dishes. As the tip ripens they spread and
the end becomes blunt--you can definitely feel the difference without
peeling the silk/leaves back.

Also I noticed one small detail which hasn't been explained. A common
tip is to peel back the tip and pop a kernel. If the liquid is
clear-not ready--milky is good. But when I did this the smallish
kernel I popped was solid inside--this is apparently very immature. I
did harvest one when the tip kernels were small and I thought the rest
of the cob was still good. Peeling the silks back can be a probablem
because it enocourages bugs to get in the silk and to the cob. I did
find a lightning bug in the silks of the one I had opened. I'm now
just feeling the tips.




After the silk appears; be sure to provide good irrigation if rainfall is
lacking and monitor for ear worms to ensure nice, full ears.


"Stephen Snow" wrote in message
. com...
| i have some corn in my garden -- first time thing -- and wonder when i
| should pick the ears. when the tassels are white? when they are brown?
| ??? help!
|
| thanks in advance for any assistance,
|
| steve snow
|


DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
2nd year gardener
http://members.aol.com/DigitalVinyl66/Garden2004.html

I agree. I, personally, enjoy my corn slightly over ripe by other
people's standards. Under ripe corn is rather a waste.
Also agree about peeking into the ear being a bad idea. If I do
that, birds start to discover the corn and are soon opening the
other ears on their own. The tip starts to feel blunt as the corn
ripens. Under ripe corn tapers right down to a point. Stephen, I
suppose it would be OK to peek inside to confirm what you feel until
you got the hang of it. Just close it back up real tight if you
don't pick.

Steve


TQ wrote:

When in doubt, wait a day.

Inedible, immature corn where the kernels are tasteless little nubs is a
waste of time and effort.

I have eaten corn with 'little nibs', and it was quite good. Maybe that
isn't true with all varieties.


Ray



"TQ" wrote in message
...
When in doubt, wait a day.

Inedible, immature corn where the kernels are tasteless little nubs is
a
waste of time and effort.

--
TQ

"Ray" wrote in message
...
| When in doubt, pick a little on the young side. If you happen to
pick
| an ear that isn't quite ready, cook it anyhow. It'll taste just
fine --
| maybe even better than a 'perfect' ear.
|
|
| Ray
|
|
| "TQ" wrote in message
| ...
| Splitting the end is NOT a good idea.
|
| Monitor the silk.
| The ear will be ripe 21 days after the silk appears.
| Ripeness is near when the silk begins to dry at the tips.
| At this point, grab the top of the ear with your hand (thumb
pointing
| down
| toward the stalk). The top of the ear should feel full and blocky
| (not
| sharply tapered).
| Shuck the ear and look at the kernels. They should be just snug
| against
| each other. Too snug and bulging, and the ear is over-ripe. Wide
| gaps,
| it/s immature.
|
| If it looks good, pick more of the same. If it/s immature, give
it a
| couple
| days.
|
| After the silk appears; be sure to provide good irrigation if
rainfall
| is
| lacking and monitor for ear worms to ensure nice, full ears.
|
|
| "Stephen Snow" wrote in message
| om...
| | i have some corn in my garden -- first time thing -- and wonder
when
| i
| | should pick the ears. when the tassels are white? when they are
| brown?
| | ??? help!
| |
| | thanks in advance for any assistance,
| |
| | steve snow
| |
|
|
|
|

When in doubt, pick a little on the young side. If you happen to pick
an ear that isn't quite ready, cook it anyhow. It'll taste just fine --
maybe even better than a 'perfect' ear.


Ray


"TQ" wrote in message
...
Splitting the end is NOT a good idea.

Monitor the silk.
The ear will be ripe 21 days after the silk appears.
Ripeness is near when the silk begins to dry at the tips.
At this point, grab the top of the ear with your hand (thumb pointing
down
toward the stalk). The top of the ear should feel full and blocky
(not
sharply tapered).
Shuck the ear and look at the kernels. They should be just snug
against
each other. Too snug and bulging, and the ear is over-ripe. Wide
gaps,
it/s immature.

If it looks good, pick more of the same. If it/s immature, give it a
couple
days.

After the silk appears; be sure to provide good irrigation if rainfall
is
lacking and monitor for ear worms to ensure nice, full ears.


"Stephen Snow" wrote in message
om...
| i have some corn in my garden -- first time thing -- and wonder when
i
| should pick the ears. when the tassels are white? when they are
brown?
| ??? help!
|
| thanks in advance for any assistance,
|
| steve snow
|

"Kelvyn" wrote in message
...


carefully split the leaves on the cob with your fingernail and see
if it looks mature. (while it is still on the plant of course)
kelvyn

That's what we used to do. After some practice, you can learn to judge
by the tassels (they are brown on the end) and the fullness of the ear.
If the kernels of corn are big enough, they are ripe enough. In fact,
if they get too ripe, they rapidly lose flavor. Still, we often take a
peek before picking. If it isn't ready, just cover up the split and
check it later.


Ray

I have eaten corn with 'little nibs', and it was quite good. Maybe that
isn't true with all varieties.


Ray



"TQ" wrote in message
...
When in doubt, wait a day.

Inedible, immature corn where the kernels are tasteless little nubs is
a
waste of time and effort.

--
TQ

"Ray" wrote in message
...
| When in doubt, pick a little on the young side. If you happen to
pick
| an ear that isn't quite ready, cook it anyhow. It'll taste just
fine --
| maybe even better than a 'perfect' ear.
|
|
| Ray
|
|
| "TQ" wrote in message
| ...
| Splitting the end is NOT a good idea.
|
| Monitor the silk.
| The ear will be ripe 21 days after the silk appears.
| Ripeness is near when the silk begins to dry at the tips.
| At this point, grab the top of the ear with your hand (thumb
pointing
| down
| toward the stalk). The top of the ear should feel full and blocky
| (not
| sharply tapered).
| Shuck the ear and look at the kernels. They should be just snug
| against
| each other. Too snug and bulging, and the ear is over-ripe. Wide
| gaps,
| it/s immature.
|
| If it looks good, pick more of the same. If it/s immature, give
it a
| couple
| days.
|
| After the silk appears; be sure to provide good irrigation if
rainfall
| is
| lacking and monitor for ear worms to ensure nice, full ears.
|
|
| "Stephen Snow" wrote in message
| om...
| | i have some corn in my garden -- first time thing -- and wonder
when
| i
| | should pick the ears. when the tassels are white? when they are
| brown?
| | ??? help!
| |
| | thanks in advance for any assistance,
| |
| | steve snow
| |
|
|
|
|

Corn does not lose it sugar as quickly as you imply. If it did, then
roadside farmer markets would never be able to sell their corn. Corn picked
in the cool of the morning will be just fine at dinner time.


Actually, that depends on the cultivar. The old open pollinated corns turn to
starch VERY rapidly. Thats why Sugar enhanced and SH2 hybrids dominate the
commercial markets. Some of these things will keep for a week. For standard
corns a couple hours will make a difference.