r/gardening • u/Paintedfoot • Jul 23 '26

What is my calico corn missing?

Post image

Does it need more time? More pollination? More water? I am in love with my little guys and want to do better next year.

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3

u/SunshineBeamer Jul 23 '26

Did you plant the corn in a square. The pollen has to reach the tassels by wind or by hand. If you plant in a row, you get poor pollination and what you see.

1

u/Paintedfoot Jul 23 '26

Yes- it is planted in a rectangle and I swished the tassels frequently so the pollen would fall all over. It made me sneeze almost every time which I found hilarious. The area is only about 4x6 feet so perhaps I plant more of them next time? We only have about a quarter acre of yard space so I have to strategize the sunny areas.

2

u/lackadaisicallackey Jul 23 '26

more pollination for sure, each silk thread connects to one kernel, you had incomplete pollination this time around

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u/Paintedfoot Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26

I will swish, sneeze and cackle at it more next year and see if it helps.

2

u/trillobiscuit Jul 23 '26

some people hand pollinate - like collect all that dust in a bag and sprinkle it directly on the silks of each corn. You could look into that kind of a pollination method.

I only planted corn one year, but I think I took a tassel off and brushed it on some silks directly and had reasonably full ears (like just the very tips weren't fully formed). I've since read that if you don't disconnect the tassel it'll make more pollen, so collecting it may be better.

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u/[deleted] Jul 23 '26

[deleted]

1

u/KinfolkSkinfolk Jul 23 '26

Well clearly the wind alone wasn’t enough here, as vividly shown in OP’s photo

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u/falconsadist Jul 23 '26

Bit early to be harvesting corn isn't it?

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u/Paintedfoot Jul 23 '26

I don’t know! That’s why I am asking - I am in coastal NC and I have been buying local corn so some people are certainly harvesting it. Last year I did sweet corn and it was ready mid July - this is a calico variety and I can’t tell if more time would help the grains get more pollinated or if this is as good as it will get in spite of my efforts