corn problems.

[Monomechanical]

Sorry for the o.t. but don't know proper forum. It seems every year, no matter how much later I stagger corn planting, ALL the corn tassels at the same time. I waited two weeks for the second planting of sweet corn, but it tasseled, it seems, within 15 minutes of the first planting. So, first planting tasseling now at 5-6 feet, but second planting tasseling at 2-3 feet--few ears with silk to receive pollen, nor apparent pre-forming ears. Too hot? I've given the corn (Early Sunglow) lots of water (irrigation). Thanks for all advice.

mono

 

[Anonymous-0]

I had the same problem a couple years ago. Planted some real early and the ground just wasn't warm enough yet. Planted more 2 weeks later and more two weeks after that. It turned hot and rained 3 times a week and all of it was ready within a week of one another. This year I got a later start and my first is tasseling now and the late is just over waist high and no sign of tasseling yet. Might just be one of those things that make you go HMMMMMM.

 

[rrlund]

Might be a little too simplistic,but did you plant an earlier variety later? If you really want it staggered,plant your earliest maturing variety first,then wait a few weeks and plant a later variety. This should give you three weeks or more between tasseling.

 

[VADAVE]

Stop going by time!
When the first planting has 4 leaves plant the second bunch of corn. That does work.
I've given up on Early Sunglow it's just too short (as in close to the ground) the critters get it.

 

[Monomechanical]

Thanks for this suggestion which I will follow. But still, why would the second planting--same variety--come on at half the size of the first? Surely its stress-related?? It's gotten plenty of water, even though it's hot.

 

[Monomechanical]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I made certain the second planting was the same variety.

 

[rrlund]

I think the one above that said wait til it's up before you plant anymore is probably the best advice.

 

[Anonymous-0]

early on here the ground and air temps were cool and held back crops so the later planted justa bout caught up

 

[Anonymous-0]

Makes one wonder why we get all excited and plant early. Try planting an early variety, 65 days, then one in the 70's and another in the 80's. This is days to maturity. Once you get into mid-May plantings; they tend to ripen out depending on when they were planted.

 

[RodinNS]

I'm no expert by any means.... but what I've always been told is that corn is driven entirely by heat. Given that you don't really accumulate a lot of heat very early in the season, the relative difference of a few days or even a week or two in planting probably doesn't make a big difference. The greatest percentage of the heat is coming on through June and July anyway.
I'd get several varieties with different maturities, and for simplicity, plant them near the same time. They should mature acording to each's maturity that way....

Rod

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thanks for the response. My experience, my puzzlement, is precisely that in previous years whatever I planted--early, middle, late, su se sh2- THEY ALL TASSEL WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF EACH OTHER!!! Even the Indian corn.

Must be the heat (affecting my perceptions?).

mono

 

[Anonymous-0]

The 2nd planting should be taller - I have always found that the later planted corn - even the smae variety - woudl be taller - it must be related to stress or rainfall. In the early part of the year - it will take 4 weeks between plantings to make a different tassle date....it's based on growing degree days...those early cool days only really count as "half" of a june/july day...

 

[Rootsy]

You also have to watch ground temperature as germination time can add significantly to what you are having issues with.. as an example I planted a bicolor 78 day F1 3rd week of May here in Michigan and it took nearly 2 weeks to germinate and get out of the ground...

by contrast i drilled Iochief with the planter 1st week of May behind the shop and it was up, out of the ground in a matter of 4 days...

My bi-color is just now maturing (been tassled for about 2 1/2 weeks, silked 2 weeks... filling in now) and my Iochief is sprouting tassles.. Another week to week and a half or so and it should be full height (6 feet or so) and fully tassled and beginning to silk. I timed it so that the field corn around me would pollinate in between my sweet corn so I don't get cross contamination and end up eating starch...

Remember when corn begins to form tassles down in the leaves it from that point on needs plenty of water as it begins to use a lot of nutrients and sugar from the stalk and ground to form ears.

 

[Rootsy]

mistype on the Iochief, I drilled it first week of JUNE not May