[wapello]

 How can i tell when my sweetcorn is ripe, i have 3 cobs per plant and  some are quite large,
 is when the cob tassle's die  back,?

[AlaninCarlisle]

It's when the tassels turn a khaki colour

[wapello]

 thank you,,,

[snowdrops]

Yes & also peel back the leaves & insert a thumb nail into a kernel if the juice is milky white it's ready to pick

[Nobbie]

I wouldn't rely on the tassels as they often die back way before the corn is fully developed in my experience. I always peel one back and check the kernels are full sized and golden coloured rather than pale yellow.

[Tracybutton]

Blimey your sweetcorn is early. I need another month of sun up here before I have a chance of a ripened cob 

[JayG]

After a rollercoaster of a ride in June and July my Earlibird are about where they usually are in early August - although sown and planted out together they have grown at slightly different rates, some have tassels which have just about given their all, some are only just about to straighten out and deliver their pollen.

Similarly, some have fully developed silks, others have yet to appear - hopefully the slight difference in growth will improve overall pollination, although it has been a bit too windy here over the past few days, and likely to be again tomorrow and possibly beyond.

We shall see - I definitely favour the 'peel back and squeeze a kernel' test to test for ripeness, using a Stanley knife to make as small an incision as possible to protect the cob.

Some varieties have a lighter cob colour than others even when ripe.

Certainly looking better than last year, when the first cobs weren't ready until late September, and some didn't ripen at all! 

[wapello]

  TB,        Thats the sunny Isle of Wight for you,,,,,

[Beekissed]

We generally wait until the silk is dark brown, almost black, then feel the actual ear of corn through the shuck to see if it's "full" clear down to the tip.  Peeling back the shuck can leave that corn open to bug use, so we avoid that method of judging ripeness. 

Been eating our sweetcorn here for a few weeks and have more picking to do today.  It's GOOD!  Will likely can/bottle up the rest of it. 

[wighty]

  TB,        Thats the sunny Isle of Wight for you,,,,,

Don't tell them all our secrets Colin, or we'll be over-run with more of those pesky Overners and Grockles!

[Salmo]

Yes & also peel back the leaves & insert a thumb nail into a kernel if the juice is milky white it's ready to pick

and if the juice is clear it is not.

[wapello]

 Sorry ginny fogot about that, will leave my towel on the deck chair the night before,,,,
 

 How was the mackerel,?

[AlaninCarlisle]

What impressed me more than the earliness of Sweetcorn in the Isle of Wight was the three cobs per plant bit. I grow mine, out of necessity, in the Polytunnel but I rarely get even two cobs per plant

[AlaninCarlisle]

Is anyone else getting three cobs per plant? That news from IoW has depressed me. I'm overjoyed if I get the odd plant with two cobs; and that's in a polytunnel!

[jaydig]

Is anyone else getting three cobs per plant? That news from IoW has depressed me. I'm overjoyed if I get the odd plant with two cobs; and that's in a polytunnel!

I'm getting three cobs on most of my sweetcorn plants, and they're ready for picking now.  The variety is Mirai Picnic from Dobies.  I don't know if you can get them from any other supplier. Another thing i've noticed with these is that in addition to the pollen carrying sprays at the top of each plant, most of them also have addition ones lower down, nearer the silks of the cobs, so the pollination seems to be very good. Last year my sweetcorn was a disaster with most of the cobs only being partially pollinated and very few kernels in them, so it's great to have a good crop.