[MickyB]

I had a look at the Sweetcorn today as I thought maybe it might be getting ready, I pierced a couple of pods and the fluid was milky which from what I understand means that it is, so I thought I would give it a try.

But did I pick to early?

I wonder because......

1. Colour wise it wasn't as yellow as it is from the shop (we normally buy it frozen).
2. It was crunchy when you bit into it, the shop brought stuff is soft.
3. It did not taste as sweet as I was expecting, although it was still nice.

Have I just got used to the stuff from the shop or should I leave it a little longer?

[Aunt Sally]

I harvested some yesterday: Variety "Honeydew".


They are so tender and sweet you could pour cream on them as serve for dessert   

(I am darn sarf though)

[RJR_38]

I harvested 2 of mine last week as I was like you and thought they might be ready but as its my first year I wasnt sure. They are slightly paler than shop yellow (but went much yellower once cooked). They were very sweet though and a good texture so I was happy with them and I harvested the rest today. I am much further south though

[Trillium]

Most shop corn is actually too old to eat. The corn sugars begin to change to carbs/starch as soon as they're picked, and the longer they're off the stalk, the more starchy they become. Consider how long from field to store shelf and you have your answer on age and carbs. We call shop corn 'cow corn' since it's tough and tasteless.

Fresh off the stalk corn should be a pale colour with the kernels mostly filled but not completely because even on the stalk they can overdevelop, just like old peas in the pod. If I'm not sure, I carefully pull back just a bit of the corn husk for a peek. If it's still too pale and has very small kernels, I pull the husks back up. The end tassels should be very brown and dried out, almost gone and you know that cob is ready.

[seaside]

All too easy to try the sweet corn early. As above, the  silks really do need to be well on the way to dying off, not just brown.
The trouble is, every other pair of eyes and furry claws are also waiting for the day they're perfect, and most of them live closer to the corn than you do.

[realfood]

Sweet corn comes in different shades of yellow as well as white, and variegated. I would class it as ready when the fluid is cream, rather than milk, when the kernels are squeezed with a fingernail.

[MickyB]

Cheers for the advise, it sounds like I was a little to quick of the blocks.

Is there a correct was to remove the cob from the plant?

[JayG]

With two hands - it's easy to snap the main stem off too if you pull or twist it off too roughly! 

(Using secateurs to cut through the base of the cob is also a possibility if you can reach it without falling over and flattening the rest of your crop!)

[Growster...]

We bought some plants rather late, but as we had a spare bed, it was worth a go.

They were advertised as small cobs, like the ones you see in supermarkets for stir fry, but I'm assuming that if they stay on the stalk longer, they'll grow bigger.

So far, they're only an inch thick, and the tassels are still pale green...

[mumofstig]

Growster, The ones that you eat in stirfry - usually Minipop variety, are picked and eaten before pollination 

My ones are like magic beans stalks atm 5ft high with neither tassels nor cobs   

[Growster...]

Growster, The ones that you eat in stirfry - usually Minipop variety, are picked and eaten before pollination 

My ones are like magic beans stalks atm 5ft high with neither tassels nor cobs   

I didn't know that, Mums!

Can I still assume that they'll turn into normal sized cobs? They're about six feet high, with the tops dropping stuff everywhere, and the tassels looking like an 'Elnett' advert..;0)

[mumofstig]

I s'pose they will  but they've not been bred for taste or cob size ........... good luck!

[Goosegirl]

Mine in the g'house are growing well, but some of the top corn pods have burst out of their cover, though the bottom ones are ok so far. The cob silks still haven't turned brown so not sure what is happening.

[GrannieAnnie]

Growster, The ones that you eat in stirfry - usually Minipop variety, are picked and eaten before pollination 

My ones are like magic beans stalks atm 5ft high with neither tassels nor cobs   

My minipop sound like yours MoS!!   

[MickyB]

I took a quick photo of my sweetcorn (the quality of the photo is a not so great as it was took using the mobile)........how far off is it being ready?