[mumofstig]

The kernels should be milky when tested but they won't be a good yellow colour until they're cooked

[JayG]

I'm a little confused re: harvesting Sweetcorn. I'm growing the variety Lark. The silks are brown but when I peeled back the husk the sweetcorn is still white underneath. I pierced a kernel and it is slightly watery still so I pressume it is still ripening. Do I just leave the corn until it goes yellow and the kernels are creamy when pierced?

Yes! (Very thin cream; if it's thick you are too late!)

Some varieties are lighter coloured than others, but the juice consistency is a reliable test.

[MichelleC]

Thanks for the replies. They do still look whitish though and no where near yellow. I'll pull one today and try. I'm very looking forward to tasting these. x :happy:

[lazza]

I was quite pleased with mine until I read this! I only planted out 10 plants, two of which got blown away the next day when we had some gales a couple of months back. The rest - for me - seem to be doing great. They're all about 2 feet high and looking very healthy. But that seems to be on the small side compared to some of the "disasters" described above 

And there are no flowers or cobs developing yet.... when should I start to worry? Not that there's anything I can do, but I was not expecting anything to develop until later anyway....

[Sue33]

mine are looking good, tassels and silks going brown, 2/3 cobs on each plant, they're a lot shorter this year though 

[mumofstig]

I was quite pleased with mine until I read this! I only planted out 10 plants, two of which got blown away the next day when we had some gales a couple of months back. The rest - for me - seem to be doing great. They're all about 2 feet high and looking very healthy. But that seems to be on the small side compared to some of the "disasters" described above 

And there are no flowers or cobs developing yet.... when should I start to worry? Not that there's anything I can do, but I was not expecting anything to develop until later anyway....

If they are still growing they're doing ok. Just have to hope the weather is kind and allows them to produce cobs before the weather gets too cold. Good luck

[Debz]

Lazza, mine are the same as yours.  They look well enough and they are not in my way so I am just going to let them carry on in the hope of a long warm late summer.

[Lazy-al]

Well i'm slightly more optomistic now, although my plants are only a foot tall, i popped up the allotment on the way to work this morning and low and behold, i have a few more with flowers . not only that but i have 4 plants that have started forming silks. i could end up with a cob or 2 after all.

[goose]

When testing for ripeness, i prefer another method as i find once you have peeled back the leaves to test the corn, all sorts of pest decide to eat them .

once the tassles have turned brown, i feel for a 'rounded' end rather than a pointy one.  this method works better for me

[tlm1965]

Mine was doing ok, ready to harvest. I was going out the next day to harvest them. A blooming badger had them all.

[JayG]

When testing for ripeness, i prefer another method as i find once you have peeled back the leaves to test the corn, all sorts of pest decide to eat them .

once the tassles have turned brown, i feel for a 'rounded' end rather than a pointy one.  this method works better for me

If you can be bothered, use a Stanley knife to make a tiny slit about half way up the sheath around the cob (just enough to get a fingernail in but causing minimal invasion of its protection.)

[Thephoenix572]

Ours did very badly think it was the odd summer weather

[SocksOn]

Glad I'm not the only one who's arent doing amazingly well - thought I had a good succession going but for some reason the ones that are about a foot high have flowers so maybe baby corn??? lol or compost me thinks *sigh* it was the drought like weather we've had recently

[Lloyd]

Ours only grew to about two feet tall, each have two small cobs and the silks are browning. I'd like to leave them a bit longer but last year everyone elses cobs were scoffed by rats. Ours were later varieties, so we escaped that. This year though ours are earlies.............................................

[PennyS]

My Swift (first year of growing this variety) are beginning to get brown tassles.  One plant has 5 cobs on it.  None of them are very tall but they are looking promising...

Last year I grew a heritage variety and by the time it got going it really missed the boat so we hardly got any.  Hence going for a fast variety this year.

Will be interested to see hw much flavour it has though. 

(Mine were started in Rootrainers, if it makes any difference?).