City Corn

Epilogue

2005-07-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

On July 16, just 12 days before harvesting of the first cob, I broke my leg. So, this is where the corn garden account ends for the year. We harvested our crop, and enjoyed every cob, except those begged off by the neighbors.

I hope you benefited from my account, and perhaps have some new ideas about how to grow citycorn.

July 15, 2005Light Breeze

2005-07-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

Today we had winds somewhere in the order of 10-15 MPH. This was enough to knock over several pots.

Part of the problem is that the crop sits on a slight incline, the pots have small bases, and the center of gravity of the plants is high.

This photos shows roots emerging from the bottom of a pot, which would also contribute to instability.

All pots were righted, and where possible plants were tied to lawn furniture, a camellia bush, and air conditioner.

The corn leaves are now covered with pollen.

The patio is covered with pollen and chaff from the spike.

July 15, 2005Dehydrated plant

2005-07-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes on a hot afternoon the leaves would curl up towards the axis, this is the plant’s first line of defense against dehydration.

July 13, 2005Spikes

2005-07-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

On some of the plants, the spikes are looking shaggy because they have essentially released all of their pollen.

July 11, 2005Longhorned Beetles

2005-07-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

These guys showed up on the crop about the same time last year. They spend most of their time hiding. An OSU Agricultural Extension Agent identified it a longhorned beetle.

07/11/05Twelfth Week

2005-07-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

Spikes appear on several plants.

Five cobs are silking.

07/07/05Silk Appears

2005-07-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

First silk sighting today!

The pot has been topped off with about 1/2-inch of one part steer manure to three parts soil. Each morning it will get a 12 oz. Miracle Gro feeding, and on hot afternoons a watering, both as low to the ground as possible to discourage aphids and not interfere with development of spikes, silk, or pollination.

Harvest is twenty-one days after silk’s first appearance. Each plant is tagged with a number to keep track of its dinner date.

How the cobs and silk grow together.

July 9, 2005
Third day of silking.

The cob

Showing how cob and silk grow together. The corn stock is just to the cob’s right.

July 11, 2005
Fifth day of silking.

Looking down on the silk.

Side view of the silk.

Cob.

The top of the cob is growing away from the stock.

Silk and cob.

July 13, 2005
Seventh day of silking.

The silk is starting to dry up.

This photo shows a second silk developing below the silking we have been following, both on the same plant. You can also see how cob coninues to grow away form the stock.

July 15, 2005
Ninth day after silking begins

The silk is now visibly drying out, and changing color.

The second cob is just starting to silk.

07/07/05 Greater Yellow Underwing (Noctua Pronuba)

2005-07-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

Last evening, about dusk, I glanced at my corn, and saw this climbing up a stalk.

It shares some of the characteristics of a black cutworm, and had some differences. When disturbed, it rolls up into a ball, it emerges from the soil in the evening, and has a soft body. There are also some differences; it does not have symmetrical dots on it’s back, in no literature could I find a description of a cutworm having the dots on its back, and it is “blacker” than the pictures of cutworms that I could find.

July 8, 2005
An Oregon State University Agricultural Extension Agency volunteer identified the moth larvae as a greater yellow underwing (Noctua Pronuba), just another fancy cutworm. There are several photos of the adult on the Internet, which will be left for you to discover.

They will damage a corn crop. Control is via BT or diatomaceous erath.

07/07/05Spiders

2005-07-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

Last year, I thought the spiders disappeared just at the pollination began, this may have been wrong. There are spiders, but most webs are on the underside of the leaves.

07/07/05Aphids

2005-07-07T13:21:00.000-07:00

Heeeere come the aphids.

This spike is the only one so heavily infested. Aphids will continue to take over. I prefer to live with them. Hosing them off, also removes pollen. Spiders and lady bugs are keeping these pests in control, a strong wind will reduce their numbers.

07/07/05Pollination Begins

2005-07-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

Pollination started today. The spike’s shaggy top is where the plant starts this process, and works down.

07/05/05Eleventh Week

2005-07-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

The crop continues its upward journey.

Last year, the crop was about 7’ tall before the spikes developed. This year, there are spikes on plants as short as 3-1/2’. The tallest plants are about 5’, all of these stocks have spikes.

They are now given a 12-oz. Miracle Gro feeding three days/week in hopes of getting some height. The salad bottle is marked at a 12-oz. fill line. The longer neck makes it easier to reach across several rows.

A spike starting to open.

The swelling at on the left hand side of this stock is the start of a corn cob.

06/28/05Crop Thinning, Spikes Ermerge

2005-06-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

The stocks are developing side-plants which may interfere with their ability to grow vertically.

This particular plant has four suckers. The superfluous foliage will probably not develop in time to produce a crop. The extraneous growth will be removed in hopes that the forecasted warm weather and extra root system will instigate the plants to go vertical.

The suckers were cut 1”-2” above the ground.

Crop clippings.

The crop now has a different look.

Several plants are starting to develop spikes.

06/27/05Tenth Week

2005-06-27T20:50:00.000-07:00

The only way to photograph the crop was to take two portrait shots, and splice them together.

Another view

“I’m singing in the rain, just singing in the rain what a wonderful feeling, I’m happy again.” ~ Arthur Freed

06/21/05Damaged Leaves

2005-06-21T16:39:00.000-07:00

Another emergent leaf tip has been damaged. Both assaulted leaves are growing on north-facing perimeter plants, on the far side of the photos. There is some foot traffic on this side of the crop, and it could be that a leaf tip has been a casualty.

First ladybug sighting of the year, by the time I had the camera ready, she was hiding behind some leaves.

06/20/05Ninth Week

2005-06-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Weather-wise, a better week

The leaves are starting to feel like velvet. This stubble will entrap the pollen in a few weeks.

When the plants are subjected to warm days, the leaves often develop s ripple. My hunch is this is the result of some kind of imbalance between water and growth, or an opportunity to develop more surface-to-area. The emergence of some stubble is visible in the photo's lower LH corner.

Thigh-high view of the corn crop.

06/13/05Eighth Week

2005-06-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

It was stormy last week, and the crop looks rather yellow, but still did grow a few inches.

06/06/05Seventh Week

2005-06-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

Several photos

One of the larger plants

05/30/05Sixth Week

2005-05-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

The pots have been spread apart, they are about 14”-15” apart. More distance between the plants means more sun, bigger leaves, and larger corncobs. Although the plant seed packet says to plant to 10-12 inches apart, 14” is still close enough for successful pollination, or the plants can be moved closer together for several weeks.

Taller plants have been relocated to the north end (top) of the photo. This will allow the shorter plants to have more sun.

Leaves emerge alternately from both sides of the stocks on a 180-degree plane. The plants have been set so the leaves are creating an alternate N-S, E-W pattern. This should allow for more sun to each leaf. The stock of the plants on the E-W axis, will attempt to turn to a N-S orientation. The smaller plants in the first rows of the above photos are all on a N-S axis.

The plant that wound up on the patio is growing a second stock, which is now larger than the original.

One plant has some holes in the leaves. Not sure if this was done while moving pots around, around, or if something is nibbling.

05/28/05Side-Plants Appear

2005-05-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

The past three days have been in the upper 80s, and mid-90s. Today, several of the more mature corn stocks are exhibiting side-plants.

Last year, suckers started to develop sometime after pollination.

05/23/05Fifth Week

2005-05-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

Four pots remain on the table, two of these might be transplanted. The plant of the right-hand side, is just above the pot’s rim.

The plant that somehow wound up on the patio about ten days ago seems to be growing anew at the left-hand of it’s original stock.

Several photos of the crop.

05/17/05Fourth Week

2005-05-17T14:39:00.000-07:00

Down to nine plants on the tabletop corn crop. I dropped a pot on one of these, and it may not recover. One did not germinate, the seed opened underground, but did not push up. Twenty nine of thirty seeds germinated.

Twenty plants are not in their pots. The roots on the seedlings transplanted this week were starting to coil in the bottom of the pots. The roots are fairly brittle by nature, so did not try to straighten them. They will find their way as they did last summer. Two photos taken at different angles.

The plant in the lower right hand corner of last week’s twelve plants on the patio appeared to have jumped out of its pot, roots and all. There did not seem to have been any squirrel excavate. It is doing better.

The crop seems to be doing fine, in spite of a cool week and lots of rain. The plants on the patio have done much better than those on the table. The plants on the lower row, and right-hand column were planted today. They are about ten days younger than the other plants. The larger pots are no doubt a contributing factor, and my hunch is that the concrete keeps the roots warmer at night.

5/10/05Third Week

2005-05-10T08:37:00.000-07:00

The plants continue to grow.

Twelve plants have been transferred to larger pots.

05/05/05Leaf Details

2005-05-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

Several of the plants are beginning to display their characteristic ruffled leaves.

05/02/05Second Week

2005-05-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

Another good week for growing corn, 29 of 30 seeds have come up for sun.
The current crop at two weeks is about as large (and healthier) as those in the April 10 photos at almost five weeks.

04/25/05First Week

2005-04-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

The corn started sprouting four days after planting. So far sixteen plants have popped up.

04/18/05Planted Seeds

2005-04-25T11:18:00.000-07:00

Planted seeds just below surface. The packet says 1” deep, but their roots need all the vertical depth they can get.

The white sticks identify 2004 seeds.

04/17/05Rinsed Seeds

2005-04-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

Because of an extra day of soaking, the water was changed to ensure no scum development. The water was a bit cloudy, but find it difficult to believe the growth could have happened in chlorinated tap water. Perhaps there was some kind of residual on the seeds' surfaces.

04/16/05The crop begins, again

2005-04-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

Having a better understanding of germination rate, 30 seeds were started for the second crop; 10 from the 2004 seed pack, and 20 from 2005. This crop is beginning later in the year, so seeds are going to be soaked two days, to hopefully give them a faster sprout rate.

04/10/05Crop Failure

2005-04-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

One day short of week five. All the plants are displaying some brown spots on their leaves. It has been too wet and cold for them to survive.

After nearly five weeks, the roots had hit the bottoms of the pots, and it was time to put the plants into larger pots.

The seeds from which all this started are still wholly visible, however they are hollow.

Decided to start over on this project.

Drainage holes have been enlarged to ensure better drainage. The pots are sitting in plastic non-draining trays. The captive water from the trays is probably what caused the problem.

Soil will be reused for zinnias.

04/04/05Fourth Week

2005-04-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

This has been the third consecutive wet week. The plants slog on.

Several plants are developing brown leaves, perhaps from the rain.

Tallest is now 2.25 inches.

One more plant is just staring to emerge.

03/28/05Third Week

2005-03-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

It was a dark and storm week. In one two-day stretch, three inches of rain descended from the beyond. Our ever- cheerful local TV weather forecaster predicts more rain.The plants are transforming from dark to puce green.

The height of the plants has not changed, but the leaves seem to be getting wider, and on some, a third leaf is emerging.

No seeds germinated this week. Carefully dug around the seeds of the four plants that have not sprouted. Three are developing roots, and the forth is growing a fuzzy white mold where roots should be forming.

03/21/05Second Week

2005-03-21T13:33:00.000-08:00

It has been a more typical week, weather in the mid-50s, and several days of rain. The crop now has this appearance –

The tallest plant is currently 1-3/4”.

Germination has been as follows –

The seed pack states germination is 10-14 days, the seeds were planted fourteen days ago. Will give the four slackers one more week to get with it.

03/14/05First Week

2005-03-14T14:12:00.000-08:00

The seeds were planted on March 7, and began emerging from the soil on March 12. In three days, 11 have materialized from 2004 seed, and 19 from 2005 seed, an overall success rate of 71%. According to the packages, germination should have started today. Success can probably be attributed to last week’s high 60’s and low 70’s temperature.

Seeds starting to surface

The tallest plants are 3/4”.

3-days old

03/07/05Seeds Planted

2005-03-07T12:50:00.000-08:00

The overnight seed soaking yielded a surprise. The 2005 seeds are more yellow than those from 2004, as you can see in the below photograph.

Seeds soaked overnight.

Seeds are planted. The sticks indicate 2004 seeds.

Start of a city corn crop.

03/06/05The 2005 Corn Garden Commences

2005-03-06T15:18:00.000-08:00

In the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, most of our industrial strength winter weather is usually draws to a close by the end of February. The below extended NOAA forecast has persuaded me to start the corn garden.

Forecast for

Sunday March 06, 2005 11:01:34 PST

Issued: March 06, 2005 09:49:09 PST (ORZ006)

Today: Patchy morning fog...otherwise partly cloudy. Highs 60 to 65. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 40s. South wind 5 mph.

Monday: Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. South wind 5 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon.

Monday night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower to mid 40s. Light winds becoming east 5 mph after midnight.

Tuesday: Partly sunny. Highs around 60. Southeast wind 5 mph.

Tuesday night: Partly cloudy. Lows 40 to 45.

Wednesday: Partly sunny. Highs around 60.

Wednesday night: Mostly clear. Lows 40 to 45.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs 65 to 70.

Thursday night: Clear. Lows 40 to 45.

Friday: Sunny. Highs 65 to 70.

Friday night: Mostly clear. Lows 40 to 45.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs 60 to 65.

The crop will be started in 42- 8 oz. yogurt cartons punched with four holes for drainage.

I decided to go with the same kind of corn as last year. Somewhere, it came across the fact that corn seeds have a shelf life of one year. I cannot find the citation. Anyhow, am curious how/if last year’s seeds will still germinate this year, so am going to plant seeds purchase this year, as well as in 2004.

Last year, fourteen of sixteen seeds germinated and became productive corn plants. This is an 88% success rate. So, assuming the 2005 seeds are as healthy as the2004 seeds, At this rate, 28 - 2005 seeds would need to be planted to get 24 plants, an additional 2 seeds were started for insurance. That leaves 12 seeds to be planted from the 2004 pack,

The below photo show the seeds -

LH 2 columns are seeds prepared for 2004. RH 5 columns are 2005 seed.

The seeds have been place in glass jars, and left to soak for planting tomorrow.

Seeds in small jar are from 2004, large jar are for 2005

Pots are ready for planting tomorrow.

2004 Photographs

2005-02-09T16:09:00.000-08:00

Our weather vane.

July 20, 2004, The first plant to germinate is the first to develop silk, just 21 days to the table.

The first ear is harvested.

July 20, 2004, Even with the eaves.

Every morning the plants were given a Miracle-Gro drink. That might be why some plants, such as this one, grew four cobs, of which only which two were able to develop in time to be pollinated. Next time, less fertilizer, and if more than two ears develop, remove the extras immediately.

On a windy afernoon several plants blew over. Eeach row was half-hitched to the fence.

08/03/2004, the last photograph, eight-feet.

The Neighbors

2004-12-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

This crop was grown on a parcel of land, that according to the tax records, is, 0.07 acre. Large enough to accommodate a three-bedroom home, detached garage, and patio. There are about 250 other homes in our development, and we are nearly in the middle. Most residents garden. I was a bit apprehensive about how this was going to work. The east side of the corn crop is bound by a five-foot fence. Directly on the other side of this fence is a mature 6-foot honeysuckle bush. After the spikes set, and just before pollination started, we removed a hanging basket of petunias, lobelia, verbena, and dusty miller that was hanging over our corn. The crop also shared space with tomato and bell pepper plants, calibrachoa, diascia, rosemary, dill, bacopa, penstemon, zinnias, and a sweet gum tree.

The cobs had no skips, except on the end. There did not seem to be a cross-pollination problem. Essentially no bees visited, which may have been a factor in our success. In the morning, when the sun was still low, I could tap the base of a corn tassel, and see pollen that floated out more fine than any face powder. It could be that the pollen of the surrounding plants was too large to travel down the corn silk.

When the plants were about 5-feet tall, spiders took up residence. There did not appear to be anything for them to eat, but most disappeared when the spike started to set. I found this interesting, and wonder if their webs might have perhaps interfered with pollination. Did the corn plants do something to divest the spiders at this time? Immediately, upon the arachnid’s exodus, ladybugs (Coccinellidae) appeared. It was not until the cobs were well formed, I figured out why each plant had several ladybugs. My watering of the entire plant was the perfect environment for aphids. Fortunately, the husks were tight enough to block the aphids from getting on to the corncobs, a good reason for watering only the roots.

The cobs were not visited by any opportunistic insects. About May, I noted long straight 1/8”X 4-6” wide gaps along the perimeter of the leaves. At first, the sight of something chewing, but these void spaces were symmetrical along the leaf’s axis, and apparently part of normal foliage development.

At the end of the summer, I saw a grasshopper on one leaf, but never found any sign of side boring.

Squirrels densely populate our neighborhood. They did chew on some pots, as noted in the above photo. Long after pollination, one squirrel ate most of the tassels.

Raccoons are a problem for some gardners in out community, but did not bother with the corn.

Real Estate and Diet

2004-11-19T14:08:00.000-08:00

In 2004 I used fourteen 7-3/4" round X 5-1/2” high nursery man’s pots. When the pots were emptied, the roots had doubled back, and were within about 1-1.5 inches from the container’s top.

Someone who grew a small corn plot told me that one needs about two dozen corn plants to really get it right, so will be expanding my crop to a minimum of 24 plants next year.

The first set of seeds was soaked overnight in water, and planted pointy side up with potting soil in 8 oz. yogurt containers punched for drainage. The crop was set inside by an east facing window. Within a week, the seeds were growing a fuzzy white mold coat.

Before the second crop was planted, I soaked the pots in PineSol, and gave them a good rinse. The containers were place outside. It rained, it froze, within a week, they were germinating.

When the plants became root-bound, they were transferred to the larger pots. My measuring containers for the mix were a 1-quart yogurt carton and a 16-oz. margarine tub. The blend was –
three quarts potting soil (the cheapest available)
one-quart steer manure, and
about 3/4 margarine tub of bone meal

The pots with plants were filled within about 1.5-2” from the top. Next year, I will put about .25” layer of wet potting soil over the surface to discourage flies and comments regarding manure pong, both of which disappeared after several weeks.

The plants were watered as needed. By mid-June, they were once again becoming root-bound. At this juncture, their diet was changed to a fairly stiff aqua blue solution of Miracle-Gro in the morning, and watered in the evening.

There is a reason the pots were not filled to the top. Printed on the seed packet – “Sweet corn benefits from rich soil, side dress with fertilizer just before tassels appear and water deeply.” The pots were filled within a 1/2” of their rims with a mix of –
two quarts potting soil (the cheapest available)
one-quart steer manure, and
about 3/4 margarine tub of bone meal

Next year, the pots will again be topped off with a thin layer of potting soil after the second soil application, the dirt will be about 1/4” below the pot’s top to allow for a bit of over watering.

Corn Seeds

2004-11-18T11:13:00.000-08:00

Gooood Eats!

Looking at the photograph, you will note some kernels did not completely form on the cobs' tips. Apparently, the last kernels to develop are at the end of a cob.

Part of the problem may have been my good intentions. Pollination started about two weeks before the silk materialize. The long corn leaves are covered with a rough, short hair-like surface, which captures the pollen. As the silk grows, it rests on the leaves, so pollination is by both air, and contact with the leaves. In the mornings I would give the entire plants a good hosing with the objective of washing off any bugs. My Lady Mac Beth habit, may have removed the leave’s entrapped pollen. Next year, after pollination commences, will try using a Water Wand, and only water the roots.

Last year’s crop was Ed Hume’s bicolor Peaches & Cream. The corn was a success, both in production, and flavor.