When to pick ears of corn. Nuances of the corn harvest
The time at which corn is harvested can vary greatly depending on the different farms, since it depends on a number of factors and by regions of Russia. The main one is the vegetative period of the plant, according to which hybrids and varieties of corn are divided into early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening. To a lesser extent, the timing of corn ripening can be influenced by external climatic conditions, the nature of plant care.
From this article you will learn:
When is corn harvested?
Corn early varieties reaches ripeness 2-2.5 months after sowing. Provided that the seedling method of planting them is often used, this allows ripe cobs to be removed from the plants as early as August. When sowing corn seeds directly and when transplanting seedlings into the ground, you have to wait until the soil warms up to at least +10˚C. Thus, in cold springs, the beginning of the corn harvest may shift in accordance with the temperature regime.
Photo: when corn is harvested
At seedling method the seeds actually begin to grow much earlier than the ground temperature is suitable. Due to this, more or less accurate forecasts can be made starting from the sowing date. Other factors have little effect on harvest time. The size of the cobs and grains depends on them, total weight useful product.
In what month is corn harvested at the dacha?
Small farms and summer residents, as a rule, use a little trick when growing corn, which allows them to constantly receive a harvest from August until the end of September (and even longer in warm regions). The trick is to use varieties with for different periods growth, such as three hybrid varieties that produce crops in 60, 70 and 90 days, respectively. With this type of planting, after harvesting fruits from plants of one variety, the cobs of another will be ready for harvesting.
If you have a preference for a specific one, you can organize a similar campaign. To do this, you need to sow seedlings in the spring with a break of a couple of weeks, and then transfer them to the ground accordingly. Plants located in the same bed will sequentially reach ripeness, which will create a kind of conveyor belt cultivation.
To determine the appropriate time for harvesting corn cobs, many Russian gardeners rely on the following criteria during the period of milky ripeness:
- A drying edge appears on the outer layers of the leafy cob wrapper.
- The pistillate filaments at the edge of the grain darken, but do not dry out yet.
- There are no wrinkles or dents at the top of the grains.
- If you press on the grain with your fingernail, the shell bursts and a milky-white liquid flows out.
Photo: what month to harvest corn The following indicators help determine the time of collection during the period of biological ripeness:
- The outer leaves of the cob wrapper dry out and resemble parchment in appearance.
- The tassel crowning the cob dries out and turns brown.
- The shell of the grains hardens and takes on an orange or honey-yellow color.
- Due to the increase in starch content, when pressing on the grain shell, juice is not released.
Corn harvest time by region of Russia
In Russian agricultural farms, the start time of the harvesting campaign varies due to strong geographical and climatic diversity. In addition, the purpose of the harvested crop is important. For example, corn is harvested for silage when the stage of milky-waxy ripeness comes to an end. At this time, the grains have the maximum concentration of sugar. On chemical and physical indicators This is the best corn silage.
Photo: harvesting corn in autumn IN middle lane In Russia, the optimal soil temperature for corn growth and environment is established in the second half of May. Thus, the collection of ripe cobs, as a rule, begins in mid-August and can continue, depending on the variety, until September-October.
IN Krasnodar region and neighboring warm regions, the “queen of the fields” is planted earlier, and the harvesting campaign lasts longer - from July to mid-autumn.
Video: how corn is harvested
How to plant and grow sweet corn. How to care for a plant. Agricultural technology. Let's prepare, plant, harvest (10+)
Sweet corn and its cultivation
The southern and central parts of America have long been considered the birthplace of corn. Corn was brought to Europe only in the 15th century and cultivated only in the mid-17th century. As for sweet corn, it has been actively grown since the 19th century.
Healing properties of sweet corn
Sweet corn- a delicate plant and is used for food when it reaches milky ripeness in any form (ripe, dried, canned, frozen, even baked). According to its content nutrients corn is as good as green peas. Fat, globulinic and ascorbic acid are obtained from grain; it is rich in carbohydrates, protein, sugar, vitamin E, C, A, B1, B2 and much more. Distinctive feature sweet corn from any other type - the presence of dextrin.
Don't forget about healing properties corn. Extracts from corn silk have long been used for diseases of the liver, gall bladder, and urolithiasis. Corn oils and grains are widely used, which are recommended for consumption by people suffering from atherosclerosis.
Soil for growing
Any soil is suitable for growing corn. It easily tolerates insufficiently humid growing conditions, but from excess moisture it rots and quickly disappears. The climate should be warm and the landing site should be sunny enough. Numerous plant varieties are grown in our area, such as Early Golden, Kuban Canning and others.
The predecessors of the plant are considered to be legumes, tomatoes, and legumes.
The soil must be fertilized with manure or another type of fertilizer. Digging of soil is carried out on average to a depth of approximately 28 cm.
Corn collection and storage
In the spring, the ground is leveled with a rake and the seeds are sown.
Preparing for landing
The largest ones are selected from the seeds, then they are heated at a temperature of 30°C for five days and treated with special approved preparations. Do the job best succinic acid and Epin. In the absence of such, you can use Zircon or Novosil, which can be purchased in specialized stores. Seeds are sown at the end of April at a depth of seven cm, per 10 m2 the seeding rate is 20 grams with a distance between rows of 60 cm and placement of plants in a row at intervals of 25-30 cm.
Each hole is first watered, then, when the water is completely absorbed into the ground, four seeds are dropped and buried in a damp layer of soil, lightly covered with dry soil on top and compacted. If this sowing technology is followed, the plant germinates much faster and grows actively.
To extend the period of use of corn, several varieties are planted in three periods, the interval between which is ten days. This method allows you to have cobs throughout the summer.
Corn care
After germination, it is imperative to loosen the soil between the rows and plants to a depth of seven centimeters. Weeds and pests are also removed. In the phase of five leaves, the plants are arranged so that the strongest and most developed leaves remain in the nests, then the soil is loosened between the rows to a depth of about eight centimeters. Then the plant is fertilized and fed ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and viburnum salt. Fertilizer is applied to a depth of 10 cm and at a distance of 20 cm from the corn.
To maximize the harvest, it is better to carry out at least five waterings in each phase until nine leaves and the beginning of milky ripeness. Do not forget to constantly loosen the soil and hill up the plants well. Regularly monitor and remove side shoots that are stunting the growth of the cobs. Keep up the fight against pests and weeds.
Harvest
Sweet corn is harvested selectively every three days during milky ripeness, which occurs approximately 27 days after flowering. The more corn matures, the more the sugar content in the grain drops, and the starch level, on the contrary, increases. The harvested cobs should soon be delivered to the consumer or should be preserved, since after just a day in hot temperatures, corn loses about 20% of its sugar.
Use in cooking
Sweet corn is actively used in cooking. There are about 200 recipes of this product. For canning corn, whole or crushed grains are used, and mixtures are also mixed with other vegetables.
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In the article we will cover the topic: corn cultivation and care open ground. Find out how to get good harvest With minimal costs time and finances.
Corn is a favorite crop for both children and adults. Rich in vitamins and minerals, it contains microscopic doses of gold, which our body needs so much. Came to us from North America, where for the local aborigines it was second bread.
Video on how to care for corn:
When using the right technology Growing corn outdoors is not difficult and you can also get a good harvest.
Growing corn in the country house and garden
Before you grow corn, you need to successfully choose a plot in your garden. The technology for growing corn for grain involves planting the crop where cereals, sugar beets, and buckwheat previously grew.
Corn grows well in light and nutritious soils with neutral acidity. If we have too much acidity, we can add required quantity lime
It is advisable that the site be well illuminated by the sun and not be in a low-lying area where rotting or standing water is possible.
Before planting corn, you should prepare the area in advance. They are prepared in the fall, after the previous harvest. Weeds need to be removed from the field, organic fertilizers applied and plowed. Plow to a depth of approximately 30 centimeters.
If you had problems with weeds the previous season, you can spray the area at the autumn stage of soil preparation after harvesting chemicals. After half a month after this, when the weeds dry out, you can plow the area.
Also, to control weeds, before applying organic fertilizers and plow pre-disk to a depth of 8 cm.
When to plant corn
Corn - heat-loving crop, and it is planted when the threat of frost has passed and warm days begin. Focus on warming the soil from 9-11 degrees Celsius at a depth of half the length of the shovel.
If you are growing cold-resistant varieties, you can plant them earlier. In areas with warm climates, plant in mid-May. In temperate latitudes it is better to do this in late spring or early summer.
Corn is planted at a depth of approximately 6-7 cm, the distance between rows is 65-75 cm (depending on the variety). The distance between plants in a row is approximately 15-20 cm.
It is advisable to plant after rain or in previously manually moistened soil. If you didn’t have time to apply fertilizer in the fall, or there is only a little of it, you can put it in each hole during planting.
How to care for corn in open ground
Caring for corn in open ground involves constant control of pests, diseases, and weeds.
Weeds not only extract valuable substances from the soil, but also thicken plantings. This creates good conditions for the development of pests and pathogens.
After 4-5 true leaves grow, you need to thin out, leaving 2 - 3 plants in one nest. This will allow you to get a good harvest, the stems will be strong.
In the beginning, when the corn has not grown much, weeding works well against weeds. This procedure is not only environmentally friendly, but allows you to destroy the crust of the earth, which blocks access to water and air to the roots of the plant.
You can reduce the number of weeds by planting pumpkins between the corn. Cultures do not conflict with each other; one grows up, the other grows down. Pumpkin leaves cover the ground, preventing weeds from getting in sunlight wither and do not develop.
It is advisable to do hilling. Then the roots develop better, the plant is more resistant to wind or rain.
Plants should be watered regularly, and the amount of moisture should be adjusted depending on weather conditions.
Pest Control
how corn grows photo
Caring for corn involves regular pest control. After all, they can not only reduce productivity, but also deteriorate the quality of heads of cabbage.
The most harmful things to this crop are beetles and wireworms. Crops are destroyed by both adult individuals and their larvae. Also harmful is the stem borer, which damages both the plant itself and its fruits.
You always have a choice: chemical methods pest control against natural. In the first case, you can destroy enemies more effectively, but if we want to minimize the risks of chemical contamination, we need to:
- Do not plant corn in the same place if it has been growing here for the last 3-4 years,
- Fight weeds
- Choose pest-resistant varieties
- Do not cause thickening of the stand, adhere to the recommended distances when planting corn,
- In the fall, after harvesting, remove weeds from the garden.
Do not plant corn where millet was previously grown. After all, they have a common pest - the corn borer.
How to feed corn 
A little about what is used to fertilize corn. This crop is demanding on soil quality and requires significant doses of fertilizers. The largest amount of fertilizer is applied in the fall, when preparing the field for next season. Then, before plowing, you need to add potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers.
Available in both mineral and organic forms. Give more potassium if you need the heads of cabbage rather than the green part of the plant for silage.
While growing corn, you need to feed it.
Growing corn - how to get a huge harvest without special financial costs
A mullein solution will do.
When does corn ripen and how to harvest it?
Collected using special means- reaper. Or manually, for small plantings. The milky ripeness phase of corn ripens already in August (in mid-latitudes) and lasts about a week. This can be determined visually: gradually the cobs change from milky-transparent to a rich yellow color.
The later it is harvested, the harder the corn becomes and it takes longer to cook.
You can store corn in the refrigerator for some time, at a temperature of 0-5 degrees Celsius. Do not allow it to freeze, which will degrade the taste of the vegetable.
For industrial use, cobs with a moisture content of no more than 35% are suitable.
Conclusion. You have learned how to grow corn in the country, and all that remains is to put all the agricultural techniques into practice. In conclusion, an interesting video:
Corn
Corn belongs to the grass family. Corn is native to tropical countries Central and South America. Indians have cultivated this plant since ancient times. IN European countries and in Russia, 50 years ago, corn was grown only in warm regions. Currently, its varieties have been developed that can be grown in more severe climates, including in Siberia and the Far East.
Corn differs from wheat in many respects and properties. This plant has a strong, tall stem of great thickness, reaching a height of 5 meters. Distinctive feature The difference between corn and other members of the cereal family is the presence of a pith in its stalk. Depending on the variety, there are up to 20 nodes on the stem, which give rise to long, wide leaves.
Due to the fact that the roots of corn are well developed. They penetrate the soil in breadth and depth. In addition, adventitious (supporting) roots grow near the base of the stem, protecting the wheat from lodging during gusts of wind and acting as additional organs for feeding the plant from the soil.
Corn has two types of flowers - staminate and pistillate. Staminate flowers form an inflorescence - a panicle located at the top of the stem. Pistillate flowers form cobs and are located on different heights along the stem in the leaf axils formed by the stem and leaf. The spadix consists of a thickened axis on which there are many pistillate flowers, each of which has a thread-like style with a stigma at the end. All stigmas of pistillate flowers are located outside the leaves covering the spadix.
Corn pollination is carried out by wind. Staminate flowers bloom several days earlier than pistillate flowers, so self-pollination in corn is impossible. Corn is a cross-pollinated plant. In some cases, pollen may not reach pistillate flowers. Then the grains do not ripen in them. To prevent this, in agriculture carry out additional or artificial pollination.
In order to obtain seeds high quality, carry out artificial pollination with pollen different varieties corn. Therefore, first, two varieties of corn are grown in seed plots. Before the flowering period begins, corn panicles with staminate flowers are cut off. In this case, pollination of corn is possible only with pollen of a different variety.
When to Harvest Corn
In order for all pistillate flowers to be pollinated, artificial pollination is additionally carried out. Such seeds, collected after pollination of plants with pollen of a different variety, are called hybrid. The important thing is that hybrid plants usually produce high yields.
In this regard, corn is sown hybrid seeds. For rapid growth of roots, stems, leaves and ears of corn, you need to grow it on fertile soils, since this is a plant for good growth needs a large amount of organic matter. Corn yield can be significantly increased by fertilizing the soil with mineral and organic substances.
An ear of corn consists of grains of unequal shape and size. At the top of the cob, the grains are small and soft, in the middle part they are larger and smooth, and at the base they are large, but with uneven contours.
Before sowing, grains are selected from the lower and middle parts of the cob. They are divided into medium and large. The grains of these two groups are sown on different areas to get even shoots. The germination of selected corn seeds increases if they are kept at elevated temperature(35 - 40 degrees) for two to three days. If the temperature is higher, the seeds will not germinate.
To germinate corn seeds you need temperature regime 10 – 12 degrees Celsius. They are sown in the soil later than wheat seeds, but you should not delay sowing for a long time, because the soil dries out quickly in the spring. The time for sowing corn seeds approximately coincides with the time of cherry blossoms.
Corn is sown in a square-cluster method, with the distance between nests being 60-70 cm. Two to three grains are placed in each hole. If all the rules are followed, then a week after sowing, numerous corn shoots will be noticeable.
Corn crops require constant care. They need to be protected, as birds damage the crops. Rooks peck both the grains themselves and the young shoots. Weeds also appear in large numbers in fields with young corn shoots. It is easier to fight them with the square-nest method of sowing, since cultivators can freely pass along the rows of corn. During the cultivation of crops, plants are fed nitrogen fertilizers or a diluted manure solution. By feeding plants, stem growth and leaf formation are accelerated. It is important to carry out hilling of corn to form additional adventitious roots. In many cases, corn produces side shoots - stepsons, which take a large share of nutrients from the cobs. If corn is grown for grain, the shoots must be removed regularly.
Typically, corn is harvested before frost sets in. Corn cobs containing grains in the full ripeness phase are collected, dried and hung in rooms where it is dry and often ventilated.
When the ears of corn are harvested from the field, the stalks are cut, crushed and ensiled in special lined silos, towers or pits. The ears, which are in the phase of milky-waxy ripeness, are crushed and stored in separate devices for silage. Corn silage is considered a valuable livestock feed.
Every year, in the last days of August, the markets of the city of Iskitim appear in very large quantities corn. And the townspeople willingly buy it, without thinking about the origin of these cobs. One can, of course, assume that part of the crop being sold was grown on their plots by respectable villagers. But the experience of the farmers of Agrofirm Lebedevskaya JSC shows that this corn was stolen from the fields of the Agrofirm. So August 2016 began with mass forays of freebie lovers into corn fields. Serious measures are being taken to combat theft, and the security service joint stock company warns: there will be no mercy for thieves.
The head of the security service of JSC Agrofirm Lebedevskaya, Sergei Stukalov, explains:
The theft of corn from the fields of the Agricultural Firm falls under Article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - Theft. According to paragraph 1 of this article, the culprit is punishable by a fine in the amount of up to eighty thousand rubles or in the amount wages or other income of the convicted person for a period of up to six months. Either by compulsory labor for a term of up to three hundred sixty hours, or by correctional labor for a term of up to one year, or by restriction of liberty for a term of up to two years, or by forced labor for a term of up to two years, or by arrest for a term of up to four months, or by imprisonment for a term of up to two years.
Since thieves in corn fields no longer act only alone, but also in organized groups, all security forces have been brought in to combat them, and round-the-clock patrols have been organized.
After all, not only those who would take two or three cobs for the family come, but they also come on tractors! - Sergei Stukalov is indignant, - They leave entire clearings in the fields, taking away a lot, and crush even more, spoil them, press them into the ground with wheels! And this already provides for punishment under Article 158, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - Theft committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy. This means that the court will determine a more severe punishment for the thieves. This crime is punishable by a fine of up to two hundred thousand rubles, or correctional labor for a term of up to two years, or forced labor for a term of up to five years, or imprisonment for a term of up to five years.
And what a shame! - continues Sergei Vasilyevich, - as soon as people are not ashamed! After all, they do not come from hunger, but for profit. Just last week, our “security guards” caught an entire colonel in the field. They ask him: “Well, don’t you have anything to live on, since you went into the field with a sack of corn to steal?!” He stands there, silent. Disgrace!
Patrolling the fields of JSC Agrofirm Lebedevskaya will continue until last day harvesting campaign. The enterprise security service reminds that the Criminal Code applies equally to everyone.
Corn (maize) is an agricultural and garden plant of the cereal family. It has a straight fleshy stem up to 4-5 meters high, fruits are cobs with grains in 8-12 rows. IN wildlife Corn is unknown, but it is often sown in the garden. Corn came to us from South America and took root. Corn is now grown all over the world.
Corn grows everywhere in our country, it grows in agricultural fields and many gardeners plant corn on their plots. Often corn is planted only along the borders of plots, creating a green hedge. Corn is grown to be used as food for humans and as feed for domestic animals and poultry. In and rabbits green is coming part of corn with young cobs in the form of silage, and ripe corn grain.
From food corn to industrial conditions Flour and several types of cereals are produced. Corn flakes, puffed corn and sticks are made from corn grits.
Corn is one of the highest yielding cereal crops, is highly drought-resistant, we get a valuable food product in the form of young cobs, corn grits, and flour. Corn can be preserved whole and as grains, and used in cooking for preparing various dishes and salads. Young ears of corn keep well frozen. All this is explained by the high content in it useful substances and benefits of corn.
Corn varieties
The most common varieties of corn are: dentate, semi-dentate and flint yellow grain and white grain. Corn of starchy and sugar varieties is often planted in the garden. The best corn varieties for home grown these are: Tiraspol early ripening 33, Award 97, Smena 144-2.
How to plant corn
Corn can be used as or as a curtain in beds with crops of cucumbers and beans. This will allow you to harvest the main crop and additionally grow corn.
Corn in the garden should be planted in soil that was treated with manure two or three years ago. During the growing season you can add mineral fertilizers. Corn is sown at the end of April, beginning of May in well-dug soil. Seeds are planted to a depth of 8 centimeters, using the square-cluster method (60x60) or wide-row method, row to row is spaced 60-70 centimeters apart. For one hundred square meters of garden you will need 200g of seeds. At favorable conditions Shoots appear in 7-10 days. Caring for corn is not great. When seedlings appear, it is necessary to loosen between the rows and between the plants. When the second leaf appears on the corn, the plantings must be thinned out. When thinning, sprouts are left in the row at a distance of 35-40 centimeters. If you sowed corn in holes, then it is better to leave two sprouts in each hole. In the future, it is necessary to sometimes loosen the soil, especially after rain, and remove weeds.
Caring for corn plantings.
Corn has a very powerful and tall stem; for stability, the plant produces additional roots near the base; this must be taken into account when cultivating the soil. Corn has two types of flowers - staminate and pistillate. Panicles are formed from staminate flowers. Ears are formed from pistillate flowers. In the fields, corn is pollinated by wind. Staminate flowers begin to bloom before pistillate flowers, so self-pollination does not occur in corn.
In order for the cobs to be full-grained and well-ripened, it is necessary to artificially pollinate the plant. It is produced during flowering. Using gauze, you need to transfer pollen from male flowers to female flowers, additional pollination is carried out 2-3 times. After that high yield guaranteed. If corn has been sowed, there is no need to carry out artificial pollination with hybrid seeds.
Sweet corn. At home, sweet corn cobs are broken off at the stage of milky ripeness or at the beginning of waxy ripeness, before the grain becomes coarse; such cobs are good to boil and eat with salt.
When to harvest corn on the cob.
The maturity of corn can be determined by the following characteristics: upper leaves should be pale green in color, the threads will be dark brown, the grains formed, filled with milky white juice. Ears of early varieties must be at least 10 cm long, late varieties up to 15-16 cm. You can extend the time for collecting young cobs, and constantly have the opportunity to consume fresh corn. For this purpose, the crop is sown in two or three times.
The final ripening of corn occurs late autumn. Corn cobs are collected and stored whole or the grains are dehusked. Corn stalks are cut and used for economic purposes. The roots of the corn stalks are very coarse and are not used; they are pulled out with part of the stalk and destroyed.
Ripe corn is a favorite delicacy of children and adults. At the end of summer, fragrant boiled cobs decorate dining tables, and gardeners casually brag to each other about the size of the harvest. But not everyone has many years of experience in growing corn and not everyone can immediately determine the ripeness of corn. In this article we will look at how to understand when to harvest corn and how to do it correctly.
Ripening times vary from variety to variety, so it is important to know how to determine the maturity of this crop without a calendar. Check the top ears first, as they are the earliest to ripen. Therefore, if you want to try it, feel free to break off the top one and cook. Usually it is the top ears that deviate to the side, indicating the degree of ripening, until they descend perpendicular to the stem.
The next step is to check the cob. The grains should become swollen over the entire area of the cob, and the threads with which it is dotted should dry out. It is by the color of these threads that ripeness can be determined. When they turn brown, dry and come off easily, the crop is ready for harvest. Inspect the top of the cob. It should be round and blunt, which means the grains are ripe.
If the previous steps did not give you an idea of the maturity of the corn, carefully move the leaves and inspect the kernels - the cob should be completely covered with them. Press down on a few beans with your fingernail if any liquid comes out. white, you can pick corn. If the liquid is clear, the corn is not yet ripe, and if it is very thick, then it is overripe.
And the color of the grains can tell a lot. When the corn enters the stage of milky ripeness, they are light yellow; the closer the corn is to the stage of full ripeness, the darker and more saturated their color becomes.
If you are growing popping corn, the kernels of which are used to make popcorn, wait until the stalk turns brown first. For the popping variety, the harvest period is shifted as the ears are harvested at peak ripeness. That is, the later, the better. Therefore, you should wait until brown will acquire a stem, an ear, and leaves.
Ripening time
The ripening time of the crop varies depending on the variety and the region of Russia in which it is grown. For example, in the Moscow region they most often grow early ripening varieties, the harvest of which can be harvested at the end of July and beginning of August. Among the varieties with which fields are sown in the Moscow region, the best are considered to be: “Dobrynya”, “Lakomka 121”, “Rannyaya Zolotaya 401”, “Spirit F1”. They are distinguished by high yields, resistance to many diseases and are among the first to ripen among all varieties.
On average, from the emergence of seedlings to full ripening, it takes from 65 to 150 days. The flowering period begins at approximately 60-65 days, but this depends on the variety, just as the stage of milky ripeness occurs at 75-85 days. The period varies not only depending on the variety, but also on the region of Russia in which the corn grows, as well as on the quality of care for it.
How to collect
So, when you realize that the corn is ripe (in the Moscow region this period occurs at the end of August and lasts almost until the end of September), it is time to collect it. No special preparation is needed for this procedure, so harvesting will be easy and without problems.
Collection is best done early in the morning. First of all, put on gloves to avoid damaging your hands. Squeeze the cob in your palm, hold the stem with the other palm, pull the cob down and turn it.
It should be noted that most sweet varieties lose taste qualities within 24 hours after collection. This means that the crop must be immediately sent for processing or eaten. However, there are tricks to maintaining the sweetness of the beans.
Place the cobs in a cool place, such as a vegetable storage compartment in the refrigerator. This will slow down the conversion of sugar to starch and preserve the flavor of the corn for a week.
Considering that most varieties, especially hybrid ones, produce 2-4 ears per plant, pick them off gradually, maintaining a harvest interval of at least 10 days.
When collecting popping corn (in the Moscow region this period begins in mid-September), try to do it before frost sets in. Again, arm yourself with gloves and start breaking off the cobs. When the stems and leaves dry out, this procedure will not take much time and effort.
The popped corn is then dried for at least 4 weeks, preferably 6-7 weeks, to retain only a small amount of moisture in the kernels. They dry it by placing it in mesh bags, which are then hung in a warm room with good ventilation. At the end of the drying stage, the grains are separated from the cobs by rolling them between the palms. This procedure is also recommended to be carried out with gloves so as not to damage the skin with the sharp edges of the grains.
Properly dried popcorn kernels can be stored in airtight jars in a dark, dry place. High humidity will cause them to become soggy and unusable.
Video “Determination of corn maturity”
