Sweetcorn - are they ready?

[Dianne1234567]

I have grown probably about 40+ sweetcorn plants very successfully, even though I say so myself, but when will they be ready??? A lot of them have brown tassles on them, and I tried a couple, but they tasted really tasteless and were really pale, almost white. Have I completely missed the boat with them, or are they just not ready? All these questions. Are should I just leave them for a bit?

Dianne

[bluemoon]

They need a little longer to ripen, leave them until the kernels look yellow. You can peel back the green leafy bit slightly and if they don't look quite ready then the leaf can easily be re-wrapped over the cob for a little longer. I'm not even going to begin checking mine for at least a month, but being further south yours might be ready sooner. The tassels don't just turn brown, which happens quite early in the cob's development, but also go dry and tend to become shorter (because they break off). There's an old way of telling if it's ripe by pushing a fingernail into a kernel, if the fluid which oozes out is a milky colour then it's ready, if it's still clear then it needs a little more time. In practice deciding whether it's milky looking or not isn't that easy. In my experience if the kernels are a lovely golden yellow colour then they're ready.
Oh, and check more than one, they ripen at different times over the course of a week or two.

[Snadger]

They need a little longer to ripen, leave them until the kernels look yellow. You can peel back the green leafy bit slightly and if they don't look quite ready then the leaf can easily be re-wrapped over the cob for a little longer. I'm not even going to begin checking mine for at least a month, but being further south yours might be ready sooner. The tassels don't just turn brown, which happens quite early in the cob's development, but also go dry and tend to become shorter (because they break off). There's an old way of telling if it's ripe by pushing a fingernail into a kernel, if the fluid which oozes out is a milky colour then it's ready, if it's still clear then it needs a little more time. In practice deciding whether it's milky looking or not isn't that easy. In my experience if the kernels are a lovely golden yellow colour then they're ready.
Oh, and check more than one, they ripen at different times over the course of a week or two.

I agree wholeheartedly with everything you've said Bluemoon but must point out that some corn doesn't go yellow until it's over the top! I ate all mine last year at the milky stage........it was ripe but was creamy coloured more than yellow. Eaten raw instantly after picking is the way I like em! (I remember seeing a programme where Bob Flowerdew was running along the garden path with his sweetcorn to get them in the pan before the sugar turned to starch, which is shortly after they are picked!)

[zazen999]

the fingernail in the cob is the best method - if it doesn't squirt out milky, then it's gone over. [imho]....

[BumbleB]

I am keeping an eye with mine. I am very far south but mine were planted very late.

[ginger ninger]

If your cooking them on the cob, have your boiling water ready if at all possible, so you can pop them in straight away, that way you can eat them at there best....yum

[wimbish]

Was round at a friends the other night and we tested one of his sweetcorn. It was in the pan from picking in no longer than 30 seconds. All i can say is WOW it was so sweet and delicious!
I'm a couple of weeks behind him with the planting out so i will have to wait that little bit longer.

[Dianne1234567]

Thanks guys for all your replys - I shall try again this morning, but then I am away for a week, so shall have to wait until then (maybe even take some with me). What is it with getting the sweetcorn in the pan ASAP - what if I want to take some sweetcorn witrh me?

[COMPOST CORNER]

Then take it with you.
The reason for short "plant to pot" time is that plants sugars begin to convert to starch as soon as the crop is picked, so the sooner you can get the crop into the pan, the sweeter the crop will be.

[bluemoon]

I agree wholeheartedly with everything you've said Bluemoon but must point out that some corn doesn't go yellow until it's over the top! I ate all mine last year at the milky stage........it was ripe but was creamy coloured more than yellow.

Yep, I suppose it does depend upon the variety, the one I use does tend to go a deep yellow, but Snadge is right, some are very creamy or pale yellow in colour