Sweetcorn cobs not fully pollinated.

[Miss Mousetrousers]

I grow them in my greenhouse because it gets windy here and the pollen blows away and so far it's been very successful. This year I did the same by feeding with BFB on planting, added a bit more with some chicken manure pellets later on, watered every few days, tapped the stems every day for about a week when the tassels were ready so the pollen would fall on the cobs, and OH isn't happy because he's just picked two for tea and they aren't fully pollinated by any means although the kernels are larger than usual. Is it my fault?

[Snoop Puss]

Doesn't sound like it's your fault. Just bad luck? Maybe the silks weren't ready? Maybe the cobs you pick next will be better?

[Jay-ell]

Absolutely not your fault. Commercial sweetcorn is grown on a massive scale so that even with a strong wind the pollen gets onto the silks of the plants in the centre. When sorting those that aren't "perfectly" pollinated don't end up being sold as ears in the supermarket, they go to tinned or frozen or something else.

That way we only ever see the "perfect" ears of corn and none of the ones that are partially pollinated.

Just think, each of those tassels of silk on the ear run down to a single kernel - for 100% pollination each tassel needs to get pollen. I'm often quite amazed I get any in my corn.

I've not got the courage up to check mine yet - once you pull back the sheath and find out that they aren't ready then you've exposed the kernel to earwigs and other creatures whom would love to get in and munch.

[4Shoes]

Think we all have learning to do this year. My corn grew and grew. Just harvested mine.
My worst cob had 5 grains, My best almost a whole cob. They were in the polytunnel and the stalks (and ultimately the tassels) bent away from the silks. Collected pollen in a plastic mushroom container and sprinkled on the silks I could reach. I should have turned the silks over and perhaps given them a shake as well. I had one cob with no grain.

Will be back on case next season.

[Bluenowhere]

I get pretty perfect pollination but it is getting to the corn before the birds (my suspicions lie with the parakeets) that is my problem. Mine are outside and it’s reasonably windy on our plots, so much so all my corn blew over this year and I had to right then and stake with canes.
My trick is to tap them as I water, I also run my hand up the tassles then over the silks, not sure if it makes a difference but I don’t get many missing kernels, the bottom of my cobs are pretty much perfect, the top sometime an odd few missing but that’s mainly the birds bit anyway!

[Bluenowhere]

Should have said I do it every day I’m there. Would have no idea if silks are ready or not. Obviously when they start to brown I stop.

[annie8]

My first set of 6 sweetcorn had full cobs. I tried to help the fertilisation by collecting and spreading the pollen. Judging by this and other threads I’ve been pretty lucky though. I just thought it was one of the easier veg to grow. Mind you i have another 6 plants that are further behind. The silks are just emerging so not sure if they will develop well. Will get my brush and mushroom tub out this weekend.

[Miss Mousetrousers]

I usually get fully-pollinated cobs but from your replies I don't think it's my fault this year.