My sweet corn has flowered

[Daniel Robinson]

Hi my sweet corn has flowered I think, there are shafts with things on, its not the corn as these are lower down, should I cut them off.
Thanks
Daniel

[esrikandan]

Don't cut anything off! The flower is needed to germinate the kernels on the cobs!

[shirlthegirl43]

The flower is at the top of the stalk (doesn't look like a typical flower though), the cobs (as will be) form at leaf joints up the stem. As said, don't remove anything. When the tassels turn brown there will be corn cobs inside the leafs.

[seasprout]

Dont cut anything off.

You need to tap your plants every now and then to aide pollintation.

[amandaandherveg]

I'm growing sweetcorn for the first time this year - I had no idea the cobs came from the sides - I've been fixated on the tops of the stems waiting for something to happen to the flower. I noticed a few silky strings growing from side shoots part way up some of the stems - I'm guessing that these are the start of the cobs?

[zazen999]

The tops provide the pollen for the cobs that grow out of the sides.

[shirlthegirl43]

I'm growing sweetcorn for the first time this year - I had no idea the cobs came from the sides - I've been fixated on the tops of the stems waiting for something to happen to the flower. I noticed a few silky strings growing from side shoots part way up some of the stems - I'm guessing that these are the start of the cobs?

You got it. The first year I grew them I knew the cobs formed on the sides but not about the 'flower' at the top

[amandaandherveg]

Thanks Shirl - exciting stuff this sweetcorn growing.

[esrikandan]

It sure is! Just make sure the mice don't get them first.

[lottie dolly]

it's not mice that had 2 thirds of mine last year,but a rat on 2 legs lol

[Scottishnewbie]

A quick question from me about corn please? I'm growing minicobs in the greenhouse and they are sooooo tall that i think they might take the GH roof off if they grow much taller! Now given that they are going to be mincobs and so polination doesnt actually matter, can i cut the tops off?

[Daniel Robinson]

Thank you for your replys, I am glad i asked before cutting any thing.
Daniel

[GrubbyGirl]

This is my first time with corn too, and I appear to have a flower forming at the top but I have no cobs coming out from the side

[danski]

my first corn too.most are outside,but i put 4 in the green house where they hit the roof very quickly then stopped(i hope!)floers went very powdery and have four or five nice fat feathery lumps formed on the side.just waiting for the feathers to go black now.when theyre done could i move some of my outside ones in or should i leave them be?