Too Much Rain & More about Corn

 Some areas of the world receive plenty of rainfall.  When there’s too much rain, the following ill-effects on plants may be observed.

1.  A general yellowing.   a.) This can be due to the soil remaining wet for a long period of time thus excluding soil oxygen. In this anaerobic condition, plants will yellow. b) Likewise, the profusion of rain is washing the soil nitrogen below the root zone, and plants become nitrogen deficient, causing yellowing.

2. More fungal leafspot diseases (most notably tomatoes ). Disease causing spores land on the surface of a leaf, germinate and infect the leaf. In a short time thousands of spores are produced. When a rain droplet or water from irrigation lands on the leaf, these newly produced spores will be splattered to other areas of the leaf and to nearby leaves. They in turn germinate and infect these new areas. Thus, more rain, more splashing, more spreading of the spores and more disease.

3. Problems with corn. 

 If the abundance of rain occurs during corn pollination, the ears of corn may lack a full complement of kernels. This is due to a lack of pollination because  the wind-born pollen is washed away. Low pollination is also caused by improper planting densities. Do not plant one or a few individual seedlings, or even a single row. Plant a minimum of 4 rows, 8ft long.  For more on growing corn:  search corn in the blog search. 

Tips for Picking Corn

·        Mark the calendar the day the corn was planted. In Hawaii, sweet corn is harvested 7O-85 days after planting.

·        Corn is ready when the silks begin drying and turning brown.

·        Record the date at which half of the plants show the silks emerging from the new ears. Under warm summer conditions, the corn will be ready about 18 days later.

·        Perhaps the easiest clue is to pull the green husk back from the cob and check the appearance of the corn kernels. If the corn looks ready, it’s time to pick.