So the corn of 2013 was the Stupid Corn. I worked hard this year to rectify that situation and I changed a lot of things. I learned. I paid attention. i was DILIGENT. I wanted AWESOME corn.
I got… PATHETIC corn.
And I’m a little frustrated with that.
My wife (the amazing cook) equated it to working REALLY hard on a recipe and the dish just doesn’t turn out like you expected. Yah, it’s kind of like that.
Where I went wrong this year was pollination… and maybe watering… and obviously something else, but I honestly have no idea what.
This is the pollination problem.
Sigh…
Now, I do have to say that the kernels that are there… were really tasty. We just took a few of these pathetic ears and cut the corn off and cooked it off the cob. It was good.
This is the best looking one I found. If they had all been like this one, I would have felt pretty good about the corn.
The kernels are a little bit dimpled. I’m not sure if this is from leaving them on the stalk toO long or not enough water or… But they tasted good.
I pulled in the last of them this morning and the dimpling seems to have gotten worse.
These are just sad.
But not quite as sad as this one. Now, I had a few like this and if you can tell me what this is I would appreciate it. If you can’t… and if it scares you a little bit… I’m sorry.
In the husk. Looks… sort of okay.
Out of the husk… I’m not sure what alien came down and possessed this mutant corn, but it was terrible looking. I didn’t even put it in the compost, I trashed it… thought about burning it but I couldn’t figure out what to do with the mutant ash. Yuck!
So this is the time of the year where I say, “you know, Jones, you just don’t have enough space to really grow corn, you should probably give up trying and focus on other crops.”
I’m probably not smart enough to quit trying, but we’ll see.
The Jones Garden Blog 
we experienced the same thing this year along with tough and soft. I’m hoping the second planting will be softer.
Maybe that’s the ticket, two tries in one year. Ugh… I’m going to focus on the fall/winter garden. I’m hungry for some broccoli!
me too can’t wait to get that in. 🙂
Take heart Jonesy, yours isn’t the only corn like that, I’ve had a few like that too. Some small cobs with only a small number of ripe kernels on them I think it was too humid for too long and they didn’t get enough water. My first cob, the one I’ve kept for seed, appeared and was pollinated before the start of a three week period of high humidity and scarce rain. So far the rest have been patchy but tasty.
Did you pollinate by hand or just let nature take its’ course?
I went out diligently and created little pollen clouds right over the top of the silks. Multiple times.
I saw you cob for seed. That was a pretty ear of corn.
AAk, that last piece of corn looks exactly like one I got this year, and it was awful! I have been growing corn for years and have never had one like this! It was frightening. Have no idea what causes it.
Looks like my stupid corn…hahahaha!! …. Except maybe that grey alien thing…what in the world was that??
I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure I’ll have nightmares about it.
Every year I say I’m done with corn, and every year I try again. I don’t know why it’s so hard! And I can’t even think about that alien thing. Too bizarre. Hope you figure it out and maybe even try again. Fresh corn is just sooo good.
I know, it’s like a bad addiction. Maybe there is a recovery group.
You get ‘A’ for effort. Gardening always reminds us we aren’t really in charge anyway. 🙂
Exactly! Thanks, Judy!
Hi Keith. I would probably keep trying. That elusive perfect veggie can become a little bit of an obsession. There are loads of things going in my garden this year that I should have long since given up on…. but there is always hope. Surely one ideal season will collide with the best gardening skills to create the perfect sweetcorn…. All the best with it. Cheers Sarah : o )
Oh sweet corn woes! Hear ya- our patch got all knocked down in some dumb micro-burst, a few stalks are still standing, but sheesh. But- that black stuff growing on the tips is a delicacy called huitlacoche.