Topic: How long is sweetcorn ripe?

[Andy H]

When sweetcorn is tested and deemed ripe by being creamy but not watery or powdery, how long is that period roughly for???
Sensible answers on a postcard to........

[Mrs Ava]

ooooooooo good question.  Of course, I have absolutely no idea, but I wonder if the weather has any influence on that.  If it really hot and dry, I would think the cobs would ripen quicker and themselves go dry, where as if it were dull and wetter, they would stay fresher on the plant for longer.  Anyhow....I am guessing, once they are ripe, they would only be great for a few days and then the sugars start turning into starch and they loose that yummy juiceyness that I am soooooo looking forward to!  :P

[Wicker]

Am dreading this ripeness testing - means I'll have to make decisions!  the silks on the females are starting to change colour and some look like brownish singed hair now - think they do change colour as they ripen don't they?  also lower leaves are getting tatty looking so must be approaching the end?

[gavin]

Eeeh, Andy - not for long!  Better, I reckon, to have several small pickings of perfect sweetcorn?  If it's there and right, grab it and enjoy!

But I've only had a couple of successful sweetcorn seasons, and mine tended to ripen very unevenly.

All best - Gavin

[Andy H]

OK! I`ll have to look and decide,first attempt so here goes! Trouble is I will have to leave the decision to better half as of to Isle of Wight for four days scuba diving and camping while they keep the weeds down and check sweetcorn and nurture pumpkin and parrot!
Had to buy chest freezer to cope with all this allotment stuff!

[john_miller]

In my climate, about one day! If you don't mind some advice from someone who has picked thousands of ears the best way to test for ripeness is to 'feel' the tips of the cobs through the wrapper leaves. When the cob is ripe the tip will be blunt against the palm of your hand. By feeling the cob prior to this stage, when it will still be pointed, you will be able to tell when the kernels at the end of the cob, which are the last to ripen, have filled out. Strange but true.

[tim]

Nice one, John!

I wait till the tassels are brown, except where they emerge from the sheath, & then check - as much by the 'bounciness' of the kernels, smell & colour as anything else.  Better a wee bit under-ripe than over, I reckon. And don't overcook.

WARNING! If you split the sheath to peek & don't pick it, TAPE IT UP afterwards, or the earwigs will be in like a bunnies. = Tim

PS Haven't answered the question - as said, anywhere between 1-3 days?? Depends on how critical/tolerant you are about the result.

[Doris_Pinks]

I do the same as Tim,wait for the tassels to brown and squeeze a kernel, clear juice, not ripe, doughy, too far gone, and creamy, just right! I can also concur with the earwig thing! Little so and so's!
Will be giving Johns method a go this year though, thanks for that John!

[Mrs Ava]

So if they go 'over' what then?  Dry them and use them for popcorn??

[Andy H]

OK many thanks for that I will look and hope we are not too late,trouble is the new freezer don`t arrive for a few days yet!!!

[Doris_Pinks]

We chew our way through em EJ no matter what! Cos I have grown them and they must be good for us! heheheheheehe

[john_miller]

EJ- varieties used for popping have a much lower moisture content than sweet corn, even when the latter is 'dry'. I don't think it will pop effectively, exploding rather than popping, because of the extra moisture. Of course you could grab a tin hat and give it a go!