Sweet corn sulk

[Common_Clay]

I'm feeling very disappointed as I've found that most of the cobs on the sweet corn plants that I was growing have been decimated. The sheaths have been stripped and the kernels have disappeared thanks to flies, lady birds, wasps, beetles, anything else you can think of.
  Does anyone know why this has happened?

Also, as I've never grown this vegetable before, can anyone please advise me, is the top couple of inches nearest to where the silk dies off supposed to be just white, tiny, fleshless, empty kernels?

  It's very sad to think that of over 20 plants I have managed to salvage only two cobs, and one of those had pink fluffy mould looking stuff beneath the leaves.

Anyone else having trouble with theirs?

Many thanks. 

[Common_Clay]

[supersprout]

How gruesome cc :'(
The only bit I can answer is that the top kernels can be unplumped when the rest of the cob is plumped, the extent depending on variety and conditions.
Can you say a little more about the how they were grown (block, how many, layout, variety, watering, soil, neighbouring plants)? :-\

[Chantenay]

I wonder if the fluffy pink mould is a clue? We need one of our experts onto this. Any photo's?
A useful tip I was given to test for ripeness is to feel the cobs through the husk. While they are pointed at the tip they are still unripe, as soon as the tip goes blunt they are ready - which means no more white end bits.

[saddad]

Bit late now but somebody on this site recommended putting clear plastic drinks bottles over the cobs (2L size). Not sure about the pink mould.. the only disease I can think of is Smut which I have never had...
:'( to your crop... thanks Chantenay for the blunt ended tip....
:)

[artichoke]

I have tall healthy beautiful plants with no cobs at all! Just straight up and down with lovely waving green leaves, the best plants I have ever grown, but totally unproductive.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I have massive cobs coming (keeping my fingers crossed) but as usual they're reluctant to take the plunge and ripen. The only cobs I've ever had eaten by beasties were a couple which split, so the grain was exposed. I wonder what wildlife others have that I don't?

[umshamrock]

Clay,

A mouse stripped about 5 of my cobs before i realized what was going on. i covered the rest with 2l bottles. Next year I am covering all my cobs before mr. mouse gets hungry.

ALL of the cobs i have ever grown (this year or last) have empty sad parts at the tips. They never fill in and they never go 'blunt' even when the rest of the cob is ready and tastes great. I don't water though so that could have something to do with it...

I haven't had the mold prob yet, but I feel your pain.

Better luck next year...

[sweet-pea]

I've never managed to harvest any cobs as the rat always gets to them first!  I've tried various things to try and prevent this happening but none have worked so far.  This year I'm going to try the plastic bottle idea this year, and if that doesn't work then I'm going to give up on them and put my efforts into growing something else next year.

[Mrs Ava]

I have heard earwigs damage, badgers, deer, mice, rats, squirrels all scoff the cobs, and I guess voles....and with the huge vole population on my site, I am really really hoping they have been well fed on my beans and leave my cobs alone!!

Very sad for you - I had complete corn failure last year, but this year is so far (fingers and toes crossed) looking good.  The mini corns have been very productive but I think are now finished.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Significant, persistent damage has to be something with a large appetite, that works happily off ground level. So many people report it that it has to be something widespread, which would eliminate deer in most cases, and persistently vegetarian, which should also eliminate foxes and badgers in the vast majority of cases. My guess is first squirrels, then possibly rats. Has anyone actually seen anything at the corn?

[Svea]

squirrels do it for us at our site - no corn harvest for us this year. shant bother again i dont think :(

[umshamrock]

Just back from my plot...and someone has stolen some of my corn!!!!!!!!!! grr... i HATE theives and vandals. i just don't get why people do that. rumor is it's another plot holder doing the stealing...

i picked three cobs and ate them just now even though they are only almost ripe and 3/4 full. if i wait i might not get any!

they taste amazing though.

[caroline7758]

Just checked mine after a week away. The plants look great but the cobs, even where the tassles have gone brown, look very thin compared to last year. Should the tassles be completely brown before I test them for ripeness?

Edit- just found the answer to this in another thread!

[Meg]

umshamrock how #### annoying is that. Must admit to raiding my friends runners today as I needed some extra but I did give her some of my fab tomatoes instead.

[Georgie]

Awww, sorry to hear the sorry tales of sweetcorn failure on here, bad luck folks.  I was going to try it for the first time next year (was kindly offered seeds last night).  But one thing is bothering me.  How does covering the cobs with a plastic bottle stop mice getting in?  I thought they could squeeze into the tiniest of spaces?

G x

[supersprout]

Apparently so G, my chum in the country has a bird feeder which is scrumped from time to time by an acrobatic shrew. Yesterday she had to rescue it - the seed was low in the feeder, so the lil shrew had climbed in through the tiny hole and feasted to a state of plumptiousness, then found it couldn't squeeze out again ::)

[Georgie]

LOL SS, nice tale.   ;D  Still none the wiser about the plastic bottles though.   ???

G x

[philj]

 ???  Like Artichoke above, I have seemingly healthy plants in a block with plenty of male pollen blowing around but not a single cob forming - no sign at all.  The only thing I've done differently to last year is use year old seed - would this make a difference?

Phil

[davy1]

Unfortuatly i cant post a photo but  we have a ptoblem with rats an i use 2 litre plastic milk bottles I cut the bottle up the side and place the nozle end over the base of the cob then push the open sides together. You can always tie string round for more security It works none of the cobs in the bottle have been touched as there is nothing for the rat to hold on to.
Other plot holders are having to pull and freeze

[Georgie]

Ah!   Light comes on.  Thanks Davy.    ;D

G x