Allotments 4 All

evening everyone, just flitting round the site as I normally do late evening and came across EJ's piccie of the baby corn....wonderful.....

My question is, is when and how do you know when to pick the cobs...is there a secret...? It's my first season for everything as got the lottie back in Oct, and I have around 40 cobs which are quite well developed but not sure when to pick.... is it trial and error...?

thanks....

normally wait till tassels go brown,then I peel leaves back and have a look if nice yellow theni pick it

thanks

Here's a tip I got from this wonderful site, slice a 2ltr plastic pop bottle from top to bottom and wrap it around the cobs to protect them from mice etc: I will be doing this from now on as the little critters beat me to it last year >:( ;D

When picking, pull the cob away from the stem then cut downwards with a sharp knife. it will cut into the stem slightly but that is not a problem.

Thought I would post that because I was dead worried when I did it for the first time last year. :)

Just so you know, for baby corn, you pick them when the tassles are still silky, but showing and glossy brown.  For proper big corn, like said before, wait til the tassles are brown, then have a sneaky peak - HOWEVER - if they aren't quite ready. wrap them up again, maybe with a wrap of tape, otherwise earwigs will move in!

The tassles may well go brown before the corn is properly ready. If you pierce a kernel with your thumbnail and the liquid inside is still clear it's not ready.

Super tips dj, clanger and roy - thank you :-*

With the baby corn basically as soon as you see them!
;D

thanks for all the tips and advice.......