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My Applause sweetcorn plants are now showing tassels - there seems to be a rogue one amongst them which is a purplish colour. Does anyone have an explanation please? I hope it won't mean cross pollination!

Tricia

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Probably an odd seed of another variety.

Tricia, it is possible for the silks to turn to a purple colour (then brown) after pollination but if this is the only one and it is real purple it may be a different one, Kandy Korn for eg and some of the decorative ones have purple tassels, if this one really stands out I would get it out if not too late, if not it may pollinate with your others and spoil the lot..not easy to say, but maybe losing 1 plant is safer. Any chance of a quick picture?

XX Jeannine

can you remember if it tasseled up first if it did it might be just spent (gone over) if your worried about cross  if your worried about cross pollination how about sticking a bag over its headand tying it around the that way youll still get to try the cobs

whoops ive written with a stammer sorry

Quote from: brown thumb on July 11, 2011, 08:43:23
can you remember if it tasseled up first if it did it might be just spent (gone over) if your worried about cross  if your worried about cross pollination how about sticking a bag over its headand tying it around the that way youll still get to try the cobs

Is there any reason why you can't just chop the top off.

theres no reason not to cut it off but aren't  the stems hollow i would be worried the wet might get in and rot the cobs but that's just me being cautious there might  someone on here later that says too cut them off wouldn't cause a problem

Sorry I do see the picture now and if I look closely is the foliage a wee bit different?

I would remove it..the whole plant, dig it out and chuck it.

XX Jeannine

Thanks everyone for your input. It has flowered at the same time as the others so I think it's too late for some of the cobs. I've just pulled it out after covering the tassels in a plastic bag - so will just have to hope that not too much damage has been done. If I lose all my crop I shall complain to the seed suppliers!

Tricia