{"id":6368,"date":"2023-05-12T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-12T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=6368"},"modified":"2023-05-12T06:48:48","modified_gmt":"2023-05-12T06:48:48","slug":"how-is-corn-pollinated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/how-is-corn-pollinated\/","title":{"rendered":"How Is Corn Pollinated {Methods, Tips & Tricks}"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Corn (or maize)<\/a> is such a popular veggie\/grain, and it would be great if it were easy to grow, but the fact is, it can get pretty complicated. One of the main concerns when growing corn is making certain is pollinates successfully. If it doesn\u2019t, all your hard work will have been for naught. You\u2019ll have tall green stalks and no ears of corn. In this article, we discuss the most popular and successful methods of corn plant pollination. Read on to learn more on how is corn pollinated<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Is Corn Naturally Pollinated?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It may surprise you to know that corn is actually a member of the grass family. Corn plants are monoecious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that they produce both male and female \u201cflowers\u201d<\/em>, though you may not immediately recognize them as such.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The male flowers are tassels that look like grass that has gone to seed. The tassels appear on top of the corn stalk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they ripen, they shed pollen which falls and is blown by the wind and carried to female \u201cflowers\u201d, which grow on immature corn ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Female corn flowers are the corn silks, which are long, fine, hair-like growths that transform into kernels of corn once they have been pollinated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each fine strand of silk has the potential to become a kernel of corn, but each one must be pollinated individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a mote of pollen comes in contact with a strand of corn silk, the task is accomplished, but this is not as easy as it sounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For it to happen successfully, naturally, the wind has to be blowing just right; the weather can\u2019t be too wet or humid; the plants have to be the right distance apart, and it has to be the right time of day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small Gardeners Must Lend A Helping Hand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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All of these conditions are challenging, but it is easier to set up just the right scenario in a large field of closely planted corn than in a small garden setting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In your home garden, you will need to learn how to hand-pollinate your corn plants if you want a successful yield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To do it correctly, you\u2019ll need to learn to observe your corn plants carefully and time your actions for the greatest success. You must wait until the tassels at the top of your plants are completely open and are shedding yellow pollen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will happen a couple of days before the silk begins to emerge from the ends of the embryonic corn ears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you see the silk emerge, you can collect pollen from the male tassels to pollinate the female silks. You will need to do this every day for about a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, the weather should be clear and warm, and you must conduct your pollination between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. after all of the morning dew has dried up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are unable to do your pollination in the morning, early evening, before dew begins to condense, is second best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pollination Methods: Corn<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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https:\/\/youtu.be\/ZjWk9AM30Qo<\/a>