Growing corn in the north can be a challenge but with new varieties that require a shorter growing season it is possible. There are many local gardens that have corn growing in them, as does our home garden.

We have been growing corn successfully for the past 30 years and have been spoiled by being able to eat fresh home grown corn. It is one thing to be able to grow the corn but it is also knowing how and when to harvest the corn.

It is not always easy to know when corn is ripe for the harvest. You want to be able to pick it at its peak. For the best flavour corn should be picked when it is still young. When it becomes overripe the sugars will turn to starch.

Corn will ripen at different times. Most varieties of corn will produce 2 ears of corn per stalk. The top ear will ripen first and the second ear will ripen several days later. When an ear is ripe, it will start to lean away from the plant. The silk on the top of the ear should be brown and dry. The ear should feel firm and full. If you are not sure, take a peek. Don’t tear the husk too far back as this can be damaging, but try and pry it open near the top so that the kernels are revealed. The kernels should look full and have colour. A kernel can be pierced with your nail and the liquid should be cloudy. If the liquid is watery the corn is not ripe, and if it becomes thick and creamy it is overripe.

The ear of corn is picked off the plant by twisting it and pulling it down. For the best flavour don’t pick the ear of corn until you are ready to eat it. Have the pot of water on the stove and then go out and pick the corn. If this is not possible, pick the corn early in the morning or later in the evening when the temperatures are cooler, as this will slow down the conversion of sugar to starch, which is what happens after the ear has been picked. Store the harvested corn in a fridge or cool area. The super sweet varieties such as the Gourmet Sweet varieties (Fantastic is one of them) have a longer shelf life, where it takes longer for the sugar to turn to starch.

Sometimes gardeners will notice that a cob of corn has missing kernels. This is due to poor pollination. A cob of corn is made up of kernels, and each kernel has a silk attached to it. If the silk is not fertilized by the male part (pollen found on tassel which is on the top of the plant) the kernel will not develop. Pollination is done by the wind and for better pollination corn is planted in plots, rather then a single row, making it easier for pollination to occur.

Corn requires a long growing season, which is what we don’t have in Prince George. Choose varieties that require a shorter growing season. We start our corn indoors and transplant them outside after all risk of frost has passed, which gives them a head start. We have 2 varieties in our home garden. ‘Extra Early super sweet’ which is the first to ripen but has smaller cobs and ‘Gourmet Sweet ‘Fantastic’ takes a little longer to ripen but has bigger ears. When growing different varieties, keep them separated to prevent cross pollination which can result in poor tasting corn. 

-Jos

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Home and Garden Centres in Prince George:

• Highway 16 West at Kimball Road
• Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill Road