Confused

Corn is like a lot of people today. It's all confused.

A farmer in Iowa writes "Got some questions on corn pollination for those of you on here that are more wise than I.

Some of my corn has just shot green silks. Some of the hybrids shot silks about the same time the tassels came out. Some shot tassels first and then silks. Some shot silks and then tassels. Now some of the silks are starting to turn pink already on hybrids that have had tassels for a few days. Some fields only have a percentage of stalks tasseled. From a high vantage point of the field in places that have tasseled early, it appears that they may have been dryer spots early in the season like mounds or ridges.

So my question is when does the pollen start and when does it end and what can you look for to tell? I realize it mighty vary depending on hybrids but do the silks have to be green to be pollenated or are these pinkish silks the ones that take pollen? I'm relativley sure that brown silks are done right? Dont have any that far anyway.

My fear is the timing of this heat wave coming up being right at pollenation. I dont think we are hurting for moisture yet but it wont take long if it gets in the high 90's to get there."

He poses a good question. We have corn from waist high to shooting tassles. We have corn with ears and no tassles, corn with tassles and no ear shoots. It's all confused.

You mix together record rainfalls, planting in the mud and huge variations in temperature and moisture since planting across the country and you have corn like people, it's very confused. It's doing the best it can with all the pressure on it to act normal.

Our country is the same way and our leaders are our best examples. We are in a huge financial mess which I feel could blow up any day. So far it just keeps going along but the fundamentals aren't good.

We may have record corn acres but I bet a lot of people are disappointed this fall. Yes, some will have a lot more than they expect but overall things are not running right from the corn plant to the people who plant it.

I can deal with my crop but I have little impact on those who bid on it.

It's going to be interesting. Have a great weekend.

Ed