Is Your Corn Ready for Harvest? Here's How to Find Out!

Corn ears are harvested by quickly bending ears downward and twisting.

After corn silks have appeared, corn is usually ready to harvest a few weeks later (usually 17-24 days). The ear should feel plump and completely filled out. If harvesting for sweet corn, the corn silks should be browning, but not dry. With the exception of harvesting flour corn for green tamales, other types of corn are harvested after ears have dried in the field.

The silks on the corn plants above are browning but not dry.

To test the maturity of the sweet corn, open an ear and test the texture of the corn kernels with your thumbnail. Corn kernels that are watery are too young, and corn kernels that are tough are too mature. The ideal stage to harvest corn is when the corn kernel contain a light, milky juice. Once you peel open an ear of corn to check for maturity, it may attract birds or other creatures. Protecting the opened ear with a paper bag can discourage pests.

If harvesting for popcorn, flour, flint, or dent corns, harvest when ears are dry. Kernels should be smooth, hard, and glossy. After harvesting, the ears can be dried in a covered area with good air circulation for a few more weeks to completely dry. Rub the corn kernels off the cob before storing. An easy method of removing dry kernels from the cob is to rub two ears together, knocking off the kernels.

Corn plants generally produce at least 1-2 ears, with the second ear usually a bit smaller.

To view customized information on growing corn for your area, go to GardenZeus and enter your zip code, then go to corn. Related articles in which you may be interested include: GardenZeus Secrets of Success For Growing Corn in the California Home Garden; GardenZeus Soil and Fertilization Tips for Growing Corn in California; and GardenZeus Quick Tips: Should I Grow Supersweet Corn in Garden?