August 30, 2021, 1:26 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
By mid-September, corn is ripe enough to be harvested. But how can you tell when sweet corn is ready? And how do you properly separate it from the plant?
Large and yellow–the ears of the corn plant are hard to miss. The size is a first indication that it can be harvested. But how do you harvest the corn without damaging the plant? In the video, you’ll see the correct procedure.
Harvesting Corn–When Is It Ripe?
Besides the size of the ear, there are other signs that indicate the corn can be harvested. At the tips of the ears are hair-like silk threads. At the beginning of the ripening process, these are white-yellowish. When the corn is ripe, they turn brown-black. If you want to be extra sure, you can also slightly cut an ear. If white juice comes out of the kernels, it can be picked.
Also interesting: What you can harvest in September
Two Methods to Harvest Corn
There are two methods to separate the ears from the plant:
1. Breaking Off the Corn
The first method requires just a bit of strength. Simply grab firmly and break the ripe ear of corn off the plant. Moving it back and forth makes the process easier.
Also interesting: Harvest time! How to properly separate ripe pumpkins from the plant
2. Cutting Off the Ears
Corn can be harvested less aggressively with a knife. You need a sharp, clean knife to simply cut the ear from the plant. This can take a bit of time, depending on how sharp the knife is.
Afterward, the harvested ears just need to be husked. Don’t be alarmed: Inside the husks, the corn is still surrounded by white silk threads. These can be easily pulled off.