I plant several different plantings of Silver Queen each year. In years past, when a little summer squall came up, a lot of it would lay flat and I understand that. What I don't understand is that I learned to plant it deeper and pull the soil to it as I side dress it and now it falls over if I merely run the sprinkler on it and there is no wind involved. We have a drought going on this spring, but I have watered it enough that the leaves have never curled from a lack of moisture.
It occurred to me today, that maybe the cone top where the tassel is may be holding water and that is laying it over. Any ideas? Tom

 

How deep did you plant your seed? Some report planting 2-4" to help with plants falling over. The Dept. of Agriculture recommends 1 1/2 - 2" deep.

Inspect the roots of the fallen plants. Is there good root development? You have the seminal roots that sprout off the seed and take up moisture and nutrients from the soil until the nodal roots, which develop above the seminal roots, become developed. Sometimes nodal roots do not develop. Seeds planted too shallow will produce nodal roots at soil surface and development can be arrested by exposure to sun and drought. Seeds planted too deep and seeds planted in clay soil can suffer from arrested nodal root development. http://msucares.com/crops/corn/corn16.html

Cut open stalks and inspect for corn borer damage. Borers can feed on inside of stalks, weakening them and causing them to fall over. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/nov97/fung1197.htm

Corn root worm larvae can also cause corn to fall. It is best to practice crop rotation and not plant crops in the same place in the garden each year. Many diseases and pests remain in the soil awaiting next year's crop. http://dede.essortment.com/cornrootwormla_raji.htm

If corn were falling due to being top heavy, stalks would likely bend over in the middle. Sounds like rootless corn syndrome due to lack of nodal root development. Continuing to hoe and side dress and provide adequate moisture will aid in development of nodal roots. Inspection of roots and cutting open fallen canes will reveal if you have problems with roots or insects.

Report your findings here for further discussion. BTW, in my Mother Earth years, Silver Queen was my favorite.

 

For the last two years, I have been planting my corn 4" deep and as soon as it is six inches high, side dress according to Clemson Univ ext, then again at knee high and once more at three feet. Each time I side dress, I pull soil to the plants in an effort to brace them. and that is the same reason that I planted deep. We have had the worst drought in SC that I have seen in years but I love gardening so much, that I forget the cost of water and try and keep my garden soaked at least once a week. On top of the drought we have had much hotter than normal temperatures.
I will definitely remove a whole stalk with the root intact and bisect it in the morning and will report on what I find. I had never thought of that. Thanks, Tom

 

Tom, we need to know what roots reveal and what cutting open of stalks reveal. As I indicate, you need to deal with your local Coop Ext. Service Agent. Our tax dollars support those labs and those offices and we need to befriend and take advantage of that research and knowledge. We need to know what is going on in your garden.

 

Mr. Moderator, I pulled one of the fallen stalks and washed the soil from the roots. I had a section about eight inches long above the roots and split that section from top to bottom and through the root ball. I observed no stalk damage, but did notice a rather small root ball. As I said before, there has been a terrible drought here and although I don't spare the tap water, I know that the watering is shallow and I am beginning to believe that the dry weather and no deep drenching water has encouraged a not so deep root system.
Have merit??? Tom

 

Water deep. With deep watering, your corn may make it through the drought and develop some roots that will grow long and strong in search of the deep water below them. Water from below, using soaker hose. This will eliminate the force from water from sprinklers. Cross your fingers and hope that strong winds and rains do not come for a while. Here in Eastern KY, we are having a terrible drought, too. We need several days of gentle rains to soak the soil.