Q: When should I pick sweet corn? In the past I have left the corn on the stalks and picked it as we needed it. When the corn first gets ripe it is delicious but it seems that within a week or two it turns very bland and sticky.

A: For a blueberry, it’s easy to tell when it’s ripe: deep blue means it is time to harvest. But for corn or Irish potatoes or watermelons, it’s not that easy. Fortunately, horticulturists Willie Chance and Darbie Granberry have authored a very nice factsheet on how to tell when vegetables (and some fruit) are ripe.

The answer to your corn conundrum is to use your thumbnail to pierce the grains. When they all appear full-sized and contain lots of milky liquid, the corn is at peak ripeness.

When to Harvest Vegetables

corn