Sex life of corn....

…is AMAZING ( or should I say a-maizing )! The corn at WHF is beginning to tassel. The tassel represents the male flower. When it emerges it produces spikelets which then grow anthers which release millions (2-5 million!) of pollen grains. One of the grains must fall on a silk down below. Each silk on an ear of corn is a potential kernel, but only if it's fertilized. Now you know why some ears of corn have empty spaces where kernels should be. The first time Conrad and I planted corn, we planted a 50 foot row...and got nothing. I soon learned corn has to be planted in blocks so those millions of pollen grains land on some silks. Something very curious...silks are receptive to pollen grains anywhere along the silk. Wow...way more questions than answers!