This blog is organized first the 'variety', and then within each variety, by date.
Amish Mushroom Popcorn
A small plot planted on June 11 with dark black soil that tends to dry out and become crumble.
Two weeks later on July 3rd, looking nice. Since this soil drys out so quickly, I'm mulching with newspaper and grass clippings.
I did mulch this patch with newspapers and grass clippings and dried roots that I raked while preparing the earliest grain harvest for a Gaspe Flint Corn plot #2.
Looking good on September 17th. Some bird damage to the tips of the ears.
Initial harvesting on September 23rd to get ahead of the critters.
Gaspe Flint Corn
Undecided if I'll put in a 4th plot, I might. My goal is to fine tune the answer to the question "How late can I plant Gaspe in SE Michigan and get a harvest?" I want to have a working plan involving fall planted 'very early barley' quickly followed by a planting of Gaspe. I may do the same with a garlic/Gaspe plan too.
Gaspe Plot 1
Planted June 23
Gaspe Plot 2
Planted July 5, and they are emerging nicely by the 12th. I'll need to do some thinning. In some rows, I was using older seeds that I had been hanging on to use in seed swaps which covid messed up. Figured, let's plant them and make more!
Looking very fine on September 17th. Some interest by the chipmunks coming from the fence row.
Primary harvest was on Sept 23rd. It was wonderful.
Gaspe Plot 3
Planted July 9, heavily damaged by birds eating the germinating seeds!
Johnny Dewlen Blue Dent Corn
This plot was planted on May 30th. On July 31st, it was looking good. This soil is a little heavier than where the MN 13 went this year.
Pretty much finished up around Sept 24.
Minnesota 13 Dent Corn
This plot was planted on May 30th. On July 31, it was looking good. I probably should have watered it more than I did, but then, the weather is the weather.
NRC Parching Corn
Planted on nice loamy soil that tends to run dry on May 30th.
Around July 8th, it was sending up 2 or more tillers. Some of which I removed (for the geese to eat). I left some to determine how productive they would have been.
So far so good...
I found the first tassel being formed on July 29th.
Very last ears harvested September 27th.
Polar Dent Corn
Polar Dent Corn (plot 1) Planted on May 12th
Polar is known for its frost resistance, so, I made the first planting on May 12th, weeks before we'd normally plant corn. Unfortunately for testing this corn's frost resistance, although we had several nights in the mid 30's F after emergence, we did not have any frost.
Polar is being grown in 3 sub-groupings:
- Yellow seed on red cobs
- Yellow and White seed on Red cobs
- Yellow and White seed on White cobs
I believe the yellow on red cobs to be the main theme, but, can not find any original documents from nearly 100 years ago to confirm that. I will continue to grow them separately and mix until I find better historical references (or a good hard frost leaves only the winner standing).
On July 12, ear formation was well under way.
1, 2 and even 3 ears per plant. A few plants are quite a bit taller than their sisters in Plot 1. While in Plot 2, they are much more uniform. I will select from these 'more robust' plants in Plot 1. Even without a frost, maybe the cold did help provide contrast.
Polar Dent Corn (plot 2)
Planted the rest of the Polar on May 23rd.
On July 12, looking nice:
