In a short and “sweet” one-sentence answer, the best time to harvest your corn is when the silk tassels at the top of the stalk turn brown, but the husks are still green.
This typically occurs when your crop is seven to eight feet tall. This is about 20 days after the silk first appears. Each stalk should produce one to two usable ears of corn, depending upon the growing conditions.
To be 100% certain that the sweet corn is ready, prick one of the corn kernels. Then, find out if there is a milky liquid inside. If some of the liquid comes squirting out, you know that the corn is in the “milk stage.” This means it’s ready to be picked.
There isn’t a set date that you need to pick your corn on. But keep in mind that the USDA Grow Zones determine your growing season.
In total there are five USDA Grow Zones where sweet corn is able to thrive. This includes zones 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The majority of these states fall in the Midwest.
Typically, by August or early September, the sweet corn is ready for harvest.
The best time of day to start picking is in the early morning or the late evening. It should be cool outside. Depending upon the size of your corn field or garden, you can either harvest by hand or with equipment.
If you use manual labor instead of machinery, remember to grasp each ear of corn firmly, then twist and pull downward. This will dislodge each ear from the stalk and allow you to gather up your entire yield.
Harvest only as much as you can eat or sell in the first couple of days. But be sure to harvest every ear of corn while it is in the “milky” stage. If you wait too long, the kernels will get large, chewy, and pasty, like dough.
When you have finished harvesting, cut each stalk into one-foot lengths before placing them in a corn stock chipper. This will produce organic waste for your compost. You can also use a wood chipper/shredder to do this.
On the other hand, if you are selling the corn in larger quantities, we recommend you use equipment to harvest it.
You can use a mechanical harvester or a three-point hitch. If you go the mechanical route, harvest your sweet corn while it still has shorter shanks and lighter colored husks.
You should pick a large quantity of sweet corn to justify using a mechanical harvester. This helps conserve the moisture in the corn when stored.
A general rule of thumb is you need 10 acres of sweet corn to justify purchasing a mechanical harvester.
Like most types of vegetables, fresh picked corn tastes best. This is due to the fact that the sugars haven’t fully converted to starches yet.
So cook some fresh sweet corn on the day of harvest. Add it to boiling water or throw it on the grill. Anything you don’t eat, you can store in a refrigerator for up to a week. After that, you should pack it away in the freezer.
You can freeze it on the cob, or cut it off and place it into containers. Or you can store corn using mason jars, to save space.
You can find more tips for gardening on Blain’s Farm & Fleet’s Gardening Blog.
