What could be making my corn stalks bow and break???

[JaimeB]

I don't know how to add images so a description will have to do but, the stalks are starting to bow. The two that have early corn are doing fine, but a couple of the others who have set out the pollen tasseles are bowed and the top pollen stem is snapped over. They aren't bearing any weight from corn yet. What could it be? It is very windy in the evenings out here. Are they growing too fast for the stalks to build strength? Could it be too much water?

 

[seedcorn]

snapped tassels sound like corn borer. Bent stalks could be high winds. They either bend or snap clean. If bent near ground, could be rootworms.

 

[JaimeB]

Thanks seedcorn. It's definitely the strong winds. I only have the one row, and I guess I should've planted them in a bunch or a circle. It's hard to find information like that for the home gardeners. I should've just asked you guys lol. But all is well, I'm still getting corn.

 

[hoodat]

Excess nitrogen can also cause fast tall growth with weak stalks. If you live in a windy area try planting short growing corn that has strong stalks. The old favorite Golden Bantaam is one like that. You can browse seed catalogs to find others.

 

[wifezilla]

That's one of the reasons for planting with "sisters". In the 3 sisters garden, you use pole beans to help secure the corn stalks. Wind got some of mine before the beans started climbing. I was able to save most of them...and I planted dutch bantam.

 

[JaimeB]

Thanks you guys. Luckily I won't be living in this area next year, so I won't have to deal with such strong winds. I just hope we find a house that has room for a garden . But I think some bean poles would be fun to grow anyway so I'll have to try that. There's a few things I forgot to plant this year that I definitely want to jump on next season.