how and when do i harvest sweetcorn?

[NappiesNoMore]

looks like some of the cobs are about large enough to be ready maybe? what do i do, just wrench them off the stalk? the ones that are bigger, that is?

when the feathery bit at the top goes brown/black they're ready.

bloody hell, an answer to a gardening thread on the same day

righto, so the whole stalk has to be ready and then what? do i just pull the whole thing up?

Yep - when the feathery bit dies back a bit as thisisyesterday said. You can check by opening one up a little, push your nail into a corn, if it oozes white milky stuff they are ready. Pick them as you want them - don't store them as they spoil. Best thing is to have a pan boiling, run out and pick then drop straight in the pan - YUM!!!!

Mine are a few weeks away yet and I can't wait

No you snap off the one that is ready, there might be 2 or 3 one one plant, depending on variety they may not all be ready together. To snap off, grab it and pull down then away, should come away cleanly if it is ready ime.

cool, thanks!

oh shitty bums
so, if i have picked 3 cobs and they are in fact, not ripe , then is there a way to ripen them? leave em in the greenhouse and hope for the best? [knows answer is no, and thinks about cooking anyway and giving to the chickens]

glad i only picked 3 cobs ! [idiot]

Bugger I did think they were early but I did not know if there was an early variety. Give them a few more weeks, the tassles should have died back (not just droopy) and the outer covering starting to go a bit "crispy".

Look on it as a learning curve

ta cmoc, i will do

have left my house, children, chickens and veg garden in the care of my mother (and cousin) since friday (back now, obv) and its all still alive, so thats pretty good going eh?