When is popcorn ready to harvest

Or rinse quickly and pat dry before curing - usually a bad idea, but you don't want aphids in the stored corn. A greater danger to popcorn left on the plant too long is autumn rainfall, as the moisture, along with cool, damp air while the husk still covers the ears, can allow decay organisms to grow. Cobs of popcorn make great fall decorations while they are drying, and so do the dry cornstalks think Halloween and Thanksgiving.

The husks make dandy cornhusk dolls, or angels that can be used on a Christmas tree. Q: After reading your very nice Aug. A: Yes, indeed, you can eat the bulbs of the wild onion Allium triquetrum. Harvest them in summer. Keep the larger bulbs, replanting smaller ones if you want more plants for next winter. Remove their dry skins before you use them by dropping them into boiling water for a minute or so, draining them, and then popping the skins off. I once made beef bourguignon using these bulbs as "boiling onions.

Note that more information on identifying and cooking with this and several other edible weeds is included in my book on food gardening in our region, "Golden Gate Gardening," available in many local bookstores and nurseries or through my blog.

Top shopping picks. Different cooking oils will enhance the flavour of the popcorn so experiment - perhaps, even try bacon fat. While there's absolutely nothing wrong with plain or salted popcorn you'll be amazed how good it is on its own , you can add different toppings to turn your corn into something special. Dribble some molasses on the popped kernels, for instance, or stir a little honey into a bowl of hot, buttered corn.

Brown sugar and butter melted together and mixed into a container of popcorn will produce a delicious homemade caramel corn. Popping Corn. Ruby-red rounded cobs are produced in abundance. Once dried, the kernels are simply the best variety for popping! Available Now Supplied as a packet of approximately 40 seeds. Illustrations by Kat Whelan Website by Goldhosts. Any serious stress like water deficiency can greatly reduce yields and the quality of the popcorn.

Allow the kernels to dry in the field as long as possible. When harvested, the kernels should be hard and the husks completely dry. After harvest, remove the husks and place the ears in mesh bags and hang in a warm, dry, well-ventilated location. Once or twice a week, shell a few kernels and try popping them. When the test kernels are popping well and tasting good, shell and store the rest of the kernels. If the popcorn is "chewy" or the popped kernels are jagged, it is too wet and needs to continue drying.

Store the kernels in sealed, airtight containers. If stored properly, popcorn should retain its popping quality for several years. Unshelled corn should be stored at temperatures near 32F and high relative humidity. The storage location should also be rodent proof. If stored popcorn fails to pop, it may be too dry. Add 1 tablespoon of water to a quart of popcorn. Cover and shake at frequent intervals until the popcorn has absorbed the water.

After 3 or 4 days, test pop a few kernels to see if it is ready.