Sweet Corn

High summer is an excellent time to plant sweet corn for an early autumn harvest. It takes about 2 1/2 months from planting until harvest.

So wherever frosts come late the seed can be sown as late as February.

A native of tropical America, this delicious vegetable thrives on heat and warm ground. Almost any soil will grow corn.

The Americans Indians even got crops on stony, poor soils under arid conditions!

For the best crops provide a freely draining, loamy soil enriched with compost, aged manure and a general plant food higher in phosphate and potash than in nitrogen.

A 3-5-7 ratio is ideal. Full sun is essential. Shelter from strong winds as the plants become top heavy once the ears begin to ripen.

Keeping the plants well watered and liquid fed insures quick, active growth and the most succulent harvest.

A cob is ready to eat as soon as it's tassel begins to wither.

Eat immediately as its' sugars quickly turn to starch once picked. Plunge the shucked cob into boiling water for no more than 5-10 minutes.Cobs can also be roasted in foil. Once cooked, kernels can be sliced from the cob.

But nothing beats the American summer tradition of pipping hot corn-on-the-cob served with salt, pepper and smothered in melted butter!

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