My "Bloody Butcher" corn that I showed you just two weeks ago is now a foot taller (it was an old-ish photo that I posted) and has a male inflorescence! When I saw it this morning, I immediately took a photo with my mobile phone and sent a picture message to my plant friends who work at the Arboretum. I showed it off to the guy sitting next to me at Master Gardener
class tonight. I even showed my boss while I was at work. I'm just tickled that my corn is flowering--in March! On my windowsill!This is why I grow things indoors. It doesn't matter what it is, when a plant does something that it's supposed to, such as make a new leaf, send out runners, or flower, it makes me so happy!
Now, the next test is to see if any female-flower inflorescences develop--that is to say, ears of corn. This variety is more for flour or cornmeal (although young ears can be eaten as corn-on-the-cob) and is supposed to make only two ears per stalk, although other sources say it can have up to six ears per stalk. Whatever--I'll be happy to get one!
I planted this probably in mid- to late December. It germinated on 21 December, according to my records--that means we're on day 96 or so. The maturity info says 110-120 days, so we're pretty close. I started this in a 4-inch pot, because I thought corn wouldn't like getting transplanted. Its roots quickly exited the pot from the holes at the bottom, so I upped it to an 8-inch black plastic container. Then, I potted it up to a 1-gallon container. It doesn't seem to mind being transplanted or washed of spider mites in the shower.
I know the plant is half the height it should be, but for a winter-grown stalk of corn on my windowsill, I think it's doing quite swell! I found a good quick-'n'-dirty resource on corn inflorescence emergence and pollination. It seems that a few days after the male inflorescence emerges and extends, the females' "silk" will start slithering out. Then a little while later, I'll have some ears of corn!
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