If you are like me and you have grown corn but suffered from low yields, you are not alone. If you have never grown corn but want to know how to get a better yield so your first grow is a good one, welcome. Lets cover some techniques that can be used to improve corn yield, and show how to grow more corn.
To improve corn yield, corn pollination must be improved. Corn is a monecious plant, meaning it has a male flowers and separate female flowers. For corn pollination to occur, the male pollen must pollinate the female flower. If the pollen does not make it to the female flower, then no pollination occurs and no corn kernels will form.
The vibrant African corn lily, also known as Ixia, brings a burst of color to gardens with its orange, yellow, and pink star-shaped blooms. However, getting these plants to reach their full potential requires a bit of effort on our part. Pollinating African corn lily flowers can significantly increase your yield and extend the blooming period. Let’s explore simple methods for maximizing success!
Native to South Africa, African corn lilies are part of the iris family Iridaceae They earned their common name from the corn cob-like shape of their floral spikes The sword-like leaves emerge from corms in spring alongside erect, slender stems topped with floral clusters.
Each bloom has six petals spreading out from a central cup, creating a striking star pattern. Hues range from bold oranges and reds to softer yellows, creams, and pinks. When growing conditions are optimal, African corn lily delivers an incredible floral display.
Why Proper Pollination is Key for High Yields
African corn lilies produce seed capsules and viable seeds via cross-pollination Pollen must be transferred from the anthers of one flower to the stigma of another. Without pollinators, yields suffer due to lack of seed set
Manual pollination allows us to take control of this process. By purposefully transferring pollen, we can ensure successful fertilization and maximize productivity. The reward? More abundant blooms that last longer!
When to Pollinate for Best Results
Timing is crucial when hand-pollinating flowers. African corn lily blooms sequentially with flowers opening from the bottom of the spike moving upward over several weeks.
For optimal fertilization and seed set, pollinate flowers when they are at peak receptivity – normally when 50% of the blooms on a stem have opened. Focus efforts on unpollinated flowers.
Pollinating too early risks failed fertilization, while late pollination often delivers no results. Observe blooms daily to pinpoint the prime pollination period.
Gather Your Pollination Supplies
Hand-pollinating requires only a few simple tools:
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Small soft-bristle paintbrush
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Magnifying glass (optional)
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Tweezers
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Index cards or envelopes
The paintbrush will transfer pollen between flowers. Use a magnifying lens to closely examine reproductive parts. Tweezers help remove spent blooms. Index cards temporarily hold collected pollen.
Steps for Hand Pollination
Follow these steps for effective hand pollination:
1. Identify Reproductive Parts
Examine open flowers to locate stamens (male) and pistil (female). Stamens have two anthers at the tip containing pollen. The sticky stigma at the end of the pistil receives pollen.
2. Collect Pollen
Use a paintbrush to sweep pollen from ripe anthers onto an index card. Gather pollen from multiple flowers to increase genetic diversity.
3. Transfer Pollen
Dip the brush into the pollen and gently brush onto the stigma of another flower to transfer. Repeat across multiple blooms at peak receptivity.
4. Label Pollinated Stems
Tag stems after hand pollination so you know which have been manually pollinated. Monitor for developing seed pods.
5. Remove Old Blooms
Use tweezers to carefully detach spent flowers just below the bloom to encourage new growth.
Supplementary Care for Optimal Growth
Proper care optimizes the success rate of pollinated African corn lily plants:
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Fertilize regularly with a balanced 10-10-10 or organic fertilizer
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Provide 1-2 inches of water weekly
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situate in full sun
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Stake stems to prevent damage
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Prune back foliage after flowering concludes
Enjoy an Abundance of Vibrant Blooms
Investing a little time into manually pollinating African corn lily flowers can significantly increase productivity in terms of flowers and seeds. You’ll reap the rewards with prolific floral displays in bold, beautiful colors and a longer blooming duration. Get those paintbrushes ready and let’s get pollinating!
Improve silk elongation and tassel timing.
One way to improve the pollination of corn is to improve the conditions that will lead to a better timing of the tassels and the silks. Tassels will emerge first, and later the silks will come out of what is essentially an undeveloped ear of corn. Tassels will eventually stop producing pollen and the silks will eventually dry out. So they each have a productive period, and getting the silks and tassels to be viable at the same time is key.
The productive period of the tassels and the silks will overlap if conditions are favorable, and this overlap is sometimes called the “nick” or I have also read it as “nicking period”. This is something that is both genetic, and condition dependent. Meaning that some varieties of corn produce silks much sooner after the tassels have emerged. This will lead to a longer period of overlap when pollen is viable and silks are receptive, which can increase yield. Environmental conditions can also cause an earlier or later silk emergence after tasseling.
For the nerds out there, a term used for the gap of time between tassels producing pollen and the silks emerging is called the anthesis-silking interval. Now you can use that in conversations to make yourself sound cool, but make sure to wear a monocle.
Adequate Water
One way to the assist the corn in optimum timing of tassels and silks is by making sure they receive enough water during the tasseling and silking stage of the plants development. Corn silks grow, or elongate when there is adequate turgor pressor within the silks. Turgor pressure simply put, is the water pressure within the cells of the plant.
If there is conditions such as drought, wind, or heat, turgor pressure within the silks may drop and silk elongation/growth will slow or may even stop. This is because drought limits water availability to the plant, and dry and/or windy conditions will pull water out of the plant faster than if is humid or if there is no wind. Think of it like a hair dryer or a fan drying something out. Drought actually affects silk growth more than pollen production and can lead to pollen being released before silks emerge from the husks.
Drought should be a fairly obvious reason why turgor pressure may drop, but heat and wind will cause more evaporative losses than usual, especially from places like the leaves. All parts of the plant need water and if wind is drying out one part of the plant, like the leaves, water will be pulled from other areas of the plant with adequate water, to provide the needed water to the portion of the plant that is losing more water. This water redistribution within the plant can cause turgor pressure to drop in an area of the plant with more water, and increase pressure in the dryer areas. Imagine one balloon full of water, and another with no water. The balloon full of water will have a higher pressure than the empty balloon. If some of that water from the full balloon is distributed to the empty balloon the pressure in the full balloon will go down while the pressure increases in the empty balloon.
So if water is pulled from the silks to help another part of the plant survive, and water uptake by the plant is reduced because of drought or inadequate irrigation, silk growth will slow or stop.
As stated before, a loss of turgor pressure and reduced silk elongation can be an issue in high heat, but these are not the only issues with corn pollination when its hot. If temperatures are above 90 °F (32 °C) pollen may become non-viable. Unless you grow your corn in a big climate controlled building, this part will be hard to control.
How to increase corn yield.
Increasing corn yield means that proper management of growing conditions must be met in order for optimal pollination to occur. Some aspects around pollination to consider are the timing of the male tassels and female silks, watering, plant spacing, and if needed manual pollination.
Manual pollination is not hard and can be quite enjoyable if you are a plant/gardening nerd. That subject will be covered later in this article.
How to plant a pot of Ixia (corn lily)
FAQ
How do you increase corn pollination?
How to pollinate a lily flower?
How do you promote lily growth?
What pollinates corn flowers?
How is corn pollinated?
Corn is monoecious, meaning it produces separate male and female flowers on the same plant. (Like squash, but with a completely different flower type.) Male corn flowers are the tassels at the top of each plant, which produce pollen, and the female flowers are the ears along the stalk, which contain ovaries.
What is an African corn lily?
The African corn lily, scientifically known as Ixia, is a captivating plant that adds vibrancy and charm to any garden or indoor space. With its striking flowers and easy-care nature, it’s a popular choice among gardening enthusiasts.
Can You Grow African corn lily outside?
The African corn lily, scientifically known as Ixia, is a captivating plant that adds vibrancy and charm to any garden or indoor space. If you’re growing the plant outdoors, dig up the corms in the fall before the first frost and store them in a cool, dry place.
How do you grow African corn lilies?
African corn lilies are typically grown from corms, which are small, bulb-like structures. Plant the corms in the fall or early spring, about 2 inches deep and 4 inches apart. Cover them with soil and water thoroughly. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, as excessive moisture can cause the corms to rot. 4. Watering and Fertilizing