What makes a corn grow?

kcult

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Several weeks ago, I got some fresh corn, well, I'm not sure how fresh it was since some of it already have larvae in it.

I was able to keep most of it, but threw the "bad" ears to my chickens. They were scared of them, so I cut the kernels off the cobs. I gave one of those cobs to my wife's dog and she played with it, chewed on it, ran with it.

Fast forward to today and we found two stalks growing in the far corner of the yard. Both are about a foot tall.

My question; Was there enough of what was needed to grow a corn stalk on the dog's new chew toy? I'm guessing it doesn't necessarily have to be a full kernel to sprout.

Amirite?
 
Each kernel is a seed, and seeds have food stored within to get the plant growing until it can get nutrients from the soil by roots that come later. I think the portion of the seed that stores this nutrient is the cotyledon, but it’s been a while since I was tested in that. It’s common to see corn plants pop up next to railroad tracks where kernels have dropped from grain cars into the ballast beneath. Hell, I’ve seen perennial rye seeds germinate on the hood of a truck.
 
That larva should have been a corn ear worm that is found in lots of ears near the end. You will usually only find one because they eat each other. I just cut the tip off with the worm in it and keep the rest of the ear. You can use pesticides and some other methods to try to keep them out, but I never bothered when I was growing a lot of sweet corn. I remove the husks in the field, so the worms are eliminated about as soon as I pick an ear.
 
Each kernel is a seed, and seeds have food stored within to get the plant growing until it can get nutrients from the soil by roots that come later. I think the portion of the seed that stores this nutrient is the cotyledon, but it’s been a while since I was tested in that. It’s common to see corn plants pop up next to railroad tracks where kernels have dropped from grain cars into the ballast beneath. Hell, I’ve seen perennial rye seeds germinate on the hood of a truck.

What do you call kernel? The bulbous part that is in rows, or that small, dense piece inside of it?

I shaved all of the (what I call) kernels off the cob. I know there were plenty of the small, dense pieces left on the cob. That little piece is what I assume got into the ground while the dog was playing with it.
 
What do you call kernel? The bulbous part that is in rows, or that small, dense piece inside of it?

I shaved all of the (what I call) kernels off the cob. I know there were plenty of the small, dense pieces left on the cob. That little piece is what I assume got into the ground while the dog was playing with it.
Your mind moves in mysterious ways, friend! LOL.
 
Alcohol and time. That's all I have.
I've noticed my alcohol intake has increased in the last couple of months....lol....moscato and everclear, but not together.
And you still have us CFFers.....
 
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Wouldnt be surprise if you didnt find some “processed corn” kernals that had come up. Basicly the dog or chicken ate a whole kernel and it passed threw the animals system and never got broken down and it still came up. Not uncommon for seeds to pass threw a animal and be spread this way.
 
seeds. Corn is a grass, basically. And with all this rain and warm nighttime temps, anything that is a grass will sprout.

I literally threw out grass seed before a rain 2 weeks ago, and it's already 3 inches tall
 
What do you call kernel? The bulbous part that is in rows, or that small, dense piece inside of it?

I shaved all of the (what I call) kernels off the cob. I know there were plenty of the small, dense pieces left on the cob. That little piece is what I assume got into the ground while the dog was playing with it.

Hmmmm. I call the small bulbous part the kernel. However, if the outside was stripped off (seed coating) I assume it would grow just the same. As was mentioned before, the weather has been near ideal in the last few weeks for germination. Regardless, it’s clear you have a green thumb and didn’t even know it :)
 
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