How to Cross Pollinate Corn

If you've ever shucked corn, you know that each ear is covered in thin, fibrous hairs called silk. Corn silk isn't really silk at all, but pathways from the tip of the ear to each kernel. When pollen from the top of the corn stalk flutters down onto the silk, it's carried into the ear and kernels begin to plump up and grow. Though the wind and insects usually take care of corn pollination, you can breed your own corn varieties with hand-delivered cross-pollination.

Mature corn plants
Step ladder
Small plastic cup
Rough bristle paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Choose a mature corn plant with powdery, brown tassels of pollen at the top of the stalk. Set a step ladder under the stalk so you can get close to the tassel.
- 2
  Climb to the top of the stepladder and hold a small plastic cup underneath the pollen tassel. Gently tap the tassel with a paintbrush, gathering the pollen in the cup. Take no more than one-third of the pollen.
- 3
  Fill your cup with pollen from corn plants, making sure they're all the same variety. Cross-pollination entails pollinating one species of plant with a single type of pollen from another plant of the same species, but from a different family.
- 4
  Take your pollen to a corn patch holding a different type of corn. Dip the paintbrush into the pollen, swirling it around to coat it completely.
- 5
  Hold the paintbrush right above the silk tassel on each ear of corn and tap the brush. The pollen should fall down on the silk tassel, coating it. Repeat until all the ears of corn are pollinated.

Corn Root Damage

Do You Plant a Corn Root Facing Up or Down?

Growing Corn