How to Help Corn Pollinate

Corn is a garden vegetable plant that generally pollinates when the wind blows the pollen from one plant to another. Each corn plant produces both male and female parts. The male portion is the flower produced at the top of the stalk, known as the tassel, and the female portion is the ear of corn itself. While the wind will probably pollinate any corn in your garden, you can help the process by planting the corn in a specific way and by hand pollinating.

Garden shears

Instructions

- 1
  Plant the corn in blocks instead of long rows. This makes it easier for the pollen to reach other corn plants when the wind blows across your crop.
- 2
  Wait for the corn plants to mature enough for pollination. The top of the plant will flower, and the cobs will produce silk that protrudes about 1 inch out the top of the corn cobs. Pollination occurs when the pollen from the flowers attaches to the silk on the corn cob.
- 3
  Use a pair of garden shears to cut the male flowering portion, or tassel, off one of the corn stalks. Use it to dust the silks on the ears of corn on adjacent plants until all the pollen on the tassel is gone. Repeat the cutting and dusting of the tassels until all the ears are pollinated.

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