I need help folks. I’ve got over 150 ears of heirloom blue popcorn. Just a bit too early to harvest and it looks like I’ve got a cornworm infestation. Six random ears pulled all six had them. How do I save my crop?
I need help folks. I’ve got over 150 ears of heirloom blue popcorn. Just a bit too early to harvest and it looks like I’ve got a cornworm infestation. Six random ears pulled all six had them. How do I save my crop?
It’s too late. You needed to treat the corn before the worms entered the ear now you won’t be able to get them out without damaging the corn. Next year apply Bt to the silks once they emerge. The worms will eat the Bt and the bacteria will kill them, but is safe for humans and animals to eat.
Venasaurasaurus
If you’ve already got that heavy of an infestation, I HIGHLY recommend harvesting and burning your crop immediately. It’s far too late to save what you’ve got, and if you let this many of them overwinter, you’re going to have worse problems next year. Are they Corn Earworm or Corn Borer? Looks like ECB from the picture.
But like the other commenter said, you need to spray Bt the very second you see silking.
Ellen-CherryCharles
You need to apply pesticides (organic or conventional) when the corn is just starting to tassel and on a regular basis particularly if organic to prevent earworms. Once they’re inside there’s not much you can do.
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It’s too late. You needed to treat the corn before the worms entered the ear now you won’t be able to get them out without damaging the corn. Next year apply Bt to the silks once they emerge. The worms will eat the Bt and the bacteria will kill them, but is safe for humans and animals to eat.
If you’ve already got that heavy of an infestation, I HIGHLY recommend harvesting and burning your crop immediately. It’s far too late to save what you’ve got, and if you let this many of them overwinter, you’re going to have worse problems next year. Are they Corn Earworm or Corn Borer? Looks like ECB from the picture.
But like the other commenter said, you need to spray Bt the very second you see silking.
You need to apply pesticides (organic or conventional) when the corn is just starting to tassel and on a regular basis particularly if organic to prevent earworms. Once they’re inside there’s not much you can do.