Rustler - About 7 inch ears to fill
As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
This is the closing post on the late planted Rustler heritage corn from the Oscar Will collection. Thee above photo is the evidence and while the ears do not look all that great as a whole, I left one in the garden yet as the stalk was green), it proved that my September 15th due date was a maturity date for a June 15th, 90 day white corn.
The date of the harvest was September 27th and the day I'm writing this.
Now or an explanation in why the corn does not look the best.
There are three factors. First there was every high heat and drought conditions. The soil was literally old coal cinder in this location as the old man put that down to keep the cows drinking from the water tank, from sinking in to their bellies. Third, grasshoppers prevail in August here and will eat the silk off the top of the corn, hence the corn can not pollinate fully. I would also add that this was just two rows of corn, planted about 2 1/2 feet apart. You can not get great pollination with limited rows.
I had 13 plants. You can see 8 ears. One is greener and on the plant yet. One was smut and the other 3 I have no idea what the problem was as corn is corn and it will do that.
Not all the kernels were dented. Rustler is not known for being a deep dent corn, but the ears I will utilize next year will feature the choice of seed that I desire to perpetuate. I did notice the trademark, pinkish red streak on a few kernels which is my experience with Rustler even from government seed banks.
This corn is a high plains corn. It would grown to the Canadian border anywhere in the United States. For that matter, I would give it a go in Canada in most locations. What you will find out in all corn or seeds in a meltdown, is that you can in consistant planting get a crop which will refine to your location in making better yeilds and sprouting, and a corn which you can shear off the days to ripening.
If I plant that one corn which is green yet, I would start extending the length to maturity which is not what I want. It is ok in Zone 5 to have long corn, but in Zone 3 you are going to run into problems.
I was working on until I got sick shortening the days to maturity in a Truckers Favorite. A 12 foot tall white corn, which had the softest husks you could imagine.....yes toilet paper husks is what they would be in a meltdown. My seed is gone, but I could get that crop to ripen here, but she was soft kernels. I was working on Bloody Butcher too in that corn will shave days off more readily and is a beautiful hard kernel here on tall stalks.
The Indians always had corn for 2 years in seed. The Lame Cherry will repeat a million dollar reality to you too. Corn seed used to always be shipped on the cob. The reason is, if you shell corn, it's germination rate will fall of in a few years. Keep it on the cob and it will stay for a number of years. My original Rustler I planted after like 7 years and it all grew. My Blackfeet Blue sweet corn refused to germinate after 15 years hanging on the wall as an ornamental.
Also when corn is DRY so it will not mold. Put it into a plastic 5 gallon bucket to protect your seed. If you do not store seed in the freezer, put it in a place the mice will not eat it.
I lament all the varieties I have lost due to not having time in trying to make ends meet in writing this blog. I though as time has allowed yet, have located some seed that I did appreciate which was available to grow what I knew would do well here.
So Rustler has proven again she will produce. I hope to have a good sized patch next year, in early and with good growing, give his corn a chance to see what she will do with good growing conditions.
I did have a good heat period in growing which helped me cheat the days to maturity, but in this American drought cycle that will probably last to Jesus coming back, so most of us are probably going to be dealing with warmer weather which is a blessing if you have to chop wood to stay warm.
This is another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
Post Script: I had his drying in the JYG shop and I noticed flies were setting on it. It must be a sugary more type corn as it was attracting them. This means more energy. It is a hard kernel corn though.
Nuff Said
