Hello Countryside happy gardeners: I have been trying to grow corn organically for the last few years without success. I have two problems that seem to baffle me and I have heard that corn is supposed to be easy to grow. The first problem is a black gall like growth on the ears of corn. What is it and how do I eliminate it? The second problem is earwigs all over my corn crop. The earwigs seem to hide at the leaf joints. Can anyone help? Has anyone ever had such a problem with their corn and can I solve the problem organically? Thanks and awaiting the wisdom of our wonderful readers. From, Perplexed in Southeastern Michigan

-- Eileen M. Schoen (FreeTrialSchoen@aol.com), March 11, 2001

Answers

I'm sorry, I don't have the answers. I want to try growing corn for the first time this year, so I am interested in this too. I have read of a corn disease called "smut", but I don't know the cure (I think it's a fungus). What I'd like from you, Eileen, is to know what the earwigs DO to your corn. I'm assuming it's not just that you don't like looking at the creepy little things . . . . .

-- Joy F (So.Central Wisconsin) (CatFlunky@excite.com), March 11, 2001.

The black growths are SMUT, which is,I'm told, a delicacy in Mexico. Yuk. It is spread very easily, by spores. You need to remove any that you see starting, as soon as you notice it. Don't compost it, or toss it on the ground. Not sure if it overwinters in your ground, or not, but it spreads very easily. Try to plant in another area the next year. As far as earwigs, can't help you there. Some years the insect populations just seem worse than others, either their life cycles, or the weather must contribute to them. Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), March 11, 2001.

Actually corn can be difficult to grow, which is one reason its so hard to get dairy farmers around here to try it organically. Its a very heavy feeder, and pest and disease problems are always more common if your soil is unbalanced. Testing every year helps to know what deficiencies you may have.

Chickens free-ranging in your garden during times of year that your plants are not vulnerable is probably the best earwing deterrent. They love em. Otherwise you can trap them in bamboo pieces laid on the ground or hung in and around the garden; suspend a flowerpot upside down on a stake,and fill it with some moss or crumpled paper; hang matchboxes open a tiny bit around the garden; they like to hide in someplace dark; every morning just empty the traps into water topped with a little kerosene or similar oil.

Corn smut, as it is so indelicately called in this country, is indeed a delicacy, and its delicious. Kinda like truffles......and incidentally, if you had a lot of it, I would've hightailed it down to an ethnic restaurant to try to sell it, if you have one at all nearby. They pay mucho pesos for the stuff in some areas.

But if you aren't charmed by this corn fungus, its a good idea to remove it before it bursts, burn the whole plant; remove all dead corn stalks in the fall, rotate your corn area from year to year, and once again make sure your soil is well nourished and balanced.

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), March 11, 2001.

Absolutely try to sell any "prime" smut (called hiutlacoche - pronounced WHEET-la-KO-chay) to Mexicans that are living here. In Mexico farmers hold rites and prayers to try and get smut to grow on their corn (you can't cultivate it, another resemblence to truffles) as they can often get well over triple the value for it, vs. un- "infected" corn, at market. It looks really gross, but so do most mushrooms in their wild state. A recipe I saw on the net called for cooking it with rice to make a gray-black rice (the fungus cooks down, as opposed to retaining its shape, so it is used as more of a flavoring than a solid food). I hear it is good, but now that I am willing to try it, I can't get it to grow!!!!

Ask around for a local Mexican farmer or family that works at a farmer's market and see if they would be willing to carry your infected ears. You can just pick them at their peak (the Mexicans can tell you when that is) and take the whole ears to the stall and sell it there.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), March 11, 2001.

Anyone have some recipes for cooking the fungus? Would like to try it as usually have some.

As far as prevention, did not have much smut last year with wide rows oriented N/S to get air and light. But do not know if that was the reason for low smut.

-- Mike Brewer (mkbrewer@uiuc.edu), March 13, 2001.

From Rick Bayless' MEXICAN KITCHEN:

TACOS DE HUITLACHOCHE

2 fresh poblano chilis salt, about 1 tsp 2 TBSP olive oil/lard/butter 2 to 3 TBSP chopped 1 medium onion, chopped epazote leaves (or 4 cloves garlic, minced cilantro) 1 med tomato, diced 2 cups packed,chopped lobes of huitlacoche

Roast the chilis over a gas flame or in a broiler til black; cover with towel for 5 minutes and peel, remove stem and seeds, chop

Heat oil in med skillet, add onion and saute; increase heat and add tomato, cook about 5 minutes, add garlic.

Add chilis and huitlacoche and simmer,stirring frequently, til reduced and thickened; season with salt and epazote.

Use for taco or quesadillas or even crepes, adding cheese if desired.

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), March 13, 2001.

Thanks for everyone's info so far. I have only been growing 6 or so rows, to see how easy it is to grow the corn. Any remedies to stop that smut or yuccy black stuff would be appreciated before I start planting again this May would be super. I see if I can try a little of all your answers when I plant this year. Keep your info coming please. I am assuming that the earwigs eat some of the foliage and may try to dine on the ears themselves. I do know that these earwigs do give a nasty pinch with there pincers.

-- Eileen M. Schoen (FreeTrial Schoen@aol.com), March 14, 2001.