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How should sweet corn be handled after harvest?

Sweet corn starts converting sugar to starch when the ear is separated from the stalk. Cooling the ears to 33º to 40º F as quickly as possible will retain sugar and quality. Sweet corn can be iced, or cooled, with ice water in a hydrocooler. The minimum practice which should be done is to place the harvested ears in the shade and let the wind blow on them.

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Close-up view of an ear of field corn encased in brown husk ready for harvest.
Filed Under: Agriculture, Crops, Commercial Horticulture, Sweet Corn, Corn September 7, 2018

Field corn is harvested after it has dried sufficiently, which means the husks are brown, not green like the husks of fresh sweet corn. (Photo by Kevin Hudson)

Filed Under: Other Vegetables, Peas and Beans, Sweet Corn, Tomato Pepper and Eggplant, Vegetable Gardens August 6, 2001

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Just as Good Friday signals the time to get the spring garden in the ground, August's heat is the indication that it's time to plant the fall garden.

Filed Under: Sweet Corn, Vegetable Gardens July 3, 2000

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

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