Hand Pollinating Corn for Seed Saving

Produced as part of The Seed Garden Book.
www.seedgardenb...

[@shawneenjudd]

Thank you! I’ve known the”how to” of saving corn seed for awhile, but have only just started to put it into practice this year which, at least mechanically, is much more complex than I anticipated. I appreciate seeing this in depth tutorial it has already helped!

[@thomasfeiller2207]

That's a lot of work but, the product, seeds, that are untainted by Monsanto GMO pollen is important and the whole objective.... really interesting stuff. I'm experimenting with corn this year and appreciate all of these helpful people on youtube.

[@hughjarrsol5]

I will now buy new packets of seed every year - and use the bags to hyper-ventilate into. cheers

[@occipitalneuralgia2339]

How did Native Americans do it pre 19th Century. How do farmers with hundreds of acres do it? Astonishing to see these modern steps.

[@merrilllangs]

best video I have seen on this topic. Thank you!!

[@skyfairy1959]

amazingly well done vid! incredibly informative- concise and accurate~ love it when pro's make vids! too many clowns on YT! thank you

[@binauralboost7401]

thanks for this. Ive only grown corn once or twice to eat in my home garden, and not very much of it either, maybe 20 plants. This year i wanted to grow some maize and different colored corns, not just sweet corn, and wanted to save some of the seeds for next year, but didnt want to cross pollinate between the different breeds of corn. Im figuring this would work to pollinate each breed with only itself. Was gonna grow 5 different types of corn. but since i have such a small plot, a really really small plot, im starting to rethink growing them all together at the same time. maybe try doing what someone else said about stagering the planting times, and then also pollinate them by hand. doesnt help that there's a feed corn field nextdoor, hoping they arent gonna plant that field this year, pretty sure they rotate between a couple fields what they plant where. or maybe i'll just let them all cross pollinate and see what they turn into. i got some thinking to do

[@bigchieftomato]

that was awesome! thanks so much for the super clear video and presentation!

[@CashJohnston]

Wow! I can't imagine doing that for each corn. I guess if you want to avoid being sued by Monsanto for pollen theft you have to. Lucky for me, I am the only gardener for blocks around. One of the few advantages of urban growing. Still I learned a lot if I ever need!

[@merrilllangs]

corn pollen travels miles

[@jmedi5589]

Monsanto doesn’t care. They will still sue. They are bottom feeding scum.

[@Mrbfgray]

NOT a chance in hell I'm going to all that work, corn is barely worth my garden at minimal maintenance...I may hand pollinate at MOST.

[@thumbalina1568]

I’m onto my second batch of corn I will definitely do this technique and will also do it on the glass corn - much love from sunny ☀️ Australia! ❤️

[@steepupchannel5055]

New subscriber here can i cross to other varieties of corn and how many days can strat to polynt. Corn and how many days to harvest corn to make seeds thank you 😊☺️😁

[@Barbara.714]

Wow!! Now i know why my corn never grew 😆

[@Pazburdem]

And that is why my tortillas have paper clips on them lol.

[@Vtrest]

Fantastic. Thank you.

[@saifsami7921]

Hi can you tell if the male can produce the pollin agin or just one time

[@pukiong]

I believe she do this because she doesn't want other breed of corn mixed breed, Is no needed when u only have a type u raise in one area

[@notalagerboy]

What if I have got hectares and hectares of corn on my Polish farm. Can use this technique. It's more for allotment owners or people who grow corn on their window sill or balconies ?

[@shalonamaranth]

If it doesn't apply to you don't worry

[@sibelb4152]

This is only for those ears of corn you wish to save the seeds from for replanting next year. You would not do this to every plant. Also, this is for those who want to ensure the purity of their specific variety of corn, if that corn is at risk of cross-pollination from other varieties nearby. If you have acres of corn, of only one variety, and no other varieties growing on farms nearby, just pick any of the ears and save the seeds from those. Perhaps take ears from the interior middle of the plot just to be on the safe side. And of course, only if you have started with open pollinated seeds to begin with. If you have planted hybrid corn seeds, none of this seed saving applies anyway, as you would have to then buy new seeds every year.

[@ilm5929]

Hello! How much time from the first time of bags set up is needed before cutting back one day before pollination? How much time does it take for the silks to grow?

[@The1IronMaiden]

That's what I wondered as well. It seems we'll just have to watch for those silks to start growing inside the bag?

[@ANDY-Mandy]

Do you sell or exchange heirloom seeds, how can we get organic, non gmo heirloom seeds?

[@frankbullitt4556]

Wow...I guess I will run down to my store and buy them already picked. Great video though

[@fearthekilt]

I don't understand why this is necessary. Please explain.

[@blinddogroofer]

If you are going to save the seeds and replant, and you don't have a lot of corn, I've read 200 plants minimum, you can get inbreeding depression and the quality of the seed will plummet. If you're only going to eat it, then not worth doing.

[@roosterworldbreeders]

​​​@@blinddogrooferis it inbreeding is good to plant again?

[@sugarbearbear111]

This must city style or new age stuff. Not to be rude but if you just wanta save some pollen ok then . Corn , help from bees and wind pollinates it just fine. I ve been gardening 40 years never had to do this. If your having a problem with your corn getting pollinated gently tap it with a stick. Same with tomatoes . I just do see were this is necessary for corn.

[@saifsami7921]

Hi up to how many plants we can do

[@foodforest2139]

Hello. How many corn plants should I hand polinate to maintain good genetic diversity within a cultivar?

[@jonathan21022]

200 minimum for corn. I do not know if it is relevant for this pollination method.

[@samburdick2969]

If you collected all the seeds and mix them amd then only plant 2% the diversity should be fine

[@davej7458]

Also is you sort the seeds you can take out any that do not follow the type of the plant that you want to keep if there's a red colored seed in your yellow corn, if there is a white colered seed in your red corn, you don't want to plant that again.

[@hairystick3753]

Just grow one type of corn at a time, much easier.

[@merrilllangs]

corn pollen travels miles

[@Jennifer-mb7co]

I'm guessing you've never driven through Iowa.

[@shalonamaranth]

Not when you are only able to grow about 20 corn stalks... Not enough for wind pollination

[@PankhudisWorld]

Nice vid

[@priayief]

Sheesh! I've been growing corn in 4' x 4' raised beds for year (precisely 2 stalks/sq ft = 32 stalks). When it comes time for pollination, I simply shake the stalks once or twice daily. No problem. Maybe this is too simple?

[@sibelb4152]

This technique isn't just to ensure pollination for ear formation, it is to ensure the seeds are not cross-pollinated for the purpose of seed saving. May not be necessary to the average home grower, even one who does save their own seed, but for example if one is preserving a rare heirloom variety for donation to a seed bank it would be expected that those seeds be of highest purity possible.

[@yannimontalban1703]

Very important method and you are nice looking .

[@joebenitez9509]

Whenit rains on bags?

[@sergemerisme7969]

What is the purpose of hand pollination? Because I use to grow corn in my backyard in Haiti and never had to do that. I always had the best quality corns. When is hand pollination really necessary?

[@shalonamaranth]

If you are growing multiple types of corn, or not growing enough for wind pollination to work well.

[@GirlScoutTroop-yy1it]

I feel like I"m watching Gardening satire...

[@arianefr78]

That seems to be a lot of hard work and a lot of wasted paper for a job that is done perfectly well naturally by wind and air...

[@merrilllangs]

nearby corn will contaminate if you do not do it this way. corn pollen can travel miles

[@shalonamaranth]

Only if you have massive fields of corn

[@Mari443Garrett1]

But why?? What is the purpose of this?

[@Jennifer-mb7co]

Well I did it because I live in Iowa. My garden is surrounded by nothing but corn fields. If I want to save sweet corn seeds this is a must.

[@saintmichael2759]

There's got to be an easier way.

[@Aussiebloked]

Grow only one type of corn at a time..or stagger the planting time,so pollination of one type happens on its own.

[@merrilllangs]

@@Aussiebloked that doesn't work if you have nearby corn of a different variety (gmo) and you want to save seed form your corn that is pure or you don't want to eat gmo pollen.

[@merrilllangs]

there is not. if you want pure stock

[@petervenkman5483]

I don’t understand. If you want genetic diversity, then why not just let them open pollinate in isolation plots?

[@merrilllangs]

you will need an isolation plot that is protected with no other corn around for miles.

[@webmash8878]

LOL

[@edwinarendse5048]

M

[@johnny0253]

what a joke this is...... noone in the right mind does all this nonsence ......

[@ImonaRequalTomalio]

All the paper waste....

[@jakeryker546]

Please stop assuming the gender of the corn....