When is maize ready to harvest?

When the dry matter content of the crop is 28 – 35% then the crop should be harvested. This is when the leaves level with the cob and begin to turn brown and the leaves at the top of the plant are becoming pale and papery. When a plant is picked and the stem twisted, no juice will emerge.

Milk Line Test

Break the cob open half way down and rmove on of the grain kernals. The milk line is where the solid starch ends and the liquid milk begins. The ideal is to have a 75 – 100% of the kernal yellow in colour (starch) instead of being milky and for no liquid to be excreted when pressed.