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Sweet corn commonly suffers from corn earworm (a caterpillar that bores into developing ears) and occasionally smut or leaf blights in humid weather. Scout twice weekly: if you find silks turning brown and/or holes near the ear tip, remove severely affected ears and hand-pick caterpillars early; protect new ears by closely timing control around the first silk emergence. For leaf blight-like spots, improve airflow by spacing plants as directed for your variety and remove the worst leaves to reduce spread.

Harvest sweet corn when the silks are brown and dry and the kernels release a milky fluid when pressed (around 70–90 days, with your crop at about 75 days to maturity). Use the “kernel press” test 1–2 days before you think it’s ready: pull back the husk slightly and check 3–4 kernels near the ear tip and base—both should feel plump and sweet-milky. For best quality, harvest in the morning and plan to eat or freeze the same day.