Author Topic: Sweetcorn blocks??? (Read 4650 times)

Sprout · « **on:** January 28, 2006, 16:28:03 »

When planting sweetcorn, I understabnd that it should be planted out in blocks. As someone who has not grown sweetcorn before but who now has some seeds, could someone please tell me how many rows make up a block. How does everyone else plant theirs out? Ta muchly.

marjrie · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2006, 16:30:36 »

I'm pleased you asked this question, I've been wondering the same thing.

Conzla · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2006, 16:33:05 »

hi guys
sweetcorn is not self pollinating so needs to be planted in blocks to aid this, i plant mine about 2 feet away from each other in a big square this seems to work for me.

sandersj89 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2006, 17:00:13 »

I plant in blocks, 4 rows wide and as long as the bed is, so about 20 plants long.

No problm with pollination so far.

HTH

Jerry

Wicker · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2006, 17:09:42 »

Past couple of years I've done 30 to a block i.e. 5 x 6 but with the plants only about 12 inches apart and that works for me!! Last year did 2 blocks that way so seems what ever suits really - oh, I also have been known to give the stalks a shake if its not windy when they are ripening!!

By the way I am in Central Scotland.

Curryandchips · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2006, 17:46:06 »

A block is as big as you want to make it really. Spacing is not critical either, I know people who plant one foot apart, and others who plant two feet apart. I steer the middle path and plant about 18 inches. I adore sweetcorn, particularly when it is freshly picked for my allotment breakfast, so I grow as many as I can get on the plot, anything upwards of 50 plants. There appears to be quite a lot of other good advice on sweetcorn in other threads, so I hope we all do well !

jock_edin · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2006, 21:27:26 »

I have been reading about sweetcorn and though I have grew it two or three years its not been the success I hoped it would have been. I,m in the north and the weather's not nearly as warm but my corn only ever has one corn per plant and even that hardly ever has fully grown. I buy from Kings seeds and buy the one you can freeze. Any better seed name and perhaps will start of another pack this year.
jock

tim · « **Reply #7 on:** January 28, 2006, 21:31:31 »

There are lots of earlies for problem climes - & you can freeze any. Just double wrap in cling film. And 18" is good.

amanda21 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2006, 21:36:00 »

I've got Conqueror F1 seeds which says on the packet something about being more suited to our weather. Lets hope so!

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2006, 22:33:54 »

I put three rows in a bed, with the plants 18 inches apart. If I'm organised I put two beds side by side, but they all seem to get pollinated anyway.

hemajo · « **Reply #10 on:** January 29, 2006, 10:43:12 »

I'm in the north (north-east) as well, and am planning to grow some sweetcorn this year. I'm concerned about there being enough time for it to ripen. When is a good time to start the seed off, and are there any tips I should take into account? I have found a warm sunny fairly sheltered area to put them in the garden , and prepared the ground in the autumn with some manure over to rot in over winter.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #11 on:** January 29, 2006, 13:18:52 »

I start mine off in a cold frame once the weather warm up in April, but I'm not much good at getting it ripened. It worked well last year, at least for the plants I raised myself, but it hasn't always done so.

jennym · « **Reply #12 on:** January 29, 2006, 18:10:35 »

Might be bestter to go for an "early" variety, which will mature quicker.
Swift, Aztec and Earliking and Xtrasweet fall into this category, there are probably others too. I usually grow Xtrasweet, which is very good, but am trying Earliking this year for a change.

Travman · « **Reply #13 on:** January 29, 2006, 18:49:52 »

On average i do a block 6 by 6 plants at around max 15 inch spacing , each plant getting around 4 cobs

Spacing-- the gentleman next to my plot swears by 24" to make it easier to weed and remove cobs as they are ready, but never gets more then 2 cobs per plant. Even with same variety and planting at the same time, so i would say closer then 24" ;)

Depends on what you call "live in the north or north east"
We have no problems in Yorkshire growing sweetcorn which could be classed north-east i suppose :-\

mike_w · « **Reply #14 on:** January 31, 2006, 21:15:39 »

Hi all,

I read somewhere that you can intercrop sweetcorn and courgette plants but I think I would be worried about them competing for water and nutrients. Has anyone tried this and succeeded?

Mike

Jesse · « **Reply #15 on:** January 31, 2006, 21:25:49 »

I did last year, sweetcorn, pumpkins, squashes, courgettes and french beans (grew using the sweetcorn as a support)...got good crops from all the plants but I did manure the ground and water well. This year I'll do the same but the beans are going in a separate bed on their own, no reason for this apart from wanting to grow them in a different spot.

busy_lizzie · « **Reply #16 on:** January 31, 2006, 22:00:44 »

Hemejo, In the North East too. Sweetcorn seems to need quite a long growing season, so we are starting our seeds off in February. We will be planting them out fairly early, as long as the frost is past. They seem to enjoy the same conditions as squashes and pumpkins, well manured ground and good watering. busy_lizzie

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #17 on:** January 31, 2006, 22:53:02 »

Mike W, I did that perfectly well in 2004 and got a huge crop of squashes and corns, altho it was a little tricky tiptoeing through the pumpkin plants to get at the corns, however, I tried the same trick in 2005 and the squashes got away quicker than the corn and they were quickly smothered. I think it is an excellent idea if the ground is in good nick, you can provide plenty of water, and the corn plants are big and strong before you plant them out so they can really get away before the squashes start to try to take over the world!

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #18 on:** February 01, 2006, 06:41:38 »

I've been fairly successful interplanting the two; I mulch the beds well, and they seem to thrive.

Curryandchips · « **Reply #19 on:** February 01, 2006, 08:32:55 »

The squash also smother the weeds as well.

I am tempted to try some beans as well this year, perhaps borlotti as they will be easy to see in the jungle !

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Author Topic: Sweetcorn blocks??? (Read 4650 times)