Topic: How close for sweetcorn?

[nilly71]

I have two different sweetcorn seeds at the moment and have done a search on here but could not really find the answer.

The beds i was thinking of are approx 4' apart, would this be enough or will they cross polinate?


Neil

[kt.]

Too close.  You could try and put them at opposite ends of your plot.  I believe there are also varieties that can be planted close together but do not know the names. ???

[saddad]

It isn't really worth growing two varieties... as they are wind pollinated the seperation distances are immense. They will cross pollinate and "spoil" the supersweet varieties. If saving for seed you need to grow loads!  :-\

[mat]

Do the varieties have different pollination times?  i.e. is one an earlier variety the other a late?  If so, my Joy Larkham book says it's okay... I have not tried it though, I just remember reading it!!!

Also if they are tendersweet varieties (rather than supersweet) then they'll be okay

[saddad]

Yes they do have different pollination times, look at how many days it takes to form... some 65 days, some upto 90 days...
Think "Tendersweet" will still have the same problem. Think it is over rated myself... we have 170 plots about 1/3 rd grow "sweetcorn" and you can bet it isn't all the same variety..  ???

[nilly71]

The two i have are incredible(sow march-may, F1, new pack) and sparrow (sow march-may, F1, seed swap)

Does that mean they both pollinate at the same time?

Neil

[littlebabybird]

I know nothing about this but it seems to me that it is likely if you sow one mid march and one mid/end may they will be a little apart?
lbb

[nilly71]

Thanks LLB, that's obvious and might work but i had not thought of it  :-[

This will be my first time growing corn and did not want to get a horrible tasting harvest.

Neil

[tonybloke]

the sowing times ain't what you need to worry about, it's the flowering period that will affect the pollination!
In mexico, ALL of the wild sweetcorn (maize) has been cross - pollinated  (and therefore contaminated) by G.M. maize crops. This is despite some of the wild populations being over 40 miles from the nearest commercial crop!! It ain't just youir crop you need to worry about, it's all of your neighbours' as well!!
 hope for a few 'still' days when yours are in flower, and give 'em a shake to distribute the pollen onto your crops.
My advice is to go with ONE early variety, (short growing period), with our unreliable hot summers, this should give a better chance of success.  ;)

[littlebabybird]

the sowing times ain't what you need to worry about, it's the flowering period that will affect the pollination!
In mexico, ALL of the wild sweetcorn (maize) has been cross - pollinated  (and therefore contaminated) by G.M. maize crops. This is despite some of the wild populations being over 40 miles from the nearest commercial crop!! It ain't just youir crop you need to worry about, it's all of your neighbours' as well!!
 hope for a few 'still' days when yours are in flower, and give 'em a shake to distribute the pollen onto your crops.
My advice is to go with ONE early variety, (short growing period), with our unreliable hot summers, this should give a better chance of success.  ;)

see i told you i know nothing.
another stupid idea but could you put some real fine mesh over at the right tme?

lbb

[Moonbeam65]

We grow them in fives in a circle about 18inches apart cant remember the name of them we grew last season but will have a look when i am up at the lotto tomorrow if i still have the name will post it to morrow night we had a good crop.

[saddad]

Unless you are very lucky any you sow in March will keel over... you'll get a hot fortnight in April, put them out and a late frost will kill them!  :-X

[tonybloke]

when I typed an 'early' variety, I meant one that comes to fruition in a short time from seed, not one that you sow early in the year!! ;)

[nilly71]

I knew what you meant Tony ;)

I might just stick to one and give the other to my sister-in-law on one of the other plots, at least we can share.
There are loads of other people growing corn so maybe it won't make any difference

Thanks for all the advice.

Neil

[lillian]

I'm gonna sow Lark F1( it says on the packet "Can be also grown with other varieties, no need to isolate.") and Black Aztec.