Topic: Sweetcorn

[phoenix_co2]

Simple question, when do you put your sweetcorn outside?

[SPUDLY]

I'm not setting mine until the end of this month. Will be putting them outside about the end of may, although i have read that you can plant in april outside. Think they would be ok outside now, just protect them from birds and frost.

[Gobby]

Have just sown mine in 3'' pots in the greenhouse, but still wont go out to the allotment till the end of may.

[manicscousers]

put mine into rootrainers last week on the windowsill, these will go in the polytunnel  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I put mine outside about the end of May, though I might cloche them for a couple of weeks if we're still getting chilly nights.

[RSJK]

I sowed these on the 5th April and expected them to be a couple of weeks before they germinated. :-\ :-\

 Along with these sunflowers

[amphibian]

Mine will go out at the end of April, but I'm in sunny Kent.

[chriscross1966]

I'm in Oxford.... lpan on sowing mid-April in 15-station modules and then hardening off for a week in mid May, plant out after that in late May after all risk opf frost ahs passed.... Growing two this year, Earlibird as it shoudl give me a crop of sweetcorn even in less favourable conditions and Blue Hopi as I want to feed my nephews and nieces blue popcorn........

chrisc

[Twoflower]

Where did you get the blue popcorn from?

[chriscross1966]

Where did you get the blue popcorn from?

Umm.... some chap advertising them on ebay..... will ahve tto check the packet but it isn't to hand right now,.....

[artichoke]

I have 12 tiny ones planted out under plastic. May die, may not...

Sunny East Sussex, currently raining.

[phoenix_co2]

I was a wee bit lazy and bought some already growing from one of the local garden centres, figured as they had them in pots outside they would be ok to go straight out, been outside a week now and 2 of them not looking that great, maybe It was a bit too early, fingers crossed. Weathers quite nice over here in Hereford

[KathrynH]

I'll sow mine in the next week or so and plant out at the end of May/early June. I need to be a bit later with them as I have run out of room at the moment!

[hild]

I've given up on sweetcorn after the sodding squirrels ate the lot last year AND the year before.  Grrrr. >:(

[Deb P]

I've given up on sweetcorn after the sodding squirrels ate the lot last year AND the year before.  Grrrr. >:(

Have you tried putting a plastic bottle over the cobs when they are small and keeping them on as a protective collar until harvest? I did that in my garden when squirrels used to have a go and it put them off!

[elhuerto]

I plan to plant mine out in the next couple of weeks - are there any issues with planting different varieties in adjoining blocks?

Cheers

[Deb P]

Copy of Jeannine the sweetcorn and squash queen's advice below, she is currently en route to Cananda so you would have to wait a long time for such a comprehensive reply otherwise! ;D
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Planting corn early wil not give you better results, actually it is one veggie that dislikes it.The earlies  have an internal time shedule, if you are starting in pots it needs to be timed so that  from germination to planting out should only be about three weeks, they will stop growing in the pots and take a while to recover so transplant indoors into larger containers rather  than keep them in little pots if the weather is iffy. It is better however to wait till the weather has warmed up and germinate and plant out quickly. If you direct seeds wait till the ground is warm.

If you are using the supersweet or sugar enhanced, it need  even more heat to germinate than the usual corn ( 70f) regular corn needs 60F

They need to grow a certain amount of leaves within 30-40 days  before they tassel even if the plant is not ful sized by then.

 If planting direct,plant 4-6 inches apart in rows 30 inches apart with a minimum of 4 rows,so a block if you are not planting many. Don't plant in soil that is too cold , they will rot, you can cover with clear plastic till they germinate. USE treated corn to prevent rot if the weather is less than it's bets.It needs a lot of fertiliser,thin to 8-10 inches apart for  regular corn, large varieties or doubles need 1 foot but not more as pollination can be hampered. Keep free of weeds till 1 foot high then let them go,Plants have very shallow roots, so don't cutivate too close.
Pick a variety that does well in a short season if you are north.

I start mine inside in May, so they can go straight out without a pause,when they are two -three weeks old.

Some varieties have to seperated from others.

Regular Corn.  Hybrid or OP.Varieties  can be mixed.

Sugar Enhanced  needs no isolation from other varieties either in it's family or from the ones above,

Super sweets ( wrinkled corn)must be isolated from other types by 25 feet  or both types will cross pollinate and the resulting corn will be starchy.

It is therefore useful on a lottie to know what your neighbour is growing.

. Hope this is of some use  to someone.

XX Jeannine

[Robert_Brenchley]

I can grow supersweets and other varieties without problems as long as I keep them well apart - 20 yards or more. We're not talking about vast amounts of pollen, after all.

[Mr Smith]

I have two varieties again this year and will be keeping them apart with my runner beans between them, :)

[chriscross1966]

I have two varieties again this year and will be keeping them apart with my runner beans between them, :)

Sort of ditto, I'm planning on the one going at the near end and the other at the far end of my plot, one of them will be doing the clearing job in what will be the asparagus bed.....

Good thing with corn is that it doesn't have any cross pests with other thigns so you can squeeze it in anywhere in the standard rotation if you don'#t grown enough of one of them eg cabbages.....

chrisc