Topic: help with sweetcorn

[bedrockdave]

what have I done wrong ,planted 30 seeds but only 5 have sprouted, they've been in a temp controlled propagater at 18c in the greenhouse..They were coated with something to help them germinate too ???

[jonny211]

Out of my lot  the ones which didn't come up were in pots sat in water, the compost was very wet.

Jon

[bedrockdave]

thought that may be why,will turn the heat up and try to dry it out a bit

[goodlife]

I'm afraid 'cooking' the seeds wont help. Have a look into one of the pots..turn it upside down..is the seeds still 'intact' or have they gone 'mushy'? If so then there is nothing to do than start again with fresh seeds. Sweetcorn seeds and soggy compost don't go well together.. ;)

[PeterVV]

I had the same problem, then someone suggested chitting them first, and nearly all came up. So heres what I did; damp kichen roll ( top and bottom - seeds in between) _in a plastic container sealed in a warm-ish place.

[Chrispy]

I have never had a problem with sweetcorn seeds, but I have noticed they are the worst type of seed to go mouldy with any seed from a previously opened packet will get mould growing.
I chit first and any with mould get a wipe clean before potting up, and they are fine, but if you are keeping them too wet they will soon rot.

[artichoke]

That is also my experience: chit them first, then straight into a loo roll.

Just planted out 12 robust little plants into my daughter's London allotment.

[realfood]

I have no problem using this method.
Sow indoors in heat, at 20 C, on top of the compost to prevent the seed rotting, in individual cells in late April. Remember that there is no point in sowing the seed too early, or the plants will become too big before you can plant them out into their final growing positions, when danger of frost has passed. Move the plants to a cooler frost free location such as a cold frame to harden off before planting out in their final positions.
The supersweets need higher temperatures to germinate, with damp compost, not soggy.

[bedrockdave]

thanks everyone, have checked seeds not germinated and only one soggy so its into the kitchen roll and into the propagater they go...in gentle heat got a couple of seeds left so will try your way too realfood ta

[chriscross1966]

Used toilet rolls and 8W propagators this year and worked really well, of 72 sown had over 65 up... 24-drop module tray, toilet roll inner in each one, fill tube with multi-purpose, sow seed about 1cm down, put a pint of water with a half-teaspoon of Cheshunt compound in the propagator tray, carefully lower modules into it, turn on the propagators and a week or so later, sweetcorn happens....

[Jeannine]

 I have grown corn for 50 odd years.
I never soak the seeds.

Only sow in damp not moist soil. you can us an electric propogater if yiu wish but room temp iis fine

They will rot in wt cold soil.

Dead easy to germinate this way. never any losses in decades.

XX Jeannine

Oh and they must not be in pots or mudules more than three weeks after first tiny leaves appear, they stop growing if left in pots too long and can take weeks to pick up once in the ground.Threy hate to be transplanted so you have to fool them

[Robert_Brenchley]

I put mine under the hot water tank to germinate and they're always up in a couple of days.

[sunloving]

I dib a hole for the seed about 3inches deep pop seed in but dont fill hole.
This works really well for me

good luck with your new batch.
x sunloving

[Barkie]

Thanks for the memory jog, it was so long ago that I grew corn last that I had forgotten about the damp kitchen paper in a tub method. I'm struggling with Mini Pop on the surface of compost so I've kicked off another batch in kitchen paper in a plastic tub and in case it is too cool overnight for them I've put them in a different spot.

[irridium]

it's stil not too late to resow some then? Mine came up ages ago, but didn't have the time to plant them out and thus, last w/e when I did get the chance, they got broken en route to the lotti (carried them in bags by hand, as well as the runners etc.,) I didn't have any probs. germinating mine. Left mine indoors w/o heat and they came up fine. Would you say it'll take about 5 days or so before they come up? I just don't want to be too late with them as this summer might not be a hot one like last yr... :-\

[Emagggie]

...Oh and they must not be in pots or mudules more than three weeks after first tiny leaves appear, they stop growing if left in pots too long and can take weeks to pick up once in the ground.Threy hate to be transplanted so you have to fool them

Aha! this is obviously my problem Jeannine. They look quite puny. :-[

[goodlife]

Code: [Select]

it's stil not too late to resow some then? Not at all..!!

[irridium]

that's good to know, goodlife :D :D I'll be v. careful next time when transporting them (we don't have a car). I'll be interplanting mine in the courgette/squash bed later.

[laurieuk]

I sow my sweetcorn seed into small pots, give them one good watering and leave them alone. This year as I now have no greenhouse they are in a fleeece covered frame .no heating but only 2 failed to germinate. I think the biggest problem is too much water.They are tending to grow to the light as they are on our balcony

 

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[redcoat]

I remember some guru on TV saying that the seed should just be put on top of the compost and only pressed in enough to make good contact.  Most of the seed was left exposed.

This has worked well for me.