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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: beckydore on April 30, 2009, 16:13:35

Title: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: beckydore on April 30, 2009, 16:13:35: I have 5 different types of sweetcorn this year... and am slightly concerned by the comment on the back of the packet that says 'Xtra tender' corn can be grown with 'Supersweet' corns but isolate from Sugary enhanced types as they will grow starchy.

Most of the seeds I have got came from a swap so I don't know what type they are / which should go together.

Swift F1 - Xtra tender.
Minipop
Two's sweeter
Sparrow F1
Stowells Evergreen Heirloom

Anyone got any ideas? and what is the minimum number of each that I should plant?

Becky
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: saddad on April 30, 2009, 16:16:37: Unless you are attempting to save seed (don't it's very trcky with sweetcorn) there is no minimum number I aim for at least 25 of each sort. Tend to have 30 Minipop and @48 Ovation. and a few silly ones like Bloody Butcher or Hopi Blue.. :)
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Twoflower on April 30, 2009, 17:57:28: Is the blue one nice? I have been given some for my birthday, look pretty but?
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: beckydore on April 30, 2009, 17:59:02: I've not got anywhere near that many of each so I'll sow them all and see what happens. I guess it'll be a few weeks before I'm planting out so hopefully someone will be able to say which go together / need to be split up before then.
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: saddad on April 30, 2009, 18:07:23: (http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/Plot52/DSCN1922.jpg)

Coloured corn tends to be "heritage" varieties like Hopi Blue or Bloody Butcher,
They were not selected for sweetness, that is a trend of the last 50-60 years, but as a staple for "bread" hence corn... think Tortillas and fajitas...
or "porridge" like Hominy and grits... like we used oats... there was no true wheat in the Americas before the Europeans arrived. They usually have a higher starch content and make good pop corn... the short red one is sold as "popcorn", and usually retains some coloured tinge... ;D
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: beckydore on April 30, 2009, 19:54:07: mine are all a boring yellow. :(
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 30, 2009, 19:59:32: I bet they taste better than the coloured ones though!
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: realfood on April 30, 2009, 20:33:45: Beckydore, can you tell me which packet of your sweetcorn seeds gave that information.
According to T&M, Swift an extra tender and sweet type, does not require isolation from other sweetcorn varieties.
I am curious to find out why this may be the case.
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: beckydore on April 30, 2009, 21:11:04: It is a packet of Mr Fothergills Swift F1 Sweetcorn.
Like you say it says they are bred to be 'Xtra tender', heavy cobs that are really sweet and juicy.
but then later on it says
'Xtra tender' corn can be grown with 'Supersweet' corns but isolate from Sugary enhanced types as they will grow starchy.

... I'm obviously not the only one who is confused by this though.. I just found this post on another board...
http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/showthread.php?p=819907
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: chriscross1966 on May 01, 2009, 02:05:58: The issue with sweetcorn is that it is one of the few F1 hybrids where the crop is a seed as opposed to a fruit, leaf, tuber or root. As a result you have to worry about the genetics of both parents as they will both impact on the quality of the crop..... With sweetcorn, especially if you are growing a mixture of modern F1's and heirlooms, I'd suggest you want to achieve the maximum possible gap between the older and newer varieties and also between the various new ones.... Also grow the varieties in blocks rather than rows to try to keep the pollination consistant.....

I'm growing earlibird F1 and Blue Hopi this year (will be sowing them next week) and I'm planning on doing them as far apart as I can manage. The Hopi will be part of a 3-sisters planting with borlotti climbing beans and butternut squash while the earlibird will be in bulk builders bags of topsoil and manure about 20 yards away hosting peas and gherkins.....

chrisc
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: thifasmom on May 01, 2009, 09:51:01: Quote from: saddad on April 30, 2009, 18:07:23
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/Plot52/DSCN1922.jpg)

Coloured corn tends to be "heritage" varieties like Hopi Blue or Bloody Butcher,
They were not selected for sweetness, that is a trend of the last 50-60 years, but as a staple for "bread" hence corn... think Tortillas and fajitas...
or "porridge" like Hominy and grits... like we used oats... there was no true wheat in the Americas before the Europeans arrived. They usually have a higher starch content and make good pop corn... the short red one is sold as "popcorn", and usually retains some coloured tinge... ;D

Saddad if these are grown more for bread making and such how do you use them, fresh or dry and ground up as corn flour?
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Vortex on May 01, 2009, 19:32:49: Saddad - where did you get your heritage seed ? I assume they're open pollinated.
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Mr Smith on May 12, 2009, 17:46:02: Several plants in the latest batch of my Sweetcorn seem to have a problem, they are now about six inches/150mil high but some of the leaves on the plants are wilting and drooping, they are kept inside over night but during the day they have been placed outside along with other plants which are OK, any suggestions on what the problem could be having done a search it seems that Sweetcorn are pretty resilient to disease, :)
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 12, 2009, 18:06:36: Too cold? Mine aren't going outside at all yet.
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Mr Smith on May 12, 2009, 18:43:17: Robert,
Thats what I thought I will have to give the wife a thrashing, ;)
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: saddad on May 12, 2009, 19:27:59: Can't remember where I got them from... this years "Mexican Giant White" was from Jungleseeds... but I think they were from Seeds of Distinction...
Yes Rekella dried and "milled" into flour... but I only ever get as far as "popping" them... :)
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 12, 2009, 23:15:26: Quote from: Mr Smith on May 12, 2009, 18:43:17
Robert,
Thats what I thought I will have to give the wife a thrashing, ;)

Don't use a stick thicker than your thumb. That was the law in Victorian times.
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: thifasmom on May 12, 2009, 23:33:49: Quote from: saddad on May 12, 2009, 19:27:59
Yes Rekella dried and "milled" into flour... but I only ever get as far as "popping" them... :)

do they all pop ok? i thought popcorn was specific to certain varietites are most of the more starchy types able to be popped??
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: saddad on May 13, 2009, 07:25:33: Yes, all the starchy ones will Pop... :)
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: boltonlad on May 13, 2009, 08:22:49: Have put mine out already up here in the north, just used 2 litre pop bottles with the ends cut off over the top of them.
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Twoflower on May 13, 2009, 08:26:10: Quote from: saddad on May 12, 2009, 19:27:59
Can't remember where I got them from... this years "Mexican Giant White" was from Jungleseeds... but I think they were from Seeds of Distinction...
Yes Rekella dried and "milled" into flour... but I only ever get as far as "popping" them... :)

Do you have their web address as i've looked and can't find it :-[
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: saddad on May 13, 2009, 08:31:33: Welcome to A4A Boltonlad... wouldn't have dreamt of putting mine out yet when I lived in Rossendale!! :)

Which firm Twoflower?
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: boltonlad on May 13, 2009, 08:41:53: Quote from: saddad on May 13, 2009, 08:31:33
Welcome to A4A Boltonlad... wouldn't have dreamt of putting mine out yet when I lived in Rossendale!! :)

Which firm Twoflower?

One of the blokes on our allotment, has put his out some time ago now and they are about 2 foot tall. I know what you mean I would have thought of that to be crazy. Think they will be okay and should be protected from cold by the pop bottles.
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: xlynettex on May 13, 2009, 08:46:18: www.jungleseeds.co.uk
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: thifasmom on May 13, 2009, 08:48:08: Quote from: saddad on May 13, 2009, 07:25:33
Yes, all the starchy ones will Pop... :)

thanks for the info :), its something I'll keep in mind re seed buying next year. (just thinking out loud now: I'm assuming the sweet ones will pop too if left to dry and i wonder what the taste is like as they will also go starchy if left to long, hmm! i assume they'll taste similar).
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: simmo116 on May 13, 2009, 18:26:06: im growing applause f1 for the first time ever .wife not to keen on corn but i love it and there's not much room in freezer so do i just leave the cobs on the plant for use as pop corn?
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Twoflower on May 13, 2009, 18:32:51: saddad its Seeds of distinction i can't find the web address for. :)
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Mr Smith on May 14, 2009, 13:41:41: The Sweetcorn what I thought I had lost seem to be improving after being brought back into the shed, also down the lotty my other two trays of Sweetcorn are now coming through, I never thought I could have feelings for sweetcorn plants, ::)
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 14, 2009, 16:48:48: Quote from: Twoflower on May 13, 2009, 18:32:51
saddad its Seeds of distinction i can't find the web address for. :)

Do you mean Plants of Distinction? http://www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk/
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: saddad on May 14, 2009, 21:43:01: Yes Robert... I've just got the catalogue in my hand... to post the web addy... :-X
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: sandringham on May 14, 2009, 21:51:33: Quote from: simmo116 on May 13, 2009, 18:26:06
I'm growing applause f1 for the first time ever .wife not to keen on corn but i love it and there's not much room in freezer so do i just leave the cobs on the plant for use as pop corn?

I grew this variety last year and for me the cobs were the best flavoured sweetcorn I have ever tried so I will be growing it again this year. If your wife tries this corn and still doesn't like it then she probably never will.

Sandringham
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: saddad on May 14, 2009, 21:53:09: Good that's one of the varieties I sowed today for the plant sale... :)
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: saddad on May 14, 2009, 23:29:59: Well having checked "Plants of Distinction" it's not in there... Real seeds ? :-[
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Twoflower on May 15, 2009, 06:34:46: I've just followed the link above and it works thanks . ;D
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 15, 2009, 08:57:39: POD do the ornamental corn but it's on a separate page. I just checked an old catalogue, and they used to have a range of varieties.

http://www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk/acatalog/A-Z_of_Vegetables_ORNAMENTAL_CORN.html
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: saddad on May 15, 2009, 09:36:40: Thanks Robert, glad one of us is up to speed... :-[
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: thifasmom on May 15, 2009, 09:44:17: I've decided of this minute that I'm going to prepare the ground today with my homemade compost cover with plastic to keep the soil temp warm, put the seeds to chit today and plant direct into the bed as soon as they have chitted. I would then keep the clear plastic over them Cloche style till June.
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: Twoflower on May 15, 2009, 09:46:41: can you eat the ornamental ones?
Title: Re: SWEETCORN - growing different types together
Post by: saddad on May 15, 2009, 10:10:54: Yes... but the smaller ones like "Strawberry Popcorn" are best eaten Popped.. see comments earlier in the thread... :)