Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: greenhousegirl on April 20, 2010, 10:06:45
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I am going to have a go at growing some sweetcorn this year, have made a new raised bed and thought I would plant 9 plants (3 x 3) in a block, subject to seeds germinating.
I note though through reading threads on A4A that I cannot mix them which is what I was originally going to do.
I have bought a packet of F1 Swift and a packet of Incredible F1.
Which in your expert opinions do you think I would be best to try this year ?
Which would give best yield, taste etc.
Also any other tips and advice always welcome
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The reason that we often say "do not mix" is that if you try to save your seed for next year they do not come true to type and if one variety is extra sweet and other not...well the sweetness will be compromised due cross polination..
But if your varieties are both sweet type and you only grow them for eating there is no reason why you should not mix...flavour differences are that small that unless you are true expert I doubt you would notice any difference..most people grow for pleasant taste...
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..ahh..one other thing...your different varieties may release pollen in different times so pollination/setting seed may be irratic so if you mix keep both varieties together not mixing them within the block... ::)Phew..I hope I make sence...
half of the block on variety and other half other..but all together... ::)
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That's great, thank you for you words of wisdom, will give it a go.
P.S. I am learning such a lot from the kind people on this site and enjoying every minute of it.
Thanks again
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I've bought some Lark which don't need isolating. I think there is another thread about how to mix sweetcorn eg not sowing them all at the same time, (I think).
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Thank you grannyjanny I will have a look.
Jane
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I think it's under the heading" mixing sweetcorn again". It explains in quite a lot of detail.
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This is the thread referred to, very helpful info http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,58763.0.html
Cheers.
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Thank you for that very useful, though I may have to read it again to totally absorb, brain cells not what they were and all that
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Incredible and Swift are both hybrid SE sorns..= se means sugar enhanced, therefore you can grow them together with no worries about spoiling either if they cross pollonate.
By spoiling I mean... if you plant corn from 2 different groups together and they pollinate at the samr time cross pollination will result in the kernels turning starchy and less sweet.
Of course seeds, if kept, would also be spoiled but as both of your choices ar hybrids , saving seeds is not a good choice anyway.
Good Luck with you growing..oh if you have room may I suggest that you plant them in a block of 4x4 rather than 3x3, as you will get better pollination.. or you can help at the appropriate time by shaking the top tassle(male) so his pollen can fall on the lower tassles (female)
XX Jeannine
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Thanks Jeannine
I have room to plant 4 x 4 so will bow to your amazing sweetcorn knowledge.
Thank you very much
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I have grown Lark, they are well tasty.
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I agree with Antipodes, and I'm in the still slightly frozen North West. Not sown any yet myself but might do a first batch in the plastic greenhouse next week.
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I started my first tray yesterday, since it's supposed to be going to warm up. If it doesn't work I've got plenty more seed, but the plan is one tray a week to stagger ripening.
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I started my first tray yesterday, since it's supposed to be going to warm up. If it doesn't work I've got plenty more seed, but the plan is one tray a week to stagger ripening.
Can I ask how many in a tray you are doing? I've been trying to get my head around how to stagger the sowing / planting
Thanks
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30-ish per tray. Once they're about a couple of inches high, I pot them up, but most of the pots have got peas in them right now.
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I grew Incredible F1 last year, I don't think you will be disappointed with the results although it is a late variety, I ended up phoning Thompson&Morgan because the plants just did not develop then all of a sudden I had a brilliant crop of sweetcorn, along with Incredible I will be sowing 'Bantam' also an F1, taking Jeannie's advice on board if I'm stuck for room which is looking likely I will grow them side by side, :)
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Incredible, matched their name for me last season.
Are they late? I ate my first one very early, I'll see if I can find the thread.
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Incredible, matched their name for me last season.
Are they late? I ate my first one very early, I'll see if I can find the thread.
My mistake the late variety I grew last year was Thompson&Morgan 'Conquerer' F1, :)
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I'm growing Incredible1 this year, I've got 17 out of 36 up so far, while no ones looking I'll ask Jeannine how long I should keep them in the pots after they first appear, sorry for jumping in GHG. ;D ;D ;D
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Should be sown no more than three weeks before they can be transplanted so sow when the weather is almost right for planting out.Ideally there should be no wait, when they are big enough to go out,they should be planted ,it is the waiting that makes them sulk,when you have to go ,you have to go or else!!.This is about three weeks from seeding, if in a cooler situation you might get an extra week but not any more. remember though when you plant them out and they have been in their pots a bit too long and they sulk, they will come out of it and start to grow again.The three week rule is to get them growing without any interuption which they prefer,ideally corn are better if sown directly into the ground but not in the UK so transplants get you going about three weeks earlier . Basically you are fooling the seeds, they think they are in the ground if they are only in the pots a little while. I think when the roots feel the pots they know they have been conned !!
Don't plant them out if it is too cold though..better to let them sulk.
XX Jeannine
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So is that three weeks from sowing or germinating. ??? :-\ ;D ;D ;D
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I find they germinate quickly in a heated gater only a couple of days, but longer if in unheated, count it from germinating.
If the kernels are shrunken they are supersweets and need more heat to germinate.
XX Jeannine
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Cheers hun, I'm off to watch me tommies. ;D ;D ;D
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jeannine,
your post made me giggle,images of poor little "conned" sweetcorn.
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Yep, you gotta watch that corn, it aint so sweet when it sulks!! XX Jeannine
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Hi all, I put six sweetcorn into my Lottie about 3 weeks ago, I waited to see if they died or if the birds pinched them, anyway they took and seem to be doing well. So on Friday last I put another 8 in beside them. Have I put too many in as they are all hybrid and the same ones. (I grew from seed in the greenhouse) I am new at this - they are the little corns that you put into stirfries.
Thanks in anticipation -Jude
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How far apart have you planted them and are they in a row, or block. they can sit there for a while looking OK but they won't start to grow till it gets warm and a frost would cream them.How tall are they now.
If I have it right you have planted 14, that's not many.
XX Jeannine
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I have them planted about 12 inches apart from each other they are in a row of 4 plants like a square. I am also in the north east of the region, but the weather in the garden has been good. Touch wood, Jude - They are about 7 inches tall.
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That will be fine for mini corn as you don't want it to pollinate XX Jeannine
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When I plant mine out, I put old mineral water bottles (cadged from colleagues at work...I like to think I'm too hippy to actually buy mineral water) over each seedling to keep them warm and protect them from pesky slugs. Learnt that from Deb P.
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Would you believe it Jeanine after touching wood etc., I went today and it has not been cold of late - the ruddy sweetcorns 3 of them (the first ones I put in) are wilting and going brown on the leaves. Any ideas what has gone wrong, am I watering them to much - most days I do but not a lot. You must have sore wrists and fingers after all of us on here have been trying to pick your brains. Jude ::)
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They could be just cold, if the soil is heavy and damp they would sulk, you did put them out too early but they may stay like that a bit then pick up, all might not be lost. Do you have any gardening fleece you can wrap them in or make a cloche for each one with a platic bottle.. The ground has to have sun on it for a long time before it warms up, just a sunny day doesn't do it.
Try putting plastic around them on the ground, leave them sticking up but the plastic will raise the temp of the soil they are in.
PLants some more seeds now as a back up.
XX Jeannine
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Jeanine went today and built up the ones that are still alive with good compost then I found a big box with holes :-* in it (like a what they put the bread on) anyway it is cold tonight. I have taking your kidding and planted some more in the greenhouse incase the rest die. Thanks very much for all the trouble you have taking your a goodun. Jude
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I wasn't kidding!! You do stand a good chance of losing the others is it gets cold and I didn't want you to be cornless, the second lot will be fine and if the first ones don't die you will have lots. Good luck XX Jeannine