Sweetcorn that's not F1?

[kitten]

Hi all, does anyone have a few kernels of a non F1 sweetcorn going spare?  I fancy growing some but can only find F1 varieties in all the shops nearby.

If you say what you need in return I'll do my best!

Thanks in advance x

[kitten]

[Robert_Brenchley]

If nobody offers, try Realseeds at http://www.vidaverde.co.uk/ . I'm growing a variety I got from there, Double Standard. I believe they're the old sort that you have to cook the day you pick them, or they lose their sweetness. I tried another open pollinated variety from them last year, but mice got them all and I had to fall back on F1's.

[kitten]

Great, thanks Robert, I'd seen that variety so will check them out.  Have you sown yours?  How are they coming along?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Mine were sown long ago, and are now over a foot high. I've been holding off on planting them out; if I'd had more time I'd have put them out under cloches a couple of weeks ago, but work has been a bit overwhelming in the runup to exams. There was a frost during the week so it's just as well nothing tender was out without protection. I may well get some out over the weekend.

[kitten]

Wow, you're organised!  We're so behind this year, but we're blaming it fairly and squarely on this being our first ever veg growing year  ::) and next year things will be better  ;)

I'm assuming i still have time to sow now?  I'd prefer to do them in modules & transplant, rather than direct, but will do whichever is best for this time of year.

Thanks for your help!  ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Organised I'm not! I should have had the things out under cloches a couple of weeks back, and I'm still preparing the beds for them. Four barrowloads of soil down the plot yesterday, and half the mulching still has to be done. Still, it's a bit more off the soil mountain. The squashes get intercropped with them, and then the toms still have to be done.

[kitten]

Well, you are miles ahead of us no matter what you say  ;D

I'm going to send off for some double standard and see how it goes.  Would love to compare notes later in the season - that's assuming I get any to germinate  ;D

Thanks for your help & advice

[windygale]

hi kitten, just pm me your address i have a few you can have

windy ;)

[emmy1978]

Me too Kitten. Jeannine sent me 'Honey Select'. I still have loads going spare as she is insanely generous.  ;D

[Jeannine]

Honey Select is a hybrid sweet bicolour Emmy. It is not an open pollinated corn which is what Kitten is looking for.

Kitten try googling for Double Standard sweetcorn, it is the best one I know of, a bicolour ,it germinates well in cooler soils unlike the supersweets we all are so fond of.

Some ears are bicloour and some are all yellow.

If you find the seed it should come in the packet as white and  yellow seeds, that is the way they are supposed to be which is unlike Hybrid bicolours.

I am not too familiar with the seeds in the Uk but as this one is condidered very superior to most I think it will be here somewhere.Try somewhere that sells organic seeds as I know it comes organic and non organic.

XX Jeannine

[Robert_Brenchley]

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/sweetcorn.html