Sweetcorn

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I misplaced my sweetcorn......again! Found it yesterday, but now wondering if its too late to actually plant any. I read that some of you had some plants about a foot tall. I would be planting in situ under a coldframe. The coldframe will be staying where it is till early June

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[djbrenton]

You'll be fine starting it off now, particularly if it's going to stay in a coldframe for a while. I only started mine a week or so ago.

[RobinOfTheHood]

Sowing mine tomorrow in loo rolls. Then a couple of days in the electric propagator.

I have previously started 4-6 weeks earlier than this, but always had to resow as the first batches have done badly or died. The later sowings have always been better.

You'll be fine, I reckon.  :)

[shirlton]

Hope it's not too late ,only put em in on Tuesday

[northener]

Just sown mine in fibrous pots from Wilkos. Anyone used them? Does the pot break down in the soil? i was thinking of ripping the bottom off when i transplant to final position.Growing Mainstay for 1st time anyone tried it.

[markfield rover]

Sown mine yesterday so that they dont 'check, when planted out.( in theory)
  Northener - fibre pots-  as long as you remember to soak the pots before planting( otherwise you form a barrier )you'll be fine.

[Barnowl]

Mine being sown  tonight or at the w.e.

Last year I sowed on 17th May and the eventual crop was fine.

[Tee Gee]

Try soaking them in water for a few hours before sowing them and this will speed up germination, and more so if you can give them a bit of bottom heat!

[artichoke]

Soaking is good for checking viability too. Janine says not to soak them to rotting point, so I looked every day and popped them into compost the second a root started to show. Some never did, so it saved me the trouble of waiting for ever for something that was never going to happen.

Janine's account of what corn does and doesn't tolerate is a classic - I have saved it carefully.

[Tee Gee]

I have saved it carefully.

Can't recall seeing this could you re-submit it please, or direct me to where it is located.

[artichoke]

Here is what I saved:

SWEET CORN
Can I just add  to this discussion for the newbies out there.

I often hear about problems growing corn, personally I find it almost the easiest veggie to grow but  you have to  give it what it needs it will not be messed with!!It likes to be planted and GO with no obstructions. To get corn that grows well, with filled cobs right to the end that harvests at the right time we have to understand it's needs.

Sweetcorn is one of those veggies that has one or two little quirks. Number one is does not like to be transplanted, ideally it should be sown direct, but as it also needs warm soil, here in the UK we have to fool it. Usually it is planted direct from the middle of May till the end of the first week in June, the soil then would be a minimum 65f, and the supersweets need it even hotter.70f Planting in pots is the answer ...BUT.

There has to be maximum three weeks from planting in the pot to transplanting outside when the plant is still small and it doesn't realise it has been moved.

Therefore it needs to be planted in pots but it needs to be done in a way that won't disrupt it's internal time schedule.

With the old open pollinated varieties it is not so very important but with the modern hybrids this needs to be done no more than 3 weeks before the corn goes into the ground..two  is better.

Therefore if you decide to plant out in Mid may the seeds should be sown in three inch pots..1 only to a pot the last week in April. Don't try thinning them.

Seeds that are sown in pots earlier will grow beautifully, even to a foot tall but when planted out they will stop and sulk, and they can sulk for some time before they start to grow again. sometimes it never really recovers and although it grows on it never finishes it's cycle  properley so  unfilled cobs result, or the corn plant is weak and vunerable to problems.

In the meantime the seeds sown in pots later and planted out without upsetting the corn will take off and very often overtake the earlier planted corn.So there really is no advantage to planting earlier with them.

Pre chitting corn is fine, it separates the duds from the viable seeds, but soaking corn seeds is not such a good idea as they rot very easily. Tests done with soaked seeds versus not  have given better results with the nots. This especially is important with the supersweet varieties that need warmer ground and rot much easier, easy to tell them from the others as the corn seed is shrunken.

Corn seed is viable for 2 years, after that the germination drop quickly, many will still sprout but you will have to be prepared to sow more, this is were pre chitting is useful.

Seed saved from hybrid seeds will not grow true  you could get anything, this can be fun with squash for example but not corn as it could be the taste or texture that you lose. Therefore it it not a good decision to save seeds. This of course is not the case with those that were not hybrids in the first place.

Corn loses it's sweetness once picked but the modern varieties are bred to retain it which gives it more of a shelf life.

Older non hybrids need eating as soon as they are picked

Regular hybrid corn will last a good day, possibly two depending on the variety.

The Supersweets will last up to a week after picking before they start to go starchy, so it is important to know which you are sowing.

Corn will cross pollinate. I f you grow two kinds, ot your neighbour grows corn too you need to know what types. Corn that cross pollinates will be tough and starchy when you try to eat them.

It is the new Supersweets that need the isolation, either by distance or by harvesting time.

Corn is wind pollinated. the tassel that grows out of the top is the Dad, the corn grows from the sides, when Dad starts shaking it about in a good wind the pollen can get carried  some distance.

If you are growing more than 1 type and are not sure if they will cross or are safe,post the variety and I can tell you.

I know this post is moot to many growers out there as they already know these things, my comments are aimed at the newer growers, corn is one of my faves and I have been growing it for 40 years  so I have pretty much got used to it's moods.

XX Jeannine

[Tee Gee]

Thanks for that Arti and of course Jeannine

[Fork]

Im about to sow some more too.

I have some ready to go out but just a little worried about any late frosts.So they are staying put for a few more days.

[tonybloke]

just to add to the confusion, agricultural corn is sown at 2 1/2 inches depth, for two reasons, 1. stronger plant less likely to blow over, 2, crows beaks can,t reach that deep!!