any advantage to leaving sweetcorn plants in the ground?

[deewillow]

I've now picked all my sweetcorn and munched the lot - yummy!!
Is there anything to gain by leaving the plants in the ground for a couple of months to die of their own accord? :-\ like I do with my runner beans plants.
Or is it ok to dig them up. I'm not planting on that bit now till the early spuds go in next year.
Many thanks

[deewillow]

[keef]

Not really - they'll deter the weeds a bit though. I leave mine in the ground until i dig it, then chop them up and dig them in as i go.

[Deb P]

Sweetcorn plants have very tough roots, and can be difficult to pull up! I have left mine in before, but they looked very scruffy. The roots are not nitrogen fixing like beans as far as I know......so I can't think of any specific advantage of leaving them in, except perhaps of providing a shelter for overwintering insects....but you might harbour goodies and baddies!

[star]

Hi Deewillow and welcome to the forum. I personally dig mine up, just in case they harbour nasties like Deb says. Plus mine are in my garden and look untidy :-\ ;)

[manicscousers]

hi, deewillow, nice to meet you..I've left a few in the ground as the cucumbers have grown through them..mind you, I've cut the tops off  ;D

[PurpleHeather]

It is exactly the question I always ask at this time.

Last year the compost bin was full so I dug them up and left them in a pile and put black plastic over them.

They were easy to dispose of when the plastic was lifted in Spring.

Himself has been having a couple of cobs for breakfast stating it is no different to fresh cornflakes.

[tonybloke]

leave them alone for the winter!! a dry home is just what ladybirds need for the winter, I found over 20 in one dead corn plant this spring!  ;)

[deewillow]

 :)thanks for the replies.....I decided to make the most of the glorious sunshine today, but while the ground is still soft, and dig them all up. I put the tops on the compost and took the big roots and stalks up the tip on the way home.
Phew - time to sit in the garden now and flick through the seed catalogue for next year.....