Sweetcorn - how many do you grow?

[GRACELAND]

Graceland is growing fish (cod).

Oh  yea  cobs !!!  ;D ;D ;D ;D

[GRACELAND]

[Jeannine]

Bear in mind, that getting more than 2 cobs is not a plus, in fact corn breeders aim to breed for two only which the commercial growers prefer, the pollination is better and they don't get partially empty corn.

Tricia.. I won't tell either LOL


Borlotti. you would need a full time job proof reading me, I can spell but I can't type..and I have to do everthing in a hurry. I have given up on it now,usually apologise now and again but I accept it as a fact of life for me!!! Gives my friends huge laughs now and again.. so enjoy it, I have done some doozies I can tell you.

XX Jeannine

[PIGEON]

Can anyone tell me the best way to seed a couple of cobs. Do I just leave them on the plant for longer.

Cheers

[1066]

TeeGee - I take it you are growing corn for more than 2 people!! Quick question about your photo - what was the spacing? It looks very close, or is that just the angle?!

Can anyone tell me the best way to seed a couple of cobs. Do I just leave them on the plant for longer.

I've no idea Pigeon but I'm sure someone will be along shortly  ;D

1066

[Jeannine]

Pidgeon, I t would be difficult to seed just two as they are windpollinated I guess you could watch very carefully and then when they are ready to pollinate you could try to do it by hand, The top  tassle is male and the side ones are female. I will look in my book about  seed saving and hand pollinating to keep the seeds pure and I will get back to you,

XX Jeannine

[sunny sunflower]

I follow the advice of someone on our allotment who has won gold for the best allotment in town three years running!  Plant seeds in modules on 10th May and by the time the root is at the bottom it will be end of May and time to plant out.  Much more successful than any other time I've tried. 

Our local foxes love sweetcorn so it's essential to put a chicken wire fence around.

My family think that the allotment is only for growing sweetcorn and strawberries so I grow 10 x 10 and we have plenty for everyone and the freezer  :)

[PIGEON]

Thanks Sunny Flower..

Jeannine, thank you for your help.  May I ask what book you use for reference?

Cheers

[BockingBill]

We sow 25 and plant one and a half feet between in a 5x5 square. We enclose the area with fleece about two foot high - they really seem to thrive in this micro climate.

[Jeannine]

I have several books on seed saving, I will find them out tomorrow and post the titles, It is bedtime for me and am going off shortly but i won't forget.

XX Jeannine

[Deb P]

Now I have a bit more growing room I'm growing 64 'Swift' on my main plot, and 32 'Incredible' on the new half plot. We eat a lot fresh and I strip the corn off the cobs to freeze the rest which should last our family of 4 all year.....

[gwynnethmary]

I follow the advice of someone on our allotment who has won gold for the best allotment in town three years running!  Plant seeds in modules on 10th May and by the time the root is at the bottom it will be end of May and time to plant out.  Much more successful than any other time I've tried. 

Our local foxes love sweetcorn so it's essential to put a chicken wire fence around.

My family think that the allotment is only for growing sweetcorn and strawberries so I grow 10 x 10 and we have plenty for everyone and the freezer  :)

Wish I'd seen that BEFORE I just sowed mine a couple of hours ago!

[Deb P]

The best tip I was given was to use rootrainers and just press the seed into the soil and not cover it...I've been getting near 100% germination since I've been doing that. I aslo use plastic bottles around the base of my sweetcorn when planting out..it provides a bit of shelter from the wind and protects against slugs as well. I just keep them on all season and remove and reuse them when digging the spent plants up in autumn.

[saddad]

Our foxes leave them alone....  :-X

[elhuerto]

TeeGee - I take it you are growing corn for more than 2 people!! Quick question about your photo - what was the spacing? It looks very close, or is that just the angle?!

I was wondering the same 1066, looks a lot closer than the 50cm / 60cm spacing I used last year.

Cheers

[1066]

sunny sunflower - whereabouts are you? I'm in the SE and so was aiming to have planted out by mid may, but you are starting out at that time?

I'm going to fleece / protect them better this year too - so thanks all for the tips  :)

Thanks
1066

[tricia]

Mine are out! Celeriac too - with fleece at the ready to protect against wind and cold.

Tricia

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[Tee Gee]

I take it you are growing corn for more than 2 people!!

Well no!! but having said that; I do give some to my son & daughter.

It freezes well so I find my harvest does both of us for most of the year!                                                           

Quick question about your photo - what was the spacing? It looks very close, or is that just the angle?!

I plant seven plants across an eight foot wide bed and the rows are 15" apart.

I don't tend to go along with the pundits and their prescribed centres I think there is a bit of plagarism in there somewhere. i.e. it has always been done that way so that must be it.

What I do is keep a mental note of rootball sizes and make my plant centres in such a manner as each root ball does not encroach on each other.

I do the same with my brassicas as I have mentioned in the past.


But basically I work to the old maxim and that is;.........if you find a way of doing things that suits you and you are happy with the results then continue with that method.

[1066]

Thanks TeeGee for the clarification

But basically I work to the old maxim and that is;.........if you find a way of doing things that suits you and you are happy with the results then continue with that method.

I've yet to find what works with sweetcorn - hopefully I'll find a way this year  ;)  :)

Thanks again
1066

[sunny sunflower]

Hi 1066
I'm in west sussex.  I used to plant my sweetcorn earlier but soon learned that they don't like root disturbance if I kept them back from planting out.  Since going for the 10th May sowing date and planting out at end of May I've had great results ... no need for fleece or anything by then :)

[1066]

thanks sunny sunflower - you're round the corner from me then!!