Naked sweetcorn

[mormor]

I was told yesterday by an allotment expert to remove all the side shoots at the base of my sweetcorn plants for a better harvest.  Now they are looking rather naked.  Is this a usual practice and a good idea? 

[mormor]

[goodlife]

Hmm...I would recommend that your allotment expert has good read about the subject.
All the 'side shoot' are there for purpose..they contribute to 'feed' the main stem and are not burden at all..totally opposite. Sometimes those side shoots crop too and if they get male tassles there will be more pollen about> successful pollination>BIG COBS.
All the leaves that create the 'bushiness' will divert water from the main stem to surrounding area where roots are spread...where there is moisture the roots will venture >big root area>BIG and happy plants> GOOD crop of cobs

[mormor]

Thank you for your help.  I had my doubts but did it anyway   Just hope that it gives some sweetcorn!

[gavinjconway]

Dont worry - it's not critical - you will still get sweetcorn... some people do remove them and say it makes no difference..

[chriscross1966]

It's from the days when you'd only really get one cob from a corn so the sideshoots came off to not distract the plant... a modern early variety might well get to wor three cobs in a good year...

[mormor]

Thanks for cheering me up!