I realise I'm being a little premature :) but could anyone tell me when they're planning to sow sweetcorn indoors and in what? I ask having done a quick google search; gardening websites seem to list it under 'jobs to do in May' while seed firms suggest sowing under glass as early as March. I'm in the south, quite a mild area, and am planning to grow seedlings on windowsills, so less full sun than in a greenhouse.
I sow in april and may, in a cold frame or greehouse, using root trainers.
Jerry
April is soon enough for me. I use tallish paper pots to save disturbing the roots,(something sweetcorn hates) and then stick the whole thing in the ground.
Last years crop was so good I ate quite a lot raw on the plot!
March seems much too early (except maybe Cornish coast or Isles of Scilly?)
I usually sow mine indoors (ie windowsill) in mid April, in modules. Once germinated, they move to the greenhouse and get planted out Mid May after being hardened off. Last year, we had an unusual late frost in June which finished them all off, so had to start again.
They don't like root disturbance, so your toilet roll/newspaper pots are probably a good idea. Once it gets to a reasonable size, it may get rocked by strong winds - earthing up the exposed roots a bit seems to really help.
One of those veg where you can really taste the difference between one freshly picked and one from the shop.
Mid-April here, in recycled drinks cups. Kenkew is correct, they make an excellent snack eaten straight off the plant.
I planted mine straight into the ground in mid May - they seemed to do fine and only 2 or 3 failed to come up. I had about 3 cobs per plant.
I only got my allotment mid-year '05 so did not sow seed till June, I am also in the south, and whilst having to play catch-up with everybody else, we did get some very respectable cobs off the plants.
I started them off in loo rolls in the patio greenhouse!
I planted mine in April as usual last year, and got appalling germination, possibly due to the cold weather. I supplemented them with bought ones, but only the ones I raised from seed did any good.
If you start off indoors you want to start roughly 4 weeks before your last frost date as they'll be approx 4 weeks before ready for planting out. Remember to harden them off before planting out. :)
Mid April for me too, that gives them 4 -5 weeks before planting out - like Jesse says you need to know when your last frost is likely. I also put some straight into the soil at the same time.
The other thing is that I always earth up around the bottom when they get to about a foot high - just a good mound of soil drawn up around the base of the plant, and find this really helps. Have tried growing with and without this on the same bed in the same season, and the difference was noticeable.
And Robert, I saved seed too - but dropped a real clanger. My original seed was F1 and must have reverted or whatever it is they do. The corn that grew looked really good, but half of it was tough as old boots.
Be sure to prepare your ground really well a few weeks before hand.
I find that soaking the kernels in water for 12/24 hours before sowing aids germination.
I harden them off in a mini plastic g'house - opening the door during the day and closing at night
As said above don't be impatient and plant out too early - some on our site (me included) did and a late frost really put back growth tho luckily I had a second lot coming on anyway.
I plant fairly close together in a block - within about 10/12 inches of each other (lack of space but it has worked so far) and keep well watered.
You will love the results!!
wicker sorry to sound stupid but would that be cold or warm water to soak the kernels in because my sweetcorn did nothing last year so i will try this methord thank you
loulou, just as it came out of the cold tap - so "cold" I suppose. Got the tip from this site http://homepage.ntlworld.com/amar10/Data/Sweetcorn.htm. Owner of the site (Gardeners Almanac) used to be a regular contributor on this site and I use the Alamanc regularly.
;D thank you very much i hope it works for me thanks again
i shall also be growing sweetcorn for the first time this season.
Daughter is awating the day she eats the cobs dripping with melted butter
Mmm :P
Debs
i grew sweet corn last year in my garden but i was late as little loulous granddad gave them to her about two months after the sowing time she planted any way and she got 4 kernels one each for the family she was impressed but at the same time disappointed because she liked them so much and when i bought shop sweetcorn she told me it tasted like cardboard (smart for 4 years of age or cheeky ) :D
Ah! I've been sitting here quietly in the background muttering about how much I dislike sweetcorn, but reading your comments about how horrid shop-bought stuff is Loulou, I realise that that is probably the problem. I've never eaten homegrown sweetcorn even when offered it by other folk at my allotment, simply because I've always loathed the shop stuff so much. Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a go . :)
Thinks: perpetual spinach, elephant garlic, shallots, now sweetcorn..... MAybe I need another allotment? ;)
The latest count on the pub plot next to me is 8 people. I will be borrowing them to work on mine but if we all grow everything we want to grow (and use all the seeds I bought) we may need our own site :D
You will not be disappointed grawrc ...
garwrc the only thing i cant get my little loulou to eat is raw onion everything else she will eat i have to tell her i got it from the farm van (they used to deliver to next door) other wise she wont eat it i think for her its psychological once you taste home grown shop bought never has any taste the sooner you eat it from picked the better and the best way for sweetcorn is dripping in a good quality butter ;D
Any recommendations as to varieties?
Grawrc,
I shall be growing a variety named Incredible F1 - didn't get it sown last year
so cannot give recommendation, only "fingers crossed".
Debs
Keep an eye out for the Super Sweet and Tenders Sweet varieties. These are fairly recent arrivals but give very tasty and sweet cobs.
Last year I grew two, this gives a spread over a couple of months and they have also froze very well. They were Swift and Sweet Nugget.
HTH
Jerry