Allotments 4 All

I got some good advice here a few days ago and would like some more please.

I'm trying out growing my own sweetcorn for the first time and through advice given here discovered that I need more that 3 or 4 plants. I have sown more as advised and 5 of these have germinated so this should give me 9 plants in total. The ones that have just germinated are going to be about 10 days behind my first lot, does this matter?

I don,t think so, i think you will find they will catch up. If they don,t then all you have done is extent your pulling season.

Not really.  Ten days is neither here nor there.  Plants tend to 'catch up'.

I am assuming the advice you received was also about planting out, ie in blocks rather than rows.  You should, with nine plants, have a block of 3 x 3.

valmarg

Thanks Davyw 1 and Valmarg, I'm glad to know that it shouldn't make much difference.

Valmarg, yes I was advised to plant in a block thanks again  :)

sweet corn that you grow yourself and eat within hours of picking is the best thing in the world. grow lots...LOTS. its easy to grow and gorgeous. eat within one hour of picking, there is nothing like it. so, put more in, be brave.....im growing 80 plants this year

Thanks Jools, I've only got enough room for the nine plants. If they are successful though I might just have to re-arrange my garden for next year  ;D

Hi folks,

Just wondered how many cobs you get to each plant. We have put seven in a block and now wonder if we should plant a few more.

Many thanks.

Mushy Pea

One or two only generally.

I don't care how many sweetcorn you are planning on, you should grow more ( up to and including buying a field).

Quote from: djbrenton on May 10, 2008, 21:04:46
I don't care how many sweetcorn you are planning on, you should grow more ( up to and including buying a field).

;D

do they freeze ok? im now thinking 12 isnt enough... were a family of 4....

Quote from: djbrenton on May 10, 2008, 21:04:46
I don't care how many sweetcorn you are planning on, you should grow more ( up to and including buying a field).

Take no notice you can,t afford the Lurpak butter

Quote from: davyw1 on May 10, 2008, 21:30:46

Quote from: djbrenton on May 10, 2008, 21:04:46
I don't care how many sweetcorn you are planning on, you should grow more ( up to and including buying a field).

Take no notice you can,t afford the Lurpak butter

I like my sweetcorn naked so no worries about the cost of the Lurpak

Sweetcorn do freeze but us regular growers know that any frozen vegetable will never taste the same as it does freshly picked.

The people who freeze for retail, have these really quick freezing facilities not available with a domestic freezer.

IF you must freeze any of your home grown stuff, try to do it as a cooked meal. Casseroles, soups and stews for example or make pickles, chutneys, jams. Fruit/vegetable juices even.

Otherwise just enjoy the fresh in season.

when freezing my sweetcorn i usually blanch them for 4-6 minutes , then let them cool down then wrap in cling film and stick them in the freezer .I find that they still taste gorgeous

we take the kernels off and freeze the same day they were picked, amazing taste  ;D

I find that whole sweetcorn cobs freeze perfectly well in a domestic freezer after blanching. They taste almost as good as when cooked fresh, as long as they are blanched as soon as possible after picking.
For details of growing, blanching and freezing sweetcorn, visit my site at http://www.growyourown.info/page129.html