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I picked one of my sweetcorn ears!!! It looked so ready! The silks were brown, I could see kernels at the top of the cob so off it went
But when I opened it up, there were only about 1/4 of the kernels that had developed...  ??? ??? ???
what do you think has happened? I am afraid to try the others now! That said, the ones that were there were ripe it seemd to me (and tasty!!)
Any ideas?

If you find out let me know because the same thing has happened to mine. :'(

Duke

It has only been partially pollinated

How many plants are you growing together? They depend on wind pollination, so the more the merrier, as extra plants increase the pollen density in the air.

I'm no expert, but can't you also hand pollinate them? 

I am sticking my neck out a bit, but I think your sweetcorn are too early and when they pollinated, the conditions were not right.

When did you sow them and put them out?

I have found that it is better not to rush sweet corn as it likes warmth.

I have a page that needs upgrading as it shows 2006 and 2007.

2006 was fantastic due to the hot summer,but last year I was too early and only the later ones succeeded.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_sweetcorn.html

too late for this year but I shake the plants, once they have top growth and tassels, every time I go past, get covered in pollen but it does the trick  :)

Well I think that Jeannine was right, but I picked two more ears last night and they were full so it must have been a dud. They were absolutely delicious! Sweetest I have ever tasted and full of juice.
Maybe they are early, but I am in France and I used a UK variety so probably thinks it is very warm here! When the tassels started to form it was quite windy, so I didn't think there was much need to hand pollinate. I have about 9 plants in an area that is about 2 x 3 m.
for info they were sown in pots in mid-April and went out in May. They are in a 3 sisters plot with borlotti-type beans and pumpkins. They are Lark variety. Not terrific as I only got one cob per plant but still, it's the first time I have grown them so I was quite pleased that they were so tasty.

Lark is one of the very earliest corns, I would expect it to be OK in your location, I don't think you planted  too early. I think your pollination problem is due to only 9 plants in the space you are using ,corn pollinate much better when there is more. I would have thought 2 cobs per plant though, but no more than that.

Enjoy.

XX Jeannine

We tap the plants each time we pass to release the pollen.  Last year was a disaster, from two packets of seeds we managed two (!) plants with one miserable cob on each. I'm surprised they managed to pollinate at all.  Previous years have all been OK.

This year we have about 20 plants with runner beans and squash in a sort of three sisters bed, with loads of cobs on all the plants, so are hoping for a bumper harvest.  We are growing Applause this year, haven't tried it before.

well thanks for all that, next year I will try them even closer together, maybe I will get better results! But I can't argue about the taste! The best I think I have ever eaten, just a few minutes in boiling water they were ready and they were tender, juicy and were oh so sweet. I will try the same variety next year  ;)

Swift is the earlier version of Lark and just as good tasting. I grow both varieties but still a bit to go before I get to taste this far North in Glasgow.

I have just returned from Normandy, where every other field seems full of maize/sweetcorn and I noticed that the plants are probably only 6-8" apart. 

I'm with Jeanine, too much space between your nine plants - they were lonely ;D ;D

8 inches is exactly how I plant mine as a matter of fact, then in wider rows. if i grow a lot of plants. Having lived in Canada surrounded by fields full of corn  for many years, when I started to grow my own  I followed what they did, it has worked well for me for 25 years.I  often  other lottie owners  plants as much as 18 inches apart  then rows 3 feet apart,and then  at harvest the cobs only seem to be part full. If I only want to plant a few I would do it on  a smaller block but  the very most for me would be on about 12 inch all ways round, but I even then I would suggest a minimum of 25 plants in a 5 foot  by 5 foot space.

I get cobs full to the tip this way.

XX Jeannine

Jeannine
my new raised beds are 2meters by 1 meter, will i be ok to grow corn in them?

lbb

I tried the 3 sisters bed this year an its brilliant !!! i planted loads of plants close together and everything is looking great !! this is one thing i will be doing next year the corn looks really good !

LBB,  I prefer blocks with at least 4 rows in, so I would plant them

4 x 8 = 24 plants.

This is not exactly 12 inches all round and you don't have room plany every 8 inches with a wider space between rows. So tweeking it, that is what I would do.

I think you will be fine like that, give them a shake whenever you pass at pollination time, although I don't think you would have a problem with the above, but do make sure the ground is well fertile.

Don't let the plants compete with weeds, very shallow roots so hand weed till the plants are 18 inches tall, then don't worry about weeds after that.

XX Jeannine

If ou are going for density, how about a diamond pattern?

x      x      x      x
    x      x      x
x      x      x       x
   x       x      x

cool, thankyou every one
lbb

I bought Wilkinson's cheapo unspecified variety baby sweetcorn.  The seed packet said to plant out 6" apart which surprised me but I did it that way and they are doing great.  Started picking this week and it looks like lots of cobs per plant are still developing.  Very tasty stir-fryed with first green pepper, red onion, garlic etc!