Sweetcorn

Pixiechic

I have my sweetcorn seeds in the propagator, I had only sown 8 seeds as there is only two of us. I just read though that one sweetcorn plant only produces two cobs .

I love sweetcorn and may need to sow some more seeds. I know that I can freeze the sweetcorn but would prefer to have fresh.

What do you do? Do you grow lots all at once or can you stagger the sowing throughout summer? I know that they have to grow in blocks, but how much space will they need?

Linda32

I would make your sowing now and plant out all together.

They do make big plants, I've seen them growing on our allotment although we have never grown it ourselves.

I would say a foot between each plant would be the least that you need.

DaftyDuck

They are, I think, wind pollinated, and planting only a few reduces their fertility. I think you plant them in a square rather than a line for this reason. They do grow big... my mini-cob plants were 5'10"... an inch above me! I've seen fields in the USA where the plants look more like trees.

I would certainly plant more now.

rolstherat

I have tried growing them but been unsuccessful. Trying again this year. The plants grew tall and has about 4 cobs each. The problem I has was the cobs looked great but when I peeled back the leaves most of the kernals has not formed?

Make sure you intercrop with something

Pixiechic

DaftyDuck wrote: »

They are, I think, wind pollinated, and planting only a few reduces their fertility. I think you plant them in a square rather than a line for this reason. They do grow big... my mini-cob plants were 5'10"... an inch above me! I've seen fields in the USA where the plants look more like trees.

I would certainly plant more now.

I'm 5'5, they will look like trees Do they need supports?

Pixiechic

They need quite a bit of space between them, more now if I sow more. Hence the intercropping, whats good to intercrop them with?

Thank you all for the advice

When you get all the produce (I'm seeing stacks of sweetcorn ), do you freeze it?

Foxy0810

As far as I was told you plant in blocks think number 5 on dice but obvs just for the pattern I'm putting 4 posts in and will tie string at various heights up the posts to stop them falling etc not sure if that's right but we did ok last year and I'm still a novice

DaftyDuck

Pixiechic wrote: »

I'm 5'5, they will look like trees Do they need supports?

No, but I do Pub visit (and came home to find ill Kittie... now I feel sooo guilty!!!)

Edit: I got a good crop last year, but only for my wife. I bit a rugby post at school, and my gnashers never recovered. Sweetcorn on the cob is something I never treasure. Think Pug from the Bash Street Kids http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.beano.com/media/80776/character-bash-plug.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.beano.com/characters/bash-street-kids/cast/bash-street-kids-plug&h=420&w=560&sz=87&tbnid=ldF5mjb7BuzdXM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=109&zoom=1&usg=__SFB0nmHVAqAzbAZGQ0c5vm3WRxM=&docid=kYqR7yaXA9UkJM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SBuMUbLxIIGsOu66gNgB&ved=0CEYQ9QEwAg&dur=817

Pixiechic

Foxy0810 wrote: »

As far as I was told you plant in blocks think number 5 on dice but obvs just for the pattern I'm putting 4 posts in and will tie string at various heights up the posts to stop them falling etc not sure if that's right but we did ok last year and I'm still a novice

Thank you, I didn't realise that one went in the middle too . Good news as less space required!

These are last years seeds which I didn't expect to germinate, I just couldn't throw them away! They have germinated though so I will see how they go!

Linda32

Yes, you can freeze sweetcorn. I would imagine you strip the corn, separate and freeze all together in a bag. Just like the sort you buy

For growing with other things, google Three Sisters Planting, it looks complicated to me I've grown butternut squash before and baby pumpkins (they were meant to be! ) but never anything together.

best of luck, hope it all works.

Pixiechic

Linda32 wrote: »

Yes, you can freeze sweetcorn. I would imagine you strip the corn, separate and freeze all together in a bag. Just like the sort you buy

For growing with other things, google Three Sisters Planting, it looks complicated to me I've grown butternut squash before and baby pumpkins (they were meant to be! ) but never anything together.

best of luck, hope it all works.

Thank you I have some butternut squash seeds and I have already sown some pumpkin seeds that are starting to germinate .

I will have a look at Three Sisters Planting, it sounds very useful, thanks again