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Top 1/3rd of sweetcorn has no kernels
brightlights
Posts: 3
in Fruit & veg
I have grown sweetcorn for the first time this year and had a lovely harvest except for the fact the top 1/3rd of most of my sweetcoen is missing the sweetcorn itself? What did I do wrong? I read about weevils etc and put Vaseline near base of stalk so I don't think it is this. Please can someone help.
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Posts
Same happened to mine.
It seems that some farmers who grow it commercialy have had the same problem.
the weather this year is my guess to the answer
It looks like a pollination problem to me.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I agree Scroggin ... or maybe suffering from too dry conditions, or both.
Corn needs lots of moisture in the soil to plump the kernels up properly.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Do not think it would be a pollination problem
are not the modern varieties self fertile,more to do with conditions, is my guess.
must agree that the cob looks a bit old
Yes the others were a lot fresher Ice had this one on the side for. 10 days. I kept meaning to post but then kept forgetting. Thanks everyone for your help it's really appreciated.
I grow in a block around 8 plants square planted 15 inches apart. The ones on the edge never pollinate as well as the ones in the middle. When the anthers are shedding pollen, I tap the individual plants with a cane gently, to aid pollen dispersal. This years cobs have been superb. I think we had sun and rain at the right points this year.
no need to plant in squares, have been planting them in rows for many years and have had no trouble with pollination.