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How to increase sweetcorn crop?

purpletreaclepurpletreacle Posts: 50
in Fruit & veg
I read somewhere that one can expect 2-3 fruits per plant, but rarely achieve more than one full-sized cob. 
My plants were watered well and fed once a week and what we've eaten so far have a great flavour so I'm happy with that, but if anyone has any tips for increasing output I'd love to know for next year. 🌽
  

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited August 2020
    I think it depends a lot on variety ... most recently I’ve grown Swift, an early variety developed for the UK climate, which certainly produced more cobs per stem than other varieties I’ve grown, but the ones that appeared later lower down the stem didn’t all pollinate well ... the first cobs were definitely the best. 🌽 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    Check where you are reading about the 2-3 per stem I can almost guarantee it wasn't the UK. Last year I grew Swift up here in Denmark and I got one full and one half cob per plant which is as good as it gets for us here in our cool damp climate.
    What I do it let the first cob grow as normal but harvest any secondary ones as baby corn, that way you get something from them rather than poorly formed and rarely ripening second cobs.
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    Read what is on the seed packet as they seem to tell you how many cobs to expect. It does depend on variety. They also like a good rich soil to be planted in and lots of water during the growing season.
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    I've grown Bodacious for the second year and they certainly produce two or three per plant and they stay a nice compact size...liked them some much bought some extra seeds yesterday. 

    https://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/Vegetable-Seeds/Sweetcorn-Seed/Sweetcorn-Bodacious-RM-F1-Seeds_2.html#.X0OUDchKiUk
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • purpletreaclepurpletreacle Posts: 50
    Thanks for all your contributions.  Like you, I grew Swift this year, Dove, and it's very tasty.  Still plenty of seeds left in the packet for next year and am tempted to try Bodacious as well, however I've just seen that Swift is classed as a "supersweet" (SH2) type and Bodacious as "sugar-enhanced" (SE) so they can't be grown near each other.
    Decisions, decisions!
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