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Confused about sweetcorn

RubyRossRubyRoss Posts: 124
in Fruit & veg
This is my sweetcorn: stringy ones and loose ones. It that normal? I'm confused about whether I should leave them alone or do something to help them form cobs. Any advice is appreciated.





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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited July 2021
    They’re doing abdklutke as they should.  The flowers at the top are the male ones and the pollen from them will blow onto the whispy filaments lower down which are the female flowers. When they’re pollinated by the males the cobs will swell. When those filaments turn dark chocolatey brown the cobs are ripe. Enjoy 🌽 

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





  • EmptyheadtimeEmptyheadtime Posts: 366
    Your pics look normal. Sweet corn should be grown in blocks rather than rows to help pollination. Your first 2 pics show the spikes that have the pollen, your last image shows what will become a cob. In nature the wind etc should ensure the pollen falls onto the hairs and bobs your uncle....sweet corn. I never have great success with sweet corn and even tried aiding pollination by brushing pollen onto the hairs (each hair becomes a single corn so each hair needs pollinating). 
  • RubyRossRubyRoss Posts: 124
    Brilliant. My mind is at ease, thanks. They are in a small block of six so hopefully the wind will take care of business.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I occasionally break off a bit of the male bit on top and brush it over the blond hair on the cob to help with pollination.   You want the yellow orange dangling bits on the top touching the ends of the soft silky hair bits.  
    Utah, USA.
  • Rob LockwoodRob Lockwood Posts: 380
    edited July 2021
    Fantastic new word is abdklutke @Dovefromabove - can I use it? :)
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Rob Lockwood said:
    Fantastic new word is abdklutke @Dovefromabove - can I use it? :)
    You may with pleasure @Rob Lockwood … but credit should really go to iPhone … it really was all their own work 🤣 

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





  • cork gardenercork gardener Posts: 85
    I’m growing sweet corn for the first time. Mine look healthy, the male flowers are open and shedding pollen but there no sign of silks on any plant. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    They’ll appear … the males are always ready first … that’s life 😉 

    Be patient and make sure they get plenty of water … it takes a lot of moisture for the cobs to form. 

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





  • cork gardenercork gardener Posts: 85
    thanks Dove - just gave them another good watering now
  • RubyRossRubyRoss Posts: 124
    I can see some cobs forming now. Such an interesting vegetable to grow.
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