Questions about growing sweet corn
Chriscore
Posts: 155
So i bought some sundance sweet corn seeds and im wondering whether it would be best to sow them now in a propagator or directly into the ground outside.. On the back of the pack it says i can do either, however i have heard that sweetcorn can get funny if its had its roots disturbed etc.
Also i have a raised bed that is 6ftx4ft i know i need to sow them in blocks to aid pollination but what would you recommend for a bed of this size? on the pack it says to allow about 15 inches between plants however i fear two rows of 3 or 4 may not be blocky enough? lol can i squeeze more rows in?
I tried corn a couple of years ago and they didnt seem to pollinate in time which resulted in zero yields. Really want to make sure i,m doing it right this time. Any advice about the above or just generally how to produce a good harvest would be appreciated 
Posts
Hi Chris
Sow seeds straight into well prepared soil
Make a diamond formation with the pointed end facing the prevailing wind direction much like the set up for ten pin bowling. The plants will have the best chance of being pollinated
You obviously know how to grow sweet corn but its just a matter of luck if you get a good harvest
Make a detailed note of what you do and when and what the soil is like etc and then next season you can be even better
Potatoes are the easiest and sweetcorn and one of the most fussy...........bit like children
Good luck and good eating
PS...........please dont start a sentence with so
Unless you are in Africa it is far too early. They are frost tender. I sow mine inside in individual pots at the beginning of May. They are ready to go out in the ground at the end of May. We get frosts up until that point here in the East Midland. If you sow in the ground now, they will rot off or get eaten by mice.
You grow sweet corn in a block. If you have 9 plants do 3 x 3. I grow 80 plants in a block around 8 x 10. Even so, the outside ones often do not get adequately pollinated. The best ears are in the middle. Sweet corn are wind pollinated. I think 6 ft by 4ft I would grow 5 plants x three rows.
We are usually eating sweet corn all September.
I live in Dordogne in SW France so we have hot summers and sweet corn grows fast if well watered. But we can have frosts up to early May. I sow sweet corn in the Greenhouse about mid April in pots. Then I plant them in a prepared bed in May. They seem to transplant without problems. If I sow direct outside they get eaten, probably mice. I plant mine much closer together, about 8 inches apart. They always get pollinated.
Last edited: 01 April 2017 17:40:45
Thanks for the replies! Im in the uk so wont be sowing them outside yet. Im considering sowing some in pots indoors to see how they do, then plant them out during may. I think if i try both methods, somethings gotta go right haha.
I've sown mine inside on a sunny window for the last 2 years. Done so again last week and they've germinated already. I'm in UK-Surrey. I'll pot them on and put them outside mid-end May.
They germinate fast and are fine being moved into bigger pots a couple of times before planting out in blocks for wind pollination. I'm not a delicate gardener either so trust me they'll move fine!
2 years ago I had low yields on 16 plants set in a block (4 per row) and on advice from this forum I hand pollinated last year once they were out in their final position (just knock the top tassels from a couple of plants together or use a pastry brush to brush one and then the next and so on).. They all produced corn. Easy!
I also do square foot gardening to save veg space so I put 1 corn per square foot in a bed.
Everyone has their fave way but whatever you decide, I'd def recommend giving the pollination a helping hand.
Good luck!
Thanks for the pollination tip! i will try this when time comes. I feel a little more confident now
Have you bought your sweetcorn seeds yet? If not, look out for a variety called 'Swift'. It's been developed to do well in the UK's shorter growing period ... we've been very successful with it a couple of times now
Edited to add: Just noticed that you've got Sundance - they're also good in our climate ... I hope they do as well for you as Swift does for us.
Last edited: 02 April 2017 14:54:25
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I usually grow minipop, am trying both this year.
Minipop grows to the same height as corn on the cob but doesn't need polinating and can be picked sooner. Ideal for colder regions of the UK.. It can also be planted in rows and eaten straight off the plant, very under rated vegetable.
Thanks for the suggestion, i might look into minipop!