Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: jacnal on June 02, 2007, 10:26

Title: Corn predators
Post by: jacnal on June 02, 2007, 10:26

Another quick query guys,

I put in sweetcorn seeds directly into the ground yesterday and I'm hoping they germinate and grow and produce. Are their little shoots likely to be eaten by anything?
Apart from slugs and snails, I've also got red ants and woodlice and a variety of other bugs I've not identified yet. How can I protect them?

Thanks again!

Title: Corn predators
Post by: David. on June 02, 2007, 10:34

Rabbits eat the shoots.

Mice eat the cobs.

Title: Corn predators
Post by: jacnal on June 02, 2007, 10:47

Thanks David,

Oh dear. Rabbits? and mice?

Okay, priority now is to protect from rabbits I suppose. Any ideas how to do that?

Title: Corn predators
Post by: DD. on June 02, 2007, 13:16

Quote from: "David."

Rabbits eat the shoots.

Mice eat the cobs.

Squirrels eat both - b*ggers.

Title: Corn predators
Post by: slow_worm on June 02, 2007, 19:03

Noone said gardening was easy - constant battle with little critters and bugs! :o

Title: Corn predators
Post by: Trillium on June 02, 2007, 19:11

Earwigs will get into the maturing cobs and do a lot of damage, so will maggots. If it's a regular bad problem we pour some mineral oil on the silks once they're pollinated. Seems to deter the little pests- unless they bore through the husk sides.

Title: Corn predators
Post by: jacnal on June 02, 2007, 20:29

Thanks peeps.

My poor corn seem to have too many awaiting their emergence. I suppose I'll have to relax a little, allow nature some, i.e. if some of the plants get destroyed, I shall not be stressed out too much. I planted 33. I guess if I can get 22 out of those I'll be very happy. If I get 16, I'll still be happy. 10, I'll still be happy some. Less than that, I'll be sad for a while and hope for better luck next time, but I'll be happy eating what I get. Zero, I'll have to get a psychiatrist, :o !

I'm comforted by the fact slugs, snails and ants don't eat them - am I right? Or do they?

Note to self - erect fence around plot. Even more work to be done.

Title: Corn predators
Post by: WG. on June 02, 2007, 20:30

Sorry, slugs LOVE sweet corn  :wink:

Title: Corn predators
Post by: jacnal on June 06, 2007, 12:21

Quote from: "whisky_golf"

Sorry, slugs LOVE sweet corn  :wink:

Do they really?  :cry:

On a positive note, I got some ferrous phosphate slug pellets (Growing Success). Planted a few salad leaves and some leafy herbs in pots but dug the pots into the ground (don't know what I'm doing there, but I'm thinking if I'll possibly move them that'll make it easy). Anyway, to my utter shock :shock: a few moments later, the slugs were literally sprinting towards them! A few sprinklings of pellets later, and there were 2 dead!

My poor corn - they'll probably not even get a chance to come through. I've noticed the brown slugs under the soil surface when I dig. Oh, I'm  :( , :( , :( !

Title: Corn predators
Post by: ytyynycefn on June 06, 2007, 14:42

I've got a bed of 50 sweetcorn plants, started in the GH, hardened off in the frame, and planted out about three weeks ago - as the blooming slugs have had most of my other emerging veg, I put plastic collars around each plant (made from cut down bottles and plant pots) and put a few pellets in each.  The bed is mulched with manure around them, btw.

So far, so good - apart from a little frost damage, they seem to be coming on well, so fingers crossed!