[Totty]

I made two sowings of corn this year. One in march, one mid April. Variety is Swift.
Touchwood, they have been trouble free and growing well from the day they germinated.
If we get some decent sun later in the summer (big IF), I should get my best crop to date.
The earlier sowing are just shooting the flower spike (not sure thats the right description  )

Totty

[bravemurphy]

They look really good. that garden looks awesome too WOW.

[vanessa.xx]

have to say i'm very jealous they look fab

[RJR_38]

Impressive! Can I ask what you did? When you sowed, where they lived etc as corn is something I would love to get right. Not sure how my first attempt will fare...

[maxibo]

Wow!  They look amazing.  Well done, you.  I know you are an experienced gardener and know much more than me.  I know this as you've given me good cuke advice!  But can I just say, pick the cobs - (which you are sure to get) WHEN THEY ARE READY!!!!!  Don't leave them for 'one more day of sun'.  We did that last year - and the whole of our sweetcorn bed was devastated by what looked like Sasquatch over one night.  Horrible.  I thought it might be muntjac.  Friends I share plot with say badger.  Definitely not human.  We've had no other crop devastation as bad. 

[Totty]

Thanks for the replies.
I chitted the first ones on the 18 of march. They were then sown individually into 3inch square pots of Levington m2 compost with a little vermiculite added. They were on a heated bench at a minimum of 10 degrees.
As soon as the large tap root starts turning the pot, I potted them into 4 inch. If they needed to get potted on again they were, but not left pot bound.
Planted out second week of may I think. With BFB raked in first on very well manured ground raked into raised blocks. The longer they have to grow, and the bigger the plant is when planted out, the stronger the plant i reckon.

Totty

[RJR_38]

Thanks for the replies.
I chitted the first ones on the 18 of march. They were then sown individually into 3inch square pots of Levington m2 compost with a little vermiculite added. They were on a heated bench at a minimum of 10 degrees.
As soon as the large tap root starts turning the pot, I potted them into 4 inch. If they needed to get potted on again they were, but not left pot bound.
Planted out second week of may I think. With BFB raked in first on very well manured ground raked into raised blocks. The longer they have to grow, and the bigger the plant is when planted out, the stronger the plant i reckon.

Totty

Very interesting - I didn't think you could pot on corn because of their dislike of root disturbance so that is definitely something I have learnt! Sorry for asking what is probably a stupid question but what do you mean byn'when the tap root starts turning the pot'?

[DD.]

The advantage of living "darn souf"!

The flower spike is called a "tassle" by the way and when the cobs appear the bits poking out of those are called "silks".

You don't want the tassles to be ahead of the silks though. You need both together for pollination.

[Totty]

RJR, when you gently tap the plant from its pot, you will see some smaller fibrous roots, and then a more substantial tap root, when this is at the bottom of the pot and starting to follow the edge of the pot round and round is when I pot them on. They don't like root disturbance, but so long as they don't get root bound and are potted on carefully, there won't be any disturbance.

DD, you are spot on. The benefits of a sheltered souf facing garden in the souf, does help!
 The huge amount of muck used in the winter helps a bit too I reckon.

Totty

[RJR_38]

Oh I see, when it starts turning IN the pot! That makes much more sense (I had visions of the pot somehow turning itself). I did mine in loo rolls this year but I found the roots were getting far too long and escaping the tube long before the plant was sturdy enough to go out. I will try your method next year although maybe slightly later than March as I can't guarantee the steady temp of 10 degrees that early on. Thanks for all the tips

[Totty]

I found that plants were still too small when the loo rolls were full of root, pots seem to work.

Totty

[Beetroot queen]

I am off to the sulking corner mine are so small i may just compost them. 

I started some this month and they are doing ok, but not sure they will ever be ready for harvest 

[RJR_38]

I found that plants were still too small when the loo rolls were full of root, pots seem to work.

Totty

This is exactly what I found which is why I was surprised so many people used this method. Mine seem to be doing ok this year despite that - although I did lost about 25% of them when they went out. They are about a foot tall now and some are bigger than that so I am quite hopeful - they are certainly nowhere near as good as yours though! Pts it is next year...

[Totty]

I also removed the small, weak lookin leaves at the base and planted them right upto the next set, Same as tomato planting. The more stem under the soil, the more sturdy they are in the wind. They will throw out advantageous roots from the stem, same as toms too.

Totty

[RJR_38]

I also removed the small, weak lookin leaves at the base and planted them right upto the next set, Same as tomato planting. The more stem under the soil, the more sturdy they are in the wind. They will throw out advantageous roots from the stem, same as toms too.

Totty

Ooh - didn't know you could do that with corn! Definitely worth remembering! I am lucky in that because I am the end plot I get the shelter of the trees acting as a windbreak on an otherwise exposed site. It means I get plenty of bird poo on my debris netting tunnels on the tree side as well but you can't have everything!