[fatbelly]

Hi All,

I have got 2 questions which I hope you can help me with.

Firstly what critter is this? Are they good or bad? I found them in last years Potato bed does that help with identification? The next time I come across them should I squish or save? To give scale they are on my trowel.



Secondly, I was thinking of trying growing my Sweetcorn in my Greenhouse this season in the hope of getting an earlier crop. I have grown SC many times before but because we are in the N-West then we don't get the an early crop & our SC usually crops around September but we want to eat our own SC in the BBQ season of July & August, so my thoughts were grow SC in the G/H with leaving the door open all day & close it at night.

Would this work & give us an earlier crop of Sweetcorn?

Thanks FB


Title edit for search clarity

[azubah]

Is it a centipede? I have not seen anything like that and would like to know what it is as well. Does it move fast or slow?

[Dai]

I have loads of those in all my plots, ive been throwing them when ive found them myself but after just doing a google search it seems that they are Centipedes and are our friends (i think) apparently they are carnivorous and eat insects. (so i dont think ill be lobbing them over the hedge anymore) I hope they eat red ants because i have loads of those too.

heres a link to the website i just found http://www.digmyplot.co.uk/start.html

[RJR_38]

I get plenty of the centipedes on my plot and they are nothing to worry about. The robins love to come and have a feast on my plot after I've been digging and munch a few. I saw one this morning take one off - maybe for his babies

[Maarten]

It is the Ground Lover Centipede (Haplophilus subterraneus). Have a look at the following site (http://www.gardensafari.net/en_picpages/haplophilus_subterraneus.htm), where it actually mentions that it is the only centipede living here that not only eats insect, slugs etc., but also plant roots.

Maarten

[RJR_38]

Interesting...can't say I have ever noticed my plants suffering because of them but I suppose in large enough quantities you would

[gavinjconway]

About the sweetcorn... they are a long crop like 14 - 16 weeks and you cant really change that by much. You would have to plant them by beginning of May at the latest to hit the BBQ season.. so get sowing now!!

[diospyros]

Sweetcorn is also wind pollinated so I'm not sure how effective this would be inside.

[gavinjconway]

Sweetcorn is also wind pollinated so I'm not sure how effective this would be inside.

Oh yeah - I forgot that!!  You would have to shake the plants to pollinate every day a few times when the pollen is ready... A bit too much faff for me..

[Goosegirl]

For the last three years, I have grown sweet corn in my GH with great success. I only have one raised bed so alternate the planting area each year. You rightly mention possible pollination probs, so what I do when the tassels are there is to use a cane and tap the stalks once a day - takes seconds to do - very fine pollen goes everywhere so hold your breath! I also gently mist-spray over them but not sure if I need to do that. I live in a very windy place and have grown them outside in the past, but recent crop failures made me decide to try it. I also intersow with dwarf French beans, plus a few tagetes to ward off whitefly etc.

[brianbishop]

Re S/Corn in p/t.  Last year I planted merlin F1 corn on 21 April,chitted it in propagator and planted in my P/T 17 May, tapped flower to set seed, and had my first pick on the 8 Aug.. Very sucessfull.
Bish

[3 allotments]

Hi i too grow sc in my pt and i have never had any probs with it,just give it a good shake and i also leave door open most of the day for the wind and  bees and insects to help me notice the cobs,last year i had some 14 inch long they were so tasty  . Darren