[matron]

I have tried to grow sweetcorn for the last two years. Year one had strong plants and the cobs formed with corn but wouldn't ripen. Year two tried a dwarf variety (can't remember name) and they grew into strong plants and it looked as if the cobs were going to form but didn't. I plant them in a grid rather than a row as I have seen recomended.
Please help, what am I doing wrong?

[mashauk]

Can you remember what the weather was like?

[matron]

Can you remember what the weather was like?

Last year was very wet although we live fairly up high and didn't have any flooding problems and the year before was the blisteringly hot summer and very dry although we watered well.

[richyrich7]

Sounds as if you doing it right, last year the weather was pant's  so lots of people had a similar problem, they pollinate each other by air so lots of heavy rain would probably knock the pollen down IMHO.

When do you start them off ? Try a week or two earlier if you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse or coldframe with a little warmth

[gobs]

I have no idea of what you doing wrong. It is an easy, careless crop usually. I saw mine 4-5 weeks before last risk of frost for planting out. One seed to a 9cm pot. End of story.

Of course have no knowledge of your local probs, etc. you need to tell us more to get appropiate answer.

[matron]

I have been planting end of February / beginning of March in the greenhouse. I have a little paraffin heater that I use. Don't seem to have any problem with germination.
My plot (not an allotment on an allotment site) is similar to a walled garden as it has thick trees to three sides and it gently slopes from the road where there is a wall which is about five foot high. Being in the Moorlands we do seem to get a lot of wind. Both years I have planted near the runner beans - perhaps they don't like them!

[Rob the rake]

I have been planting end of February / beginning of March in the greenhouse. I have a little paraffin heater that I use. Don't seem to have any problem with germination.
My plot (not an allotment on an allotment site) is similar to a walled garden as it has thick trees to three sides and it gently slopes from the road where there is a wall which is about five foot high. Being in the Moorlands we do seem to get a lot of wind. Both years I have planted near the runner beans - perhaps they don't like them!

Sweetcorn likes to hang out with beans and squashes. It's a traditional planting method known as the three sisters, and is usually successful so you can't blame the beans I'm afraid!

If you garden in an exposed position it may be worth protecting them from the worst of the wind. You seem to be doing everything else right.

[ditchdigger]

Sounds to me that it could be that  in year one they may have ripened and gone past it without you realising, and year two sounds like they may have been pot bound before being planted out. If starting off in pots either sow a bit later or pot on into bigger pots but don't let them get pot bound AT ALL, they like to be growing and wont stand to be pot bound.