[andy dewar]

hi my sweetcorn are in the coldframe and have been for 2 weeks now , they are about 8 inches tall my question is when would it be advisable to plant them out thanks Andy

[Eightball]

It depends on when your last frost is normally and I would air on the side of caution. They are a warm weather crop so I would wait till the end of May/start of June. I'm in Oxford so I think it's pretty close to where you are.  Frost is unlikely now but still could happen. I personally am not risking it.

[Beetroot Queen]

Mine will have to go out this week, ignore the poor one florence sat on

[Robster]

Last year I put mine out after our last frost but we then had a windy cold period (no frost though just quite windy).  Mine were a bit leggy and got blown over and took ages to get going needed nursing along.  Ultimately quite a disappointing crop.  So mine will go out after the frost when there is a bit of a settled period forecast.  I started them off a bit later this year too.  Hope this is of some help/interest.

[Growster...]

Ours are still in the greenhouse, as they're still under 3" tall.

This year, they're being planted at home, as everyone down at the plots had a rogue badger attack, which decimated the crops! Any badger who starts a rumpus with out JRT will eventually decide to go somewhere else for a better life..;0)

And also, we love the rustling sound they make when fully grown, (the sweetcorn that is, not the badgers..;0)

[DD.]

As Robster says and indeed it is the case with a lot of warm weather plants, it's not just the frost you have to be wary of, a spell of inclement weather can set them back, or make them stall completely.

Mine are about 3" high and I've started to harden them off in a sheltered spot in the back garden. I would anticipate early June for planting out.

[beesrus]

It's an easy task to cover plants such as potatoes that are well underway, any old tarpaulin will do. Not so easy to cover for frost delicate sweet corn seedlings. And yes, they really can sulk all season if you're not careful. Beans and sweet corn only just sprouted in my greenhouse a week or so ago and usually go out at Whitsun when a further few days' forecast is available as well. I'm a wimp where sweet corn is concerned.
Then there's the wind. I shelter mine for a few days under supported enviromesh. That definitely helps, and bumps up the temperature a degree or two.
Talking of wind, there's a fair bit forecast over the coming week, so not the best of time to plant out.

[AnneB]

I would wait a bit.  I have only just potted mine up after chitting, however I am a bit further north.   

[JayG]

Of the popular tender summer crops sweet corn, runner beans and tomatoes, although all of them will be killed by frost, and will be set back by temperatures much below 10C, I agree with the others that sweet corn is the one most likely to sulk so severely it doesn't always fully recover even when the temperatures do.

Not the crop to choose to push your luck with, although it does require a long growing season so the temptation to do so is there  - you can't realistically do more than wait until after your last frost date, and then try to choose a settled, mild spell of weather to plant them out.

On a positive note, I've grown sweet corn for at least 20 years in Sheffield, and only once have failed to get a decent crop because of persistent cold conditions after planting out.

[andy dewar]

  thanks for all the help il try to hang on a bit longer