[greetwellboy]

I started sweetcorn in a square fairly deep polystyrene container,they have all germinated about 30 plants.
Now I have been told they do not like there roots disturbed,and I should have started them off in modules.
So my question is,when the time comes to plant out,how the heck am I going to get them out of the container
With minimal disturbance,or should I start again.
Any ideas anyone.
Thanks
Dave,from Lincoln.

[JayG]

I get the impression that opinion is a bit divided as to how well sweetcorn puts up with root disturbance when transplanting, so you might as well give it a go (my own view is that they are far more likely to sulk due to cold weather following transplanting than due to the transplanting itself.)

Make sure the compost is well wetted (without turning it into a thick soup) before removing from the container, then try to separate the individual roots causing as little damage, and with as much compost still attached, as possible. Water well to settle the soil around the roots.

[greetwellboy]

Thanks JayG I'll try that.
Lesson learn't

[lettice]

I've never sowed mine in individual modules, just a deep large plot with about six plants in.
They are pretty strong plants and roots, it be pretty hard to damage them.
Never had any trouble with the transplant to their final position in the many years I've grown Sweetcorn.

Do a search on here for Sweetcorn, there are many good posts on Sweetcorn that you may find useful, some that he have already discussed this year.

[greetwellboy]

Thanks lettice,very informative.

[Goosegirl]

As I live in a very windy place I have to grow them in my greenhouse. I sown two seeds in 6" plastic pots so if one doesn't germinate I gently hoick out the one that hasn't grown so the other one has more room. When they are about 5" high, I gently squeeze the bottom of the pot with my hand around the leaves then up-turn it and bed it down with some dilute liquid sea-weed feed.   

[greetwellboy]

Thanks Goosegirl,individual pots next time.

[Gleavo]

Yep either modules or, if you look in the FAQ section, Richy's paper pots! One in each pot.

This year they've made planting beans and parsnips so much less painful and I'm def putting my sweetcorn in them next year... 

[Gardener and Rabbit]

Rather than separate into individual plants, perhaps you could separate into blocks of 2 or 3 plants, and then allow a bit of extra space between each block? Less root disturbance that way.

G&R

[snowdrops]

Are they a mass of roots already? If not you could transplant them into individual pots now or straight out

[greetwellboy]

Thanks to everyone for there posts,managed to get them out of the container,mass of roots.
But gentle handling,and patience I think I've got away with it,(time will tell)
Planted them in the veg plot,(fingers crossed)
Thanks everyone.
Dave.

[Yorkie]

With the root disturbance, make sure to water them a lot.

[greetwellboy]

Will do Yorkie,thanks

[Yorkshire Lass]

I save toilet roll tubes and fill them with compost, two seeds per roll, I am terrible at getting rid of the weakest plant so I usually just split them and pop them in the ground and I don't usually have too many casualties.