Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: Goosegirl on July 04, 2014, 11:06

Title: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on July 04, 2014, 11:06
Since two years of no decent harvest, I started growing the variety "Swift" in my GH with great success. I am trying "Incredible" this year but there was no info as to their eventual height. Someone said on here that Incredible grows to 8 foot so what do you advise? So far, I have thought of leaving it until the tassels have produced pollen which is when I tap the stalks daily with a cane until no more falls off them, then cutting the top of the stalk with the tassels off.
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: grendel on July 04, 2014, 12:28
take a pane of glass out of the roof and let them grow through?
Grendel
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: JayG on July 04, 2014, 13:53
Since two years of no decent harvest, I started growing the variety "Swift" in my GH with great success. I am trying "Incredible" this year but there was no info as to their eventual height. Someone said on here that Incredible grows to 8 foot so what do you advise? So far, I have thought of leaving it until the tassels have produced pollen which is when I tap the stalks daily with a cane until no more falls off them, then cutting the top of the stalk with the tassels off.

That would be me!  ;)

The British stockists of the seeds all seem to give details about the spacing but are a bit coy about the height!

US suppliers are a bit more forthcoming - you may just have to hope that they don't grow to 8' in UK greenhouses!  ::)

http://www.lacrosseseed.com/incredible-sweet-corn/

I don't think they'd miss their tassels after they'd done their job, although trying to arrange them so they drop their pollen onto the silks could be a bit of a challenge!

Mine are only about 2' tall at the moment (and outside in the garden!)  ;)
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: 3 allotments on July 04, 2014, 21:53
Im having the same problem in the pt they have hit roof and now are growingn down they must be getting on for10 feet full of large cobs too ,cant wait till end of month yummmm :tongue2:
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on July 06, 2014, 11:36
Mine are currently just touching the sloping panes of the roof - no tassels as yet - will need a ladder if they go on as they are! I'll just keep my fingers crossed that when they form, I can tap the stalks to pollinate the cobs. I also have five more outside and they are about 4 foot tall. All look really healthy due to regular chicken manure pellet feeding.
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Beetroot Queen on July 06, 2014, 17:21
Outside mine are over six foot LOL and no sign of stopping yet  ??? At 5 foot 3 this could be a giggle
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on July 08, 2014, 10:49
I'm 5 foot 4 and a bit, so we could compare notes!  :lol:
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: grendel on July 08, 2014, 12:22
just wondering, how high is an elephants eye?
Grendel
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: barley on July 08, 2014, 22:47
mine are outside and about 2ft high  :(  not even any sign of tassels - good job the broad beans are playing the growing good game   :D
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: compostqueen on July 09, 2014, 08:29
I just have to ask.  Why grow them in the greenhouse? 
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: mumofstig on July 09, 2014, 08:32
Since two years of no decent harvest, I started growing the variety "Swift" in my GH with great success.
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on July 10, 2014, 12:56
I just have to ask.  Why grow them in the greenhouse?
I did grow them successfully outside for a couple of years then had two years with nothing. I just tried it as an experiment and they went off like a rocket - as in rather "Swift"-ly and I had the best and fullest-pollinated cobs ever. I think the GH provides better climatic conditions, especially if it is not a good summer. Here are mine in there and tassels are forming.
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: JayG on July 10, 2014, 13:08
I can easily believe that sweetcorn grows and crops well in a GH - if I had a bigger greenhouse I'd try it too, although it would have to be something like Swift rather than Incredible unless it was a HUGE GH!  :lol:
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: compostqueen on July 11, 2014, 11:08
I like my greenhouse space for the more tender stuff. I've even relegated the chillies outdoors these days  :D
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on July 11, 2014, 12:45
Another thing why I now prefer growing it in there is that I live on such a windy site that I've had the thought that a lot of the pollen gets blown away before it dopes its job. Apart from the warmer temps in there, by tapping the tassels to release the pollen, I have had 100% pollinated cobs in contrast to outside (though that does depend if I get any strong winds during pollination time).
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on August 05, 2014, 12:46
Just an update on my Incredible corn. after daily tassel-tapping until no more pollen came down, I had my first one the other day. It was fully-pollinated, creamy yellow and absolutely delicious! My mouth turned into a typewriter carriage - I just couldn't get it down fast enough!!! Another one is on the menu tonight and more to harvest and freeze, then I'm going for the outdoor ones.
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Ma Lowe on August 07, 2014, 08:33
Just an update on my Incredible corn. after daily tassel-tapping until no more pollen came down, I had my first one the other day. It was fully-pollinated, creamy yellow and absolutely delicious! My mouth turned into a typewriter carriage - I just couldn't get it down fast enough!!! Another one is on the menu tonight and more to harvest and freeze, then I'm going for the outdoor ones.

Got a vision of Wallace & Gromit in my mind now  :lol:

I want to grow some in my PT. I have Lark which have been quite successful outdoors though there are some cobs that are very thin and small so am taking it they are not pollinated well.
Wonder if I am too late for starting some now in the PT?
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on August 07, 2014, 11:32
The thin ones may be a pollination issue but maybe they need a bit more time to swell? It's too late to sow any more now but try it in your pc next year as I find I have had great success in my gh, as long as you tap the tassels to pollinate the cobs. Luckily I sowed 10 this goos growing year year, so five are outside waiting to be harvested!  :D
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: snowdrops on August 07, 2014, 13:26
I've got 9 plants in my greenhouse but no sign of cobs forming, they're supposed to be for mini cobs. They're getting very tall & I've had to move them into the middle to give them more height. They take some water too,they are in pots & on a gravel tray.
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on August 08, 2014, 13:14
I've never grown mini-corn but somebody mentioned they don't need pollinating. As for Ma Lowe's comment about Wallace and Gromit - I thought that too - and it was just like that!!  :lol:
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Ma Lowe on August 08, 2014, 13:24
 :lol:  :lol: :lol: :lol:
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on August 09, 2014, 15:25
Is growing in a gh or pt successful - or what!  :lol:
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Baldy on August 09, 2014, 22:00
Nice work GG...
my outdoor ones are getting close to ready - can't wait

Cheers,
Balders
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: 8doubles on August 10, 2014, 05:26
just wondering, how high is an elephants eye?
Grendel

Indian or African? :lol:
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: snowdrops on August 10, 2014, 08:22
Well my 'mini corn' in the greenhouse is now almost touching the roof so is about 8ft high, rather have that in there than an elephant :lol:
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on August 10, 2014, 11:43
just wondering, how high is an elephants eye?
Grendel

Indian or African? :lol:
Mid-way between the top and bottom of its ears!!  :lol: Anyway, Baldy - I am praying like mad that nothing trashes your corn before you get it to the kitchen because some on here have had that problem and, being a sweet corn devotee, my heart goes out to them.
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: beesrus on August 10, 2014, 14:19
Great corn  GG, for inside a poly/greenhouse. I tried them under cover one year as an experiment and it didn't work out, so stick to the outdoor thing. They always come up trumps and we get  very little animal damage.
I think my polycarbonate greenhouse failure was due to lack of light, as they grew very spindly.
Title: Re: Sweet corn getting too high for my greenhouse - help!
Post by: Goosegirl on August 11, 2014, 11:46
My GH is glass without any shading paint or other stuff, so good light could have made a difference, though I would have thought a poly GH would let the same amount of light in. Mine in there were taller than the ones outside and my climbing French beans in there do grow spindly but are very prolific.