[Ricco_T]

This is my third season on my plot and the produce has been great.... except for the sweetcorn.  Last year I was getting two ears per plant (which I think is the norm) and they were good chunky ears.  This year I am only getting one ear per plant and these are rather short and narrow, though the packing of the kernals is good.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  The variety is 'Sugar Buns'.

[mumofstig]

If the weather is better next year, so will the yield be

You're lucky you got 1 perplant, recent threads show complete failure for some  






(edit silly typo!)

[JayG]

Sweet corn is not native to the UK (I'm assuming you're in the UK because you haven't put your location in your personal profile!), and even the shorter-growing, quick-maturing varieties need everything going for them to give of their best.

This includes being able to plant them out early, getting plenty of warmth, food and moisture right from the beginning, and not too much rain or wind, especially when the all important pollination is taking place.

If you have actually ticked all of those boxes this year, then I'm afraid I don't have the answer to your question! 

[Ricco_T]

Thank you to both replies.  I thought conditions were pretty good, so it might be the variety. Sorry to hear that some allotmenteers have had no success at all; I consider myself lucky in that case.

[cooperman]

I nearly always get a good crop but this year has been a bit of a duff one as far as sweetcorn is concerned....  a crop yes, but not a good crop.

Sweetcorn needs plenty of muck underneath, plenty of warmth from the start and plenty of water and a good regular feed...

The only thing lacking this year has been the warmth..... its been too cloudy on the whole..

[DD.]

You forgot to mention plenty of water.

That has also been somewhat lacking.

[Ricco_T]

Those ears of corn that we have we have had have been lovely and juicy and sweet.  I think the comment about loads 'a manure could be right 'cos the area they were on did not get manured in the last two years.  Next year they move onto a section that was manured last winter - this year's onions have been amazing!  I'll probably give it another feed this autumn.

[JayG]

I wouldn't go as far as to say that you can't overfeed sweetcorn, but on my admittedly poor soil mine get additional granular fertiliser and sometimes a couple of liquid feeds as well to give them an extra boost to help compensate for less than ideal growing conditions.