[aligemini]

Or - what we know them as, is, the Baby corn that we use in Chinese stir fries.

Has anyone successfully grown them? And at what stage from planting do you pick/harvest them?

It was my first year this year growing them and I missed the boat on harvesting them, as they have grown to immature Sweetcorn stage.

Any help, gratefully received in readiness for next year as my Daughter loves them. - she is also allergic to most fruit and uncooked veg, so it is very hard to find Fruit/veg treats for her.

Thanks all.
Alison.

[BabbyAnn]

Has anyone successfully grown them?

Good question!  Twice I've tried, the first time much like you I missed the boat and didn't realise that they needed to be picked before the male flower opens (they do not need pollinating)  The second time I made sure I was on top of them, and bitterly disappointed with the crop, so have given up trying again.

[Mum2mj]

Hi I haven't grown them this year as no space but have for the 3 years before. First year like yourselves I missed the boat. The instructions on mine had no mention on when to harvest so in the end I went by the size of the cobs which worked for me, if they were too small (never happened though) I would have left a few more days & tried another one. 

[Kristen]

I have read of a few people who rave about them (i.e. the crop that they get), but in my opinion they are a complete waste of time.

I took the tassels off so they wouldn't get pollinated and, perhaps more importantly, wouldn't cross-pollinate other sweetcorn I had nearby.

Judging the harvest time was impossible (although obviously commercial growers manage it) as the cob is covered by a sheath that doesn't change enough in appearance to give a clue as to the cob's readiness.  The yield was pathetic, given the area they needed and the fact that you need more than one for a meal for a child that adores them means that you do need several plants ...

When my kids were young they loved the mini corn, but also regular sweetcorn, so my advice is to do what I did: put your energy into growing proper sweetcorn

[mumofstig]

I'm growing them this year, I carefully cut off the top as soon as the tassels started to appear, gave it a couple of weeks and picked all the top cobs, but you have to be really careful pulling of the sheath leaves or the cobs break 
A week later I'm on to the lower cobs, and as they look to have 5 cobs on each plant - I don't think the yield will be that bad. (cos I'm used to only getting 1 and a half cob from ordinary sweetcorn  )

[GrowinGrowinGone]

I think the right time to pick them is when they're at a size you're personally happy with.   I have grown them before and I've grown them this year.  Last year the regular size corn I grew was a complete disaster, huge big healthy looks plants, with what looks like big looking sized cobs, but when it came to picking them end of October they had not formed properly.  Mini Pop is so much easier too, no faffing about you can eat the entire thing and you don't have any issue with them not forming properly cos you can eat them at any size.  Mine are ready to pick now, the only problem is...what do you do with approx 100 9/10ft plant stalks now as they take forever to rot down 

[Sparkyrog]

I think the right time to pick them is when they're at a size you're personally happy with.   I have grown them before and I've grown them this year.  Last year the regular size corn I grew was a complete disaster, huge big healthy looks plants, with what looks like big looking sized cobs, but when it came to picking them end of October they had not formed properly.  Mini Pop is so much easier too, no faffing about you can eat the entire thing and you don't have any issue with them not forming properly cos you can eat them at any size.  Mine are ready to pick now, the only problem is...what do you do with approx 100 9/10ft plant stalks now as they take forever to rot down 

put them through a shredder f you have or can borrow one 

[GrowinGrowinGone]

Sadly I don't have one, or able to borrow one.  I remember 1 year cutting them up, took forever!  I still have some of last years stalks in my compost pile

[JayG]

They are a rather cute little delicacy, but with the emphasis being on the word "little" there is no place in my garden for them, and there is no way I'd abandon sweet corn in favour of the minis. 

It's true about the plants taking a long time to rot down, although the roots and spent cobs take even longer, especially as they are far from easy to chop up. 

[mumofstig]

and there is no way I'd abandon sweet corn in favour of the minis. 

I don't think anyone would, but as it gets my grandchildren eating veg (they like it)
then it is worth growing IMO - if you have the space 

[VegPlotter]

Hi Alison
I grow mini pop and think anything you love or is expensive to buy is always worth growing, no matter how much space it takes up  . I'm not a big fan of regular sweetcorn but babycorn is delicious especially if eaten straight from the plant.
The way I determine whether it is ready is by giving the cob a squeeze, if you can feel something in it (it doesn't feel full) and it has a light coloured tassel then it's worth peeling one to see. Work from the top of the plant down. If its ready on one of your plants it's usually ready on the others, the next level down are usually ready within a couple of days. You'll soon get a feel for when a cob is ready. If the tassel turns brown its gone too far.
Hope this helps
Julia

[gavinjconway]

I'm growing them this year, I carefully cut off the top as soon as the tassels started to appear, gave it a couple of weeks and picked all the top cobs, but you have to be really careful pulling of the sheath leaves or the cobs break 
A week later I'm on to the lower cobs, and as they look to have 5 cobs on each plant - I don't think the yield will be that bad. (cos I'm used to only getting 1 and a half cob from ordinary sweetcorn  )

Spot on Mum... just what I did last year..

[gavinjconway]

Hi Alison... Re you daughter and a brace. Is it that she cant bite the sweet corn off the cob? If this is the case you just need to slice down the cobs to remove the pips once cooked..

[aligemini]

Thanks all,
for your mixed but informative replies.
You have all opened my eyes to this difficult veg – not to grow but “How and When” to harvest – which I had no instructions on either (Seed companies- take note.) In my ignorance, I assumed they would grow like normal Sweetcorn (but miniature) and waited for the tassels to turn brown.  I now know to remove these tassels before they develop.
Thanks all.

Alison.

[arugula]

We've grown them in our polytunnel a few times where they work very well. We haven't got somewhere sheltered enough this far north to grow any sweetcorn outside, although it used to be grown in a sheltered spot in the garden at home when I was growing up, slightly further north than I am now.

you have to be really careful pulling of the sheath leaves or the cobs break 

very true..