Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Callie on August 19, 2009, 21:03

Title: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Callie on August 19, 2009, 21:03
This is our first year of doing this growing stuff :D

So you can imagine our delight at our first sweetcorn :)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/penne/100_0574.jpg)
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Yorkie on August 19, 2009, 21:16
Well done Callie, hope it didn't stay on the plate long - needs eating within minutes of picking!!
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Parsnip on August 19, 2009, 21:23
mmmmm that looks scrummy. Mine aren't big enough to pick yet, I can't wait. If they are as good as that Callie i'll be very happy indeed... :D
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: mashauk on August 19, 2009, 21:36
I eat mine raw, straight from the plant, they don't need cooking and are really juicy and sweet that way.
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Remy on August 19, 2009, 22:14
I'm jealous, been trying for a couple of years without success. Will try again next year.
Me & my brother use to go & knick some from the corn field when we were kids & cook them on the BBQ still in the husk. It steams them & you still get a bit of that bbq taste where the husk is charred.
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: DD. on August 19, 2009, 22:16
That probably wasn't sweetcorn in those days, Remy, more like maize grown for cattle feed & much tougher.

Don't ask how I know.
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Remy on August 19, 2009, 22:26
Surely DD but still tasted good as far as I can remember ;)
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: jazzbyrd on August 19, 2009, 22:45
Alot of stuff we ate as kids tasted good!! I can remember eating blackberries taken from a neighbours garden fence. Sometimes we found maggots in them but it didn't put us off. We would throw the maggotty ones away and continue eating them. I bet if I ate them today I wouldn't think they were so nice.
Sometimes stealing things like this as children makes them taste better!! :tongue2:
Jazz
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Gemma_25 on August 20, 2009, 17:19
I've never thought of growing sweetcorn, is it difficult?
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Jonajo on August 20, 2009, 17:24
This is my first time having an allotment and growing veg, and I found it very easy. Just planted in the seeds some time back in a 5 by 4 block arrangement, and let them do what they are supposed to do. I did nothing apart from watering during the dry spell, a bit of weeding and a few weeks ago put a fence around them to stop badgers that had previously attacked corn on neighbouring plots in the past apparently.

Each plant has several cobs on then and for the last week we have been munching through corn and freezing some, giving them to friends.

This is certainly a veg I will do again - not only is it a brilliant tasting veg anyhow, picked fresh it is even better of course and it is SO cheap too - given a small cob can cost up to £1 in a shop, I think I paid about £1.50 for the seeds!!!
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: SalB on August 20, 2009, 17:25
Doesn't seem to be difficult Gemma , I'm a complete novice at this and I managed to grow some ... Can't beat the flavour of freshly picked corn on the cob.

Give it ago next year , I know I'll be growing some more

Keep smilin'
Sal
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Broadhaven on August 20, 2009, 18:36
They look great. My question is I have grown them also for the first time this year..ever and they are at the stage where they have got tussles on the top. My problem is Iam going away in 3 weeks for 3 weeks. Am I going to miss them or do you think they will have produced the corn within the next 3 weeks. I will be gutted if I am not here to eat them after looking after them  :(
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: mashauk on August 20, 2009, 18:38
I've never thought of growing sweetcorn, is it difficult?

Once you have tasted your own you will never want to buy any again!
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Gemma_25 on August 21, 2009, 11:22
You know I think i'm going to give them a go next year! It look's amazing, and also cheap £1 for corn on cob v's £1.50 for seed's, it's a no brainer really!

Mmmm, I keep looking at the piccy and I could just eat that now!!
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Cheshire Phill on August 21, 2009, 12:25

Agree - this looks like a must for next year!!

What varieties have folks had good success with then?

Phill
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Casey76 on August 21, 2009, 12:57
Well I don't know... look at them kernels: they're not all lined up in straight lines - some of the are higgledypiggledy  :ohmy:

Seriously though, it looks great, and corn is one of the veg I aim to try next year
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Sue33 on August 21, 2009, 13:00


sweetcorn is one veg you really can taste the difference between home-grown and shop-bought IMHO as is beetroot - enjoy  :D oh and tomatoes and potatoes, carrots  :lol:
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Elcie on August 21, 2009, 14:12
That looks amazing, well done.  Mine tasted delicious but the corn didn't go all the way to the end of the cob.  Still have some that aren't ready yet so fingers crossed they are as good as yours.

To anyone considering growing sweetcorn, do it!  It looks great when it is growing and it tastes great too!
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Gemma_25 on August 21, 2009, 14:20
How tall does it grow? Does it need a sheltered spot/support?
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Bombers on August 21, 2009, 15:31
Callie, that looks  great. Seeing as you're just 'up the road' from us, I had to go and have a peek at mine today, and they're not quite ready yet.  :(
Moi, jealous....  :mad: :D

gemma_25... Size depends on the variety/growing conditions etc.,. (mine are over 5ft tall)
You can always give 'em some extra support with canes if you're very exposed to wind. Don't forget, they need to be planted out in a block to aid pollination.(18" apart) ;)
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Gemma_25 on August 21, 2009, 15:40
Hmmmm I probably don't have the room for them :-( Which is a shame!

All I want for Christmas is an allotment ha ha!
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Bombers on August 21, 2009, 15:46
Hmmmm I probably don't have the room for them :-( Which is a shame!

All I want for Christmas is an allotment ha ha!
I'm sure you can find somewhere to put 'em. I've seen them grown in borders in small gardens, and I know some members on here, have them growing in very confined spaces... They just might need a little help in pollinating that's all! ;)
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Jodie A on August 21, 2009, 16:22
I've moved my allegiance from Swift to Lark this year.  The unexpected hot weather in april messed up germination, a lot of seeds went to mush, and new shoots frazzled in an unheated greenhouse.  Normally I'd expect a 90% germination rate, this year 50%, and neighbours had similar problems.

Gemma - the minimum I'd plant is 16 in a 4 x 4 block about 15 inch spacing, but however many you plant, you'll wish you'd done more.

The best ever veg to taste from plot to plate in 10 mins.
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Parsnip on August 21, 2009, 16:41
Mine aren't ready yet...I'm barbecuing tomorrow aswell, so I've had to buy some.. :(

I can't wait to try them now..
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Bombers on August 21, 2009, 16:56
Callie, Do you know when you sowed/planted them out? I'm sure my first batch were in the ground about the 3rd week of May?
Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: Broadhaven on August 21, 2009, 20:39
Hi not sure if anyone saw my post a few days ago, re the size of them now.

"My question is I have grown them also for the first time this year..ever and they are at the stage where they have got tussles on the top. My problem is I am going away in 3 weeks for 3 weeks. Am I going to miss them or do you think they will have produced the corn within the next 3 weeks. I will be gutted if I am not here to eat them after looking after "

Title: Re: Our first sweetcorn
Post by: mumofstig on August 21, 2009, 20:45
I should think that unless something/one comes along and 'tastes' them for you they will still be waiting for you when you're back :)