Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: pipnpants on February 22, 2012, 21:41
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hi could anyone tell me the best variety of sweetcorn to grow, our plot is on quite a windy site in lancashire. cheers
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I'd go for something which is quite an early maturing variety. There are some which say they are suitable for northern climates - Lark and Swift ring bells?
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Neither Lark nor Swift grow very tall so would probably suit your windy site.
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I am doing swift, sundance and prelude had a great crop last year with Prelude a pack of each seeds for us this season. Support where needed and grow among them with a squash or something to save on space
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As Salmo says Lark and Swift only grow to about 5-6' which is what makes them a more suitable type for growing in our rather short summers.
I grow mine in a block about 4-5 plants wide, and about 8 long, and when they are about 3' high I surround the block with 6 canes, then run string round and diagonally through them at about 2' high. A larger block might need more canes but I find this relatively easy support is enough to help them to help themselves stay upright (I certainly wouldn't want to be staking and tying them individually!) :ohmy:
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My experience is that these short varieties need no support.
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on my windy site (the year before last they were all but horizontal at one stage!) I also put canes and strings up as Jay suggests ;)
Just had a thought ::)
I wonder if this is because jay and I both have sandy soil, which may
mean that the roots are less firmly anchored ?
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Very likely Mum! ;)
The way I look at it 20 minutes work is not a lot for peace of mind about my absolutely favourite crop! :)
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cheers for all the great advice