Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Missy1970 on May 09, 2010, 19:32

Title: sweetcorn
Post by: Missy1970 on May 09, 2010, 19:32
Hello all

I've got 18 (subject to germination!) sweetcorn plants my bed is 4ft wide what would be the best way of spacing/block planting them

Thanks
Missy
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: mumofstig on May 09, 2010, 19:34
Last year I did mine 4 in a row across the bed then 15inches before the next row of 4 and so on. Worked a treat :)
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: Ian_A on May 09, 2010, 19:37
I think 4ft square bed is going to be a little small for 18 as they need to be well spaced. But arrange in a square or rectangle (well, a square is a rectangle, but you know what I mean!)

Maybe 4 by 4 though would suit the bed but I think 3 by 3 would be likelier to be more productive.
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: JayG on May 09, 2010, 19:41
I think 4ft square bed is going to be a little small for 18 as they need to be well spaced. But arrange in a square or rectangle (well, a square is a rectangle, but you know what I mean!)

Maybe 4 by 4 though would suit the bed but I think 3 by 3 would be likelier to be more productive.


I seem to remember reading somewhere that 4X4's caused global warming!  :tongue2:  :lol:
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: andy135 on May 09, 2010, 20:33
That's a wheelie corny joke......................!  :lol:
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: PennyS on May 09, 2010, 21:26
I've got a back issue of Gardening Which where they did some trials on sweetcorn spacing.  They found that planting close did give smaller cobs but the crop per metre square was much bigger.  Optimum spacing turned out to be 25cm x 25cm.   

Hope that helps,
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: andy135 on May 09, 2010, 21:36
I've got a back issue of Gardening Which where they did some trials on sweetcorn spacing.  They found that planting close did give smaller cobs but the crop per metre square was much bigger.  Optimum spacing turned out to be 25cm x 25cm.  

Hope that helps,


That's handy to know PennyS as I'm trying to squeeze my sweetcorn into 4' x 8'.
Thank you.  :)
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: Wombat18 on May 09, 2010, 21:37
I sowed some in the cold frame from last year, but only three came up.  Does the seed deteriorate quickly, or is it just me?  :unsure:

I usually plant them about 30cm apart btw.  Seemed to do okay last year, but not everything got pollinated.
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: BelgianPhil on May 09, 2010, 21:39
Why not 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3? or 4, 3, 4, 3, 4?

I've once looked at some corn on a commercial farm and they had long rows 40cm apart. Within the rows the plants were less than 10cm apart. They were just touching each other.
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: mumofstig on May 09, 2010, 21:41
still too cold in the cold frame, Wombat  :(
Try again on a warm window ledge.......still plenty of time while the weather is like this  ::)
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: Missy1970 on May 09, 2010, 22:24
Sorry my bed isnt 4ft sq its 4ft wide 15ft long should have made the clear in my first post

Missy
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: DD. on May 09, 2010, 22:34
3 x 6 with 18" spacing.

You don't want to plant right to the edge of the bed, the block itself will take up 3' x 7.5' and you've room for something else.
Title: Re: sweetcorn
Post by: Kristen on May 10, 2010, 09:45
I plant 3 across my 4' beds (but I don't have nice wodden edges to mine, so planting close to my sloping-earth edge is a bit unattainable for me  :unsure: so you might be able to get 4 across.