[wendycas]

Hi
Does sweetcorn have to be planted in blocks or can it be in zig-zags?  It's just that we have a narrow long bed 3.5 ft by 15 ft.
Thanks

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

Hi Wendy is it planted in blocks to aid pollination....

As long as they are close enough to pollinate each other, i'm sure it'll be fine.

I think another reason for blocks is to act a wind break protection for one another?

[allotmentor]

wizzyfax is absolutely right - as grass relatives, they're pollinated by the wind (rather than by insects) so you're trying to ensure that each plant will have pollen carried to it by the wind from another plant - with variable wind directions, this is most likely if they are planted in a block. Planting them in a line may work, especially if your line is in the direction of the prevailing wind, but to be sure, you can always hand pollinate - see e.g: http://www.growveg.com/growblogpost.aspx?id=98

[wendycas]

Thanks guys. I guess I should put them in blocks in another bed as we had a wash out with sweetcorn last year and we want to do everything we can to try and give them a better start this year.
Thanks 

[Goosegirl]

Being bitterly disappointed by a total lack of success with sweet corn harvests (and withdrawal symptoms), last year I tried six in my greenhouse bed in two rows of three and pollinated them by tapping their stalks with a cane - pufffffffffff! I had the best crop ever! The ones outside had very poor pollination even though I live on a windy site. I inter-planted the greenhouse ones with Dwarf French beans which did superbly as well, as opposed to the ones outside. I have a bed of a similar size to yours and suggest you tap their stalks every day to maximise pollination.

[mumofstig]

You could do rows of 3 across the bed - with 18ins between the rows - they'll be fine 

[gavinjconway]

They will be fine in your bed.. as above at 18"   (or less - I do mine at 12" each way) I also get a bamboo and go over / tease the tassles carefully to help pollen drop onto the silks on the cob..

I interpret  "planting in a block" simply as not planting in one single or two rows.. rather plant a few short rows if you are growing just a few.. i.e. in a block..