[tam]

I grew 'Sweet Nugget' sweetcorn last year but the left over seeds I'm chitting haven't germinated very well and I need some more. I can't get the same variety locally and I've read you shouldn't grow some types together. What variety would be okay to grow at the same time?

[Swing Swang]

It's cross pollination that is the problem for some varieties - if two varieties aren't dropping their pollen at the same time then there's no need to worry even if they are 'incompatible', so if this is something that concerns you, but you want to grow different varieties in close proximity, then stagger the planting times or use a combination of 90day and 120 day varieties.

It's the really sweet varieties that are the problem - cross pollination may make them less sweet, and you might get cobs with different coloured kernals too.

If you're not after really sweet sweetcorn (and I'm not - I much prefer a 'mealy' textured not over-sweet cobs) then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

SS

[tam]

I like it sweet, last year was the first year I grew them. We just picked them, cooked them and ate them, didn't even need butter and they were sooo yummy.

I will give the ones that germinated to my sister and get a fresh packet. We only have room for a few so don't want to ruin them accidentally.

[JayG]

I will give the ones that germinated to my sister and get a fresh packet. We only have room for a few so don't want to ruin them accidentally.

Good plan! Sweetcorn are one of the few vegetables we grow to eat their seeds so it does matter what pollinates them; the results of crosses are bound to be unpredictable; it's genetics! 

[Salmo]

Sweet nugget is a F1 variety so will not breed true. Goodness knows what your poor sister will end up with. It might be fair to tell her that those plants are probably rubbish.

Pollen from any old sweetcorn is good enough to fertilize the seeds so that they swell and grow sweet. Only if you want to save seed will it matter that they are the same variety and also not F1.

Pollen from other varieties will not affect flavour or texture of the corn cobs. Any crossbred characteristics will only show when seed is saved and planted the following year.

[tam]

Having sat in a packet for year is not going to effect the quality of the plants/sweetcorn. I'm not, and wouldn't, give my sister rubbish. I'm giving her the plants as she's got space to grow less so they'll be all she needs where as I'd need to add more of a different variety.

If your eating the seeds that have different characteristics to the parents - such as a different colour in some cases, it would be logical that could potentially also mean a different taste/texture.

[JayG]

Sweet nugget is a F1 variety so will not breed true. Goodness knows what your poor sister will end up with. It might be fair to tell her that those plants are probably rubbish.

Salmo; I got the impression the seeds were leftovers rather than saved seeds from the crop in which case his/her sister should be fine!

Pollen from any old sweetcorn is good enough to fertilize the seeds so that they swell and grow sweet. Only if you want to save seed will it matter that they are the same variety and also not F1.

Pollen from other varieties will not affect flavour or texture of the corn cobs. Any crossbred characteristics will only show when seed is saved and planted the following year.

This is not correct! It is the seeds (not the fruit) of sweetcorn which is eaten in the first year so the pollinating plant does have a significant and above all unpredictable effect on how the kernels turn out!

[Salmo]

Sweet nugget is a F1 variety so will not breed true. Goodness knows what your poor sister will end up with. It might be fair to tell her that those plants are probably rubbish.

Salmo; I got the impression the seeds were leftovers rather than saved seeds from the crop in which case his/her sister should be fine!

Yes I did mis-read that the seeds were saved and apologise for any distress to tam's sister.

Pollen from any old sweetcorn is good enough to fertilize the seeds so that they swell and grow sweet. Only if you want to save seed will it matter that they are the same variety and also not F1.

Pollen from other varieties will not affect flavour or texture of the corn cobs. Any crossbred characteristics will only show when seed is saved and planted the following year.

This is not correct! It is the seeds (not the fruit) of sweetcorn which is eaten in the first year so the pollinating plant does have a significant and above all unpredictable effect on how the kernels turn out!

Oh yes it is!! The seeds/kernels we eat in the first year from an F1 variety such as Sweet Nugget will all be the same in taste and texture no matter what polinates them. If this were not the case then the whole F1 breeding thing would not work.

[JayG]

A few words from T&M: note the NOTE!     

[Salmo]

I have to bow to the almighty words of T&M. This goes right in the face of basic genetics so I must admit that I am surprised at their advice.

Does anyone know more about this?

[mumofstig]

try this from NC State University

Different varieties of sweet corn will also cross pollinate.  Sweet corn is the exception to the rule of cross pollination not affecting the crop in the current year.  If you plant two varieties of sweet corn close together then the seed may have characteristics of both parents in the current year.  For example, if you plant a yellow and a white corn together and they cross pollinate the ears of either variety may have mixed white and yellow kernels.

If you Google 'sweetcorn cross pollination' they all seem to agree that sweetcorn is the exception, though it is strange I agree :blink:

[realfood]

If you do a Google search you will find quite a few papers on this problem produced by USA universities. Some have lists of sweetcorn varieties that are safe to plant together.
The note on T&M's web page is slightly at variance to the advice in their seed catalogue. "Extra tender and sweet, Swift.........Isolation from other sweetcorn varieties not required." There is a similar statement for Lark, another tendersweet variety.

[tam]

I saw the note from TM about isolation not required, presumably that only means those seeds will be okay and they could still screw up the other variety your planting next to. I got some more seeds today and will keep the two types separate.. that seems the surest option

[azubah]

I would not think it possible to isolate sweet corn plants on a windy allotment site. We  nearly all grow them and do not check what our neighbours are growing. I have never had a problem with the taste of my sweet corn.

[Digger Tom]

 I think the general rule of thumb is dont plant different types of sweetcorn with 8m of each other.