[dexyblue]

I have had zero success chitting about a dozen sweetcorn 

[Kristen]

I make a small hole with my finger and gently drop them in (root first  )

I don't worry too much about depth (but the seed itself won't be much more than an inch from the top, if that), however the root is fragile so if its grown through the kitchen paper tear it to give you part-root part-paper and plant whole, rather than risking trying to get the root out of the paper.

It is important to get some soil around the root, so it isn't in an "air pocket" in the planting hole. After planting a batch I brim-fill up each pot with water from the spout of the can (not using a rose) so that it is reasonable vigorous, that settles the compost (and makes it nice and damp of course - it won't need more water for a couple of days at least).

Some seeds reappear at the surface, washed out of the soil by this action. They get replanted

The shoots of sweetcorn are very vigorous and are soon up above the soil (well, once the root is down, so depends a bit how long you chitted them for, but if you chitted them until the had a shoot and buried the shoot it would still be up in the daylight within 24 hours)

[Zippy]

Why chit sweetcorn? I sow them in 3.5" pots and in about four days they are busting through the surface (in a warm room). I would be concerned about breaking the delicate roots and shoots if I chitted them.

Any pots that don't germinate get re-sown.

I do chit somet things - like parsnips; the *!

[prakash_mib]

Why chit sweetcorn?

to check if they really sprout. this is done for old seeds so that you can remove the unchitted ones and save time, compost, space everything.
added to that if the compost is too wet i would assume the chitted ones will survive but not the straight put ones. so for bigginers alike chitting is a more easier way to grow.
other than that, if you are confident on your seed, they can go straight in.

[Kristen]

Why chit sweetcorn?

Yeah, reasonable point.  Different-strokes-for-different--folks I think, but maybe for newbies sowing straight into the pots would be best.

I want 9 plants every fortnight. A delay on replanting of a few days might leave me with less than 9 plants [at the same stage of growth] and thus not a suitable block for pollination.

I don't want to plant two seeds per pot, and cull one, because I would use twice as much seed. (I do start a few extras off for chitting, of course )

So basically I want to see exactly how many I am getting

Same thing for Parsnips, although my rationale there is more than the germination process (particularly outside) is so slow and variable depending on weather such that any replant that was needed would be a long time later.

[Kristen]

added to that if the compost is too wet i would assume the chitted ones will survive but not the straight put ones.

Just to add more confusion! I have kept corn too wet whilst chitting and rotted them, but having done it the once I now think I have a method that stops them getting too wet - no free-water in the box (tip out all excess water) and lift up the top sheet somewhat - so there is air available too - top sheet will stop the seeds drying out, but not smother them.

[JayG]

Groundhog day or what?! 

I'm sure that chitting sweetcorn works, but I don't think it's necessary if you use fresh seed (old seed, different story!) I expect 100% germination at one seed per pot and usually get it!

[Kristen]

Groundhog day or what?! 

I'll tell you tomorrow

[JayG]

Groundhog day or what?! 

I'll tell you tomorrow

Can't wait that long (or have I already said that?!)   

[Kristen]

I'll tell you tomorrow

[bigben]

last year I would have been with JayG - I planted 20 and got 19. This year I planted 35 but got about half - they were last years packet but I had not opened them and they were in date. I am going to chit some more and use them to fill the gaps as I really want a decent crop of corn this year. My slight fear is the new packet is probably not the same as the first lot so we might get some iffy cross pollination.

[JayG]

last year I would have been with JayG - I planted 20 and got 19. This year I planted 35 but got about half - they were last years packet but I had not opened them and they were in date. I am going to chit some more and use them to fill the gaps as I really want a decent crop of corn this year. My slight fear is the new packet is probably not the same as the first lot so we might get some iffy cross pollination.

Sweetcorn seeds (especially F1 varieties) don't seem to germinate very well after an "extra" year, whether opened or not.
 
My best guess about mixing varieties based on what I've been able to find out is that it's risky; as ever it's up to you!

[Kristen]

Sweetcorn seeds (especially F1 varieties) don't seem to germinate very well after an "extra" year, whether opened or not.

Previous years, with fresh seed, I have been cavalier about Chitting, and got 101% success (IYKWIM)

This year I have been using 1-year-old-seed, still been cavalier and lost a complete batch to overly "wet" chitting.

Retried more batches, been more careful to keep them "moist" rather than "soaking wet" and again got 90+%

So I definitely think there is something in the fact that the viability falls off and (for old seed) more care during germination is worthwhile.

[Ian_A]

yes never chitted them before. I always pop  2-3 per pot and always at least one germinates. If more than one germinates I decamp them into their own pots: not time consuming, and not a waste of corn - not that they are expensive mind.