[robbodaveuk]

I have grown about 150 sweetcorn plants this year, the same ones as last year and from the same supplier. The plants are between 3 and 5 ft high and the tops are developed and nearly ready to spread their pollen. The problem is, there are no signs of corn cobs on any of the plants. I am sure last year the cobs were forming the same time as the tops developing. Can anyone enlighten me?

  Robbo.

[mumofstig]

The silks always are a bit later, and every year I don't think they're gonna make it in time....but they always do

[PennyS]

Mine aren't showing any signs of doing anything either.

They're pretty sturdy looking but don't seem to be making a move towards actually producing any sweetcorn....

It's not an early variety (as far as I know) but an old one, Stowells Evergreen. 

Think next year to spare my nerves I'll go for an early variety!!

 :blink:

[Kristen]

Always amazes (and panics me) that they start spreading pollen and then a day later the silks appear ...

But I think that the pollen is "all gone" before the later cobs' silks appear so they never make it ... well, not on the early varieties I grow at least.

[Springlands]

Kirsten - I read somewhere (cannot remember where -must be an age thing) that if you stagger the planting of your corn so that they do no all release the pollen at one time you have a better chance of good cobs.

[Kristen]

Makes sense, but I've never had a problem with pollination. Mine are sown at fortnight intervals, but I reckon they have finished pollen-ing after two weeks, so not sure how much benefit the next batch is to the earlier one.

Actually, as it happens, I always start planting down-wind opposite end from the prevailing wind, so I suppose later batches will be helping earlier ones.

[Snoop]

Actually, as it happens, I always start planting down-wind opposite end from the prevailing wind, so I suppose later batches will be helping earlier ones.

I do the same. I also leave the tillers on, as they often produce a later flush of male flowers. Plus, I have been known to steal a male flower from a later batch of sweetcorn and shake it, probably optimistically, over the silks of the previous batch.