[swaine]

I've grown some sweetcorn for the first time (Suttons. Swift).

The cobs are 6" long and appear fully developed, but there are only about 10% of the individual corns that I would expect to see on a cob. These individual corns are fully ripe and taste excellent.

The cob has a pattern on it of where the remaining 90% of the corns should be, but no hint of corns. The 10% that have developed are in a random pattern along the cob.

Can someone suggest what has gone wrong?

[DD.]

It's a pollination issue.

Did you grow them in blocks?

[swaine]

Yes. I grew18 plants in a 4 by 4 block with a couple of spares to one side. The corn I've picked was from the outside row of the block.

From what I've read, we seem to be on the limit here for sweetcorn to ripen (Sheffield and 800 ft above sea level). However the individual corns on the cob that have developed have ripened and taste very good.

From what you say. it seems like a pollination issue. So how do I get them to pollinate in the first place!!!

[JayG]

Hi Swaine; I'm in Sheffield too although nowhere near as high up as you are; even the specially-bred varieties of sweetcorn are a bit marginal in the average UK summer and need everything going for them to really deliver the goods!

Mine were a bit patchy; some excellent, some like yours, and some completely "empty"!

It was quite windy here this year during the short period of time that pollination took place, and no doubt was even more so where you are; the best suggestion I can come up with is to grow your plants in 2 batches next year, about 2 weeks apart, and plant the second batch upwind of the first to provide a bit of extra help to the first.

Not complicated, logical, unproven, but probably worth a try! 

[andy135]

It was quite windy here this year during the short period of time that pollination took place, and no doubt was even more so where you are; the best suggestion I can come up with is to grow your plants in 2 batches next year, about 2 weeks apart, and plant the second batch upwind of the first to provide a bit of extra help to the first.

Not complicated, logical, unproven, but probably worth a try! 

I like that. I'll give it a go next year.

[chopkins1313]

I live in Newcastle and mine were exactly the same, but maybe only 5% of the corns developed! I might give them another go next year and get them out a bit earlier as was a bit late (June) this year, and also try the 2 week delay idea as i've heard mutterings on this before. If its still no good next year the space will be given over to something else that does grow 'up norf'. I've tried butternut squash this year, acres of foliage and only one medium green squash to show for it from 4 plants! Sometimes I do wish i lived on the south coast!

[Aidy]

No probs here in the tropix  been a little later than normal but hey, all good things come to those that wait.
Have to agree with DD, if you grow it agian next year try shaking the plants every so often when the silks are out rather than letting Mother N do all the work.

[bigben]

I am also in Sheffield and got a worse crop this year than last. Most have two cobs but only the top one is reasonably developed. Some are almost complete and others patchy. I planted a block of 6x5 so pollination should not be the problem. I did get off to a slow start after my first lot died and I had to resow from the two half packets I had left. I also suffered from sowing two types so none of what I have eaten so far has been as sweet as last years because of cross pollination. Still nice though - lessons for next year - sow more and buy a couple of packets of what I want rather than using left over seed.

[Digger Tom]

 It must be where you live as you have sumised.

 I live in Essex & my sweeties are have gone mad this year. All 50+ plants are producing lovely big cobs.

[mumofstig]

I live in kent and only got about half the usual yield. The early ones on the lottie had male and female flowers when the weather was warm and sunny, so they were great.
The ones in the garden were ready when we had a wet and windy week or so, and the pollination of those cobs were very patchy.
So IMO it's a question of getting pollination timed with good weather............not easy 

[rw3272]

Have had a better than expected crop from Swift up here in NW Cumbria.  Had 1 ripe cob/plant so far and left the tillers on so there are another 4/plant that may/may not ripen.  I think the really warm week in September helped a lot.

I only had a block of 9 plants but stroked the tassels and then the silks each day to try and improve pollination... seemed to work ok!

Def on the list to try again next year.

Rachael

[Geordie Gal]

I have to admit that I've had a great crop of sweetcorn this year.  I wasn't  sure if was beginners luck as I wasn't convinced that it would grow here at the north east coast.
I did plant in a block 8 by 8 and just by chance had two sewings, mainly because my 10 year old planted the seeds and decided that she fancied planting some more after the first lot showed through.
Maybe beginners luck or just a green fingered daughter!  I'll be sure to try again next year.

[digalotty]

mine have started developing the cournells over the last week but still not fully done

[DD.]

Do you mean "kernels"? 

[realfood]

Have had a great crop of sweetcorn in Glasgow this year. My secret of a good crop this far North is to cover the plants with a Lidl cloche for the first month or so during June, and they grow like a rocket.
Just pressure cooked 7 Mirai cobs, extraordinarily sweet, grown as a Gardening Which trial. Anyone else doing this trial?