[Kristen]

No, don't think so. They are the old fashion, tall, growing type. Modern supersweet corn has been bred to mature faster, but they have done that by also making them shorter.

But, the taller ones carry more cobs - so they crop over a longer time.

Crucial to pick the cobs early enough - and its quite difficult to work out how "mature" they are as they are still fairly buried in the leaf joints.

I suggest that you snap off the male flowers on the top of the plant when they appear - which will prevent anything accidentally getting pollinated - including any other sweetcorn varieties in the vicinity.

[GreenOwl]

I suggest that you snap off the male flowers on the top of the plant when they appear - which will prevent anything accidentally getting pollinated - including any other sweetcorn varieties in the vicinity.

You are referring to the minipops aren't you?  I would want the full size ones pollinated!

[Trillium]

In our Canadian seed catalogues, we're always warned to plant any mini or popcorn varieties quite far from eating varieties as the cross pollination will ruin both crops. Same with planting open/heirloom varieties far from hybrids. So unless you really do have the space for distant plantings, best to choose just the one that everyone will like most and concentrate your efforts.

[Kristen]

I suggest that you snap off the male flowers on the top of the plant when they appear - which will prevent anything accidentally getting pollinated - including any other sweetcorn varieties in the vicinity.

You are referring to the minipops aren't you?  I would want the full size ones pollinated!

Yes, sorry for the confusion and wandering so far off topic. I am DEFINITELY talking about Mini-pop which are unfertilized, immature, sweetcorn cobs.

In our Canadian seed catalogues, we're always warned to plant any mini or popcorn varieties quite far from eating varieties as the cross pollination will ruin both crops. Same with planting open/heirloom varieties far from hybrids. So unless you really do have the space for distant plantings, best to choose just the one that everyone will like most and concentrate your efforts.

I don't think its necessary Trillium - breaking off the male pollen bearing part is easy to do, and 100% effective! (but the catalogue advice will work just as well, although it will reduce their seed sales somewhat I expect!)

[realfood]

Last year, I decided to carry out an experiment to test the claims made in a well known seed catalogue, that isolation from other sweet corn varieties was not required for the varieties Swift F1 and Lark F1.

It was a tough test as I grew 5 different varieties in the same bed. The varieties were Swift F1, Lark F1, Mirai White GT 1007, Honeydew, and a mystery sweet corn from a "Gardening Which" trial a few years ago.

All the varieties were obviously affected by cross-pollination with different coloured kernels or harder kernels, especially noticeable after cooking.

The advice must still be to only grow one variety of sweetcorn at the same time, unless they produce their pollen several weeks apart, such as an early variety and a late variety.
Some of the resulting cobs had very tough, starchy kernels in amongst the tender sweet kernels.

[kari]

My children loved experimenting with me & growing at home last year (aged 3-12) but some of the flavours were alot stronger than they were used to, especially things like salad greens & radish, celery, spring onions etc. 

But Tom Thumb lettuce were a big hit with all of them, Pak choi were very popular too, and you cant beat a freshly picked pea pod, none of ours made it to the pot, they were all eaten straight from the pod in the garden, as soon as they were ready.

Strawberries as already mentioned taste so much different picked fresh too.

[Kristen]

Last year, I decided to carry out an experiment to test the claims made in a well known seed catalogue, that isolation from other sweet corn varieties was not required for the varieties Swift F1 and Lark F1.

I've seen that catalogue, and I did wonder ... and I have also seen quite a lot of "It is not as important as it is made out to be" advice ... but nothing, until now, has actually said "I did it and it did / did not work"

Thank you SO much for that!

[GreenOwl]

I've seen that catalogue, and I did wonder ... and I have also seen quite a lot of "It is not as important as it is made out to be" advice ... but nothing, until now, has actually said "I did it and it did / did not work"

Thank you SO much for that!

Seconded. 

To get back to the original topic:
IMHO its not your veggies its what people are used to.  Grow the stuff thats bound to be a hit and work from there .  I'd go for cherry tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, sweetcorn and definitely PEAS.  If you've got the space grow early spuds as well.