[Ghost]

Hi

Never grown this before. Obviously I know it's too early to do it now. I just wondered though, do the seeds from the same packet all become ready to harvest at the same time? Is there a way to stagger the harvest, for example sowing seeds in the ground and some in the greenhouse?

Thanks

[DD.]

There's no reason why you can't stagger the sowing a bit, but bear in mind that you need to grow in blocks for good pollination and you'll have to accept that you will get a lot ready within a narrow space of time.

Personally I'd never sow sweetcorn direct due to germination issues, but you could do a couple of staggered sowings in the greenhouse, bearing in mind the later one would probably catch up quite a bit.

The other alternative is two blocks of two different varities, kept well apart.

[Ghost]

Ah it doesn't really sound like it's worth it. I'm growing in my garden so don't have the space for 2 blocks. What's the minimium amount of plants in a block do you think?

[DD.]

Have a look at this:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=72701.0

[Ghost]

Thanks

[TerryB]

DD link says it all but to add my 2 pence worth.

9 in a 3ft x 3ft block. Climbing beans alongside each sweetcorn. 1 Squash in the middle.
Its called The 3 Sisters companion planting. Sweetcorn supply support for beans & squash suppress weeds. Needs a lot of feeding but if you only have a little space give it a try.

I also chit my sweetcorn by placing the seeds in an air tight container in between 2 sheets of damp kitchen role, stored in a dark cupboard. You must check the seeds daily because it only take about 3/4 days before they need puting in pots in a warm & light  place.   

[Jome]

I have always found sweetcorn needs quite a long growing season, so staggering the crops might mean you loose out with the later ones. Sounds like you've already decided against it anyway!

[bigben]

I agree with Jome - unless your in part of country where your likely to get a lot of sun you might not get much from a second sowing. I struggled to get much from one sowing last year.

[JayG]

Much as I love home grown sweetcorn I rarely get more than one and a bit decent cobs per plant, and my theory is that it's due not only to the poor recent summers (which obviously don't help), but also incomplete pollination of the 2nd and 3rd female "silks" because the pollen seems to start being produced almost before any of the silks appear and often appears to be "spent" before all the silks have developed.

So I will be experimenting this year with two batches, probably sown about 2 weeks apart, the second batch will be planted upwind of the first. Don't see there's a lot to lose unless this summer is even more dreadful than the last few have been.

Ghost seems to have made up his/her mind, but I would still think it was worth a go as long as you were growing at least 18 in total (only grow about 30 myself!)

[Ghost]

All this talk about sweetcorn is making my mouth water thinking about cooking some on a barbecue. 

[Babstreefern]

I plant my sweetcorn seeds in individual plastic cups (one in each), and plant them all out at one go.  I don't bother staggering the planting.  When they're ready to harvest I do various methods of freezing, eg, a few cobs, and chop the rest in plastic bags to freeze.  Lovely jubbly - great for Christmas dinner.  I also freeze my asparagus for the same reason - save them for Christmas - something to remember why you go through the same rigmarole of growing and working, especially if you've been on the allotment on a really cold and blustery day in winter

[Goosegirl]

I have been successful in the past and had some yummy cobs but last year was a disaster. I think growing them for the first time with my beans cast some shade and they didn't pollinate too well. I believe you can plant them wherever there is space. Our local farmers grow them for cattle feed and put huge quantities of manure on them so I will go back to putting them in my brassica bed.

[Kristen]

I grow three batches in the greenhouse 21-Mar,  01-Apr, 15-Apr (fortnightly, but I round the numbers in my plan!)

And then three batches for outdoor crops 01-May, 15-May, 01-Jun

The 01-Jun crop is a bit chancy, ripening around mid September

I never really get more than 1 cob per plant.  I think the variety I plant ("Swift") has been bred to be too short, so it crops within our short season - it bears it cob on about the third leaf joint, and I don't think there is enough "plant" to carry any more. I sometimes get a cob higher up, but the corns are terribly misshapen.

I plant nearer to 15"-18" apart - I think 12" is crowing the plant and may lead to smaller cobs. I've not had a problem with pollination (I shake the ones in the greenhouse, which produces clouds of pollen, but the outdoor ones never produce anything when I do that, so I assume the wind got there before me!)

[MoreWhisky]

I always have wonderful sweetcorn 2 or 3 cobs per plant. they love a weekly drink of comfrey tea 

[Kristen]

I always have wonderful sweetcorn 2 or 3 cobs per plant. they love a weekly drink of comfrey tea 

What variety do you grow?