We ran a survey and asked our valued customers to submit their top tips for successfully sowing and growing Sweetcorn. Some have been featured in our catalogues but we thought we would publish these online to allow other growers to benefit...
We must add that we haven't tried all of the hints and tips below but it may offer some insights to how other growers approach sowing and growing sweetcorn!
- Plant in a block, approx 8 or 9 inches between each plant in row. Rows about 2.5 feet apart max. need lots of sun and water, fertilise at least once with a fish-based fertiliser. Remove any secondary growth that comes from the base.
- Sow in individual pots until well-grown and then plant out in a square so that the wind can pollinate them. You can also grow two or three of them in your borders as long as you shake the pollen over each of them.
- Grow seeds on top of damp kitchen paper placed on a large dinner plate. Put the plate into a large clear food bag and close with a clip or clothes peg. Keep in the light (but not direct sunlight) and within a few days they will germinate sending up a green shoot. Transplant into 3" pots of compost to grow on.
- Start off in root trainers and get them in as soon as can once frosts have stopped in a sunny position to give them a long growing season.
- Always start them off in damp kitchen roll indoors until they chit. Keep them somewhere light and warm. As soon as they chit, plant them in pots until they are ready to plant outside.
- Northern gardeners try dwarf varieties so that the plant puts energy into filling out the kernels rather than growing tall. Plant short rows bunched together in a square or circle. Start seeds in a root trainer for earlier yields.
- Grow in greenhouse until 10cm high plant out in square planting 10x10 square area for cross pollination.
- Keep well away from badgers (who know the corn is ready hours before you decide to harvest!!!!) Plant in a square rather than a row as they need each other to pollinate.
- Place plastic 1ltr milk containers over cobs once the silks have turned brown cut the bottom of the container diagonally with a Stanley blade and push over the cob this will keep out any rats or birds. Remove the top of the container for ventilation.
- Plant sweet corn the way the wind blows if you plant them side on the wind will blow them over so plant the same way as the prevailing wind.
