[angie]

Hi,
I'm new to growing some veg. Grew sweet corn for the first time this year. I planted them in blocks and they grew to over 2.5 mts. They looked good and had lots of leaf and plenty of cobs developed. Was really proud of how they had grown and was looking forward to eating the cobs.
But when I started to harvest them the corn inside the cobs hadn't developed. Thought maybe I had been impatient and picked them to early. But over time I got the same result. Only a few developed corn kernels and they we patchy, the corn was hard as well.
Anyone got any ideas as to what went wrong, I suspect I should have watered them more.
Would appreciate advice as I would like to have a go at growing them next year.
Many thanks
Angie

[PK]

By the sound of it I would guess the plants experienced stress mid way through their growth. Often this is because of lack of water.

[angie]

Thank you pk,I did wonder if that was the problem
Angie

[Fleecewife]

It sounds to me like it could be a pollination problem.  You grew them in blocks which is the best way, but somehow the pollen has failed to reach the silks.  Sometimes the male and female bits are not well co-ordinated so by the time the silks appear the pollen has all gone.  If the silks and the pollen are very wet, then there is no pollen blowing, and the silks stick together unreceptively.  I wonder about the fact that the plants are so tall - the pollen is produced at the top, so maybe it all just blew away before it could reach the lower silks.


What variety did you grow, and how many plants in your block?  next year, choose your variety carefully for tenderness and suitability for the region you live.


That the corn which was pollinated was hard was because you had left it too late to pick - you test it with a fingernail pushed into a grain, when a milky liquid should ooze out.   You can feel if your cobs have swollen just by squeezing them gently - full and plump then they're pollinated and developing well, if the outer leaves look a bit loose and wrinkled then there are not likely to be full cobs. When the grains are too hard, your hens will love them.


I'm not sure why I'm sounding as if I know what I'm talking about, because I've rarely had a good crop and I'm not bothering with corn next year     

[angie]

Hi fleece wife

Thanks for your information. Sounds like you have had a few goes with growing them.
Didn't realize that they could be so hit and miss.
Can't remember the variety of corn, planted a 4 by 4 block16 plants altogether.
Angie

[cloddopper]

Angie a four foot by four foot block of 16 corn plants is too small & too cramped .

 Most reccommend planting spaces are 450 to 500 betwen plants and if you can go 10 foot by ten foot , usinfg binder band on stakes at 18  & 36 inches up fromthe ground tied onnthe stakes to form a grid to support the stalks .

 They like well drained ground that has plenty of humus in it to retain moisture.
 Try using an F1 hybrid if you are in the north  with cold weather .
 Varieties I see recommended are F1 lark  F1 Swift

" Mirai M130 "  is also shown but I don't know if it is an F1  though it does indicate it is a very reliable cropper .

 The first few years I grew sweet corn I used two lengths of pig wire stock fencing and tied them together with cable ties then set the wire frame four foot up from the ground on stakes . It worked well but harvesting the corn cobs in the middle was a bit of a stretch as not only were they three feet or so from the edges they were also six or so feet up .
 Thats why I resorted to the binder band idea .

 There is also a reliable mini corn called Mini pop .  I've had a lot of success with them in my 3 foot high raised beds which are 3x 3 square foot beds with five plants per bed ,  one a foot in from each corner & the fifth in the middle

[Fleecewife]

cloddopper - I stake mine individually.  You just have to be careful a tie doesn't trap a developing cob.

[pgkevet]

I grow 100-150 plants per year usually as 4 rows. Various 'early' and 'extra sweet' varieties. They never get more than 4 foot high and rarely more than 2 cobs per plant. I expect to lose a large amount due to hares and pheasants. Best year I got 100 cobs for myself from 200 plants. This year we only ate about 20 from 100 plants (the rest vandalised by wildlife) and the cobs were poorer than usual. Locally fodder maize gets to the 2.5m height. Next year I plan on a 10 x 10 block and chicken wire fence.

[angie]

Hi clodopper
Thank you for your information. Much appreciated


I meant to say that I planted the corn the correct distance apart in a square of four plants by four,total of sixteen plants.
Will follow your advice next year.
Live in north devon
Angie