Author Topic: sweetcorn ruined (Read 3025 times)

stellaruth · « **on:** March 30, 2014, 08:35:20 pm »

Hi, I potted on my sweetcorn yesterday (they were about 5" tall) but this morning I found most of them cut off at soil level.
Does anyone know what would have done this. It wasn't slugs as the tops were lying on the top.

hexhammeasure · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2014, 09:28:58 pm »

Most likely mice, possibly rabbits if outside and at a pinch grey squirrel who love sweetcorn plants

stellaruth · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2014, 09:56:05 pm »

Thankyou for your reply. Do you know any way to stop them?
I try to be organic.

Carasine · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2014, 10:17:23 pm »

Sounds like voles to me they love nipping of sweetcorn (and anything else tender)
I had a problem a few years ago. Trapping is one option you could go for (and more permanent as they will be an ongoing issue). You can get live traps if you want to take them a distance away rather than kill them. I tried this a few years ago with limited success. I have also previously put some cut down bottles over my young plants to protect them while they are easily nipped.

HesterF · « **Reply #4 on:** March 30, 2014, 10:56:52 pm »

Where are you? You're really early with 5 inch high sweetcorn outside! Could you not just keep them inside or have you got something nibbling inside your greenhouse?

pgkevet · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2014, 09:09:52 am »

Quote from: HesterF on March 30, 2014, 10:56:52 pm

Where are you? You're really early with 5 inch high sweetcorn outside! Could you not just keep them inside or have you got something nibbling inside your greenhouse?

I was going to ask the same. Mine are just germinating at an inch or so high...but then wales isn't renowned for ealy outdoor planting so they'll get greenhoused until hardening off weather is safe...

RUSTYME · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2014, 04:39:29 pm »

Could be cutworms chopping them off .
Still , very early to have them so far advanced , so just sow some more .

pgkevet · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2014, 05:50:19 pm »

I also noted you mentioned you had potted them on. I'm lazy and hat potting up seedlings so sowed mine directy into 3" pots - one seed each. of the first batch of 108 sown I have 8 ungerminated (still time) and today put up another 90. I'll just put new seeds in any failed pots.

I have limited space in the conservatory for germinating stuff or I;d have done it all as one huge batch. I aim for about 250 sweetcorn plants which after battling with the hares and badgers gives me about 100-150 cobs (my other half sides with the wildlife..).

A 1 metre high chicken wire fence was no deterrant last year.

stellaruth · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2014, 07:37:02 pm »

Thanks everyone,
I live in Wales.
I started them in the house and then moved them to the poly. Last year they all just disappeared which is why I started them inside but I thought they'd be safe once they were estabished. As you can tell I'm quite new to this.

regen · « **Reply #9 on:** March 31, 2014, 10:21:19 pm »

" Last year they all just disappeared which is why I started them inside but I thought they'd be safe once they were estabished. As you can tell I'm quite new to this."

And this year they left the green shoots on the ground.

Without a doubt the problem is wood mice- they love seeds like peaas beans and sweetcorn and will continue to dig them up as long as any of the turgid cotyledons remain. They have no interest in the green shoots.

Trapping will work but release them at least a mile away. Only sure way is total protection until seedlings well developed and cotyledons have withered.

Regen