Last year, our sweetcorn didn’t do very well at all. The first and second lots of seedlings got destroyed by slugs and snails. The third lot was molly-coddled so much it grew…just not very much. We had one cob, that was about 1 inch long. It tasted very sweet.
This year i planted enough for 15 plants. 4 were good enough to be potted on and are now growing in the bed well, as can be seen above. They should be planted in a block (if that is possible with 4 plants!) so that the fertilisation can happen by wind dispersal. I think i planted them too close, but there is plenty of room for their roots to roam, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
Lots is growing at the mo, particularly the sweetcorn…i love this time of year!
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:49 pm
My rabbits and chickens dug up my rows of sweetcorn, so I have been left with two measely plants (which probably won’t do a thing now, no cross pollination and wotnot) out of a whole block. That’ll teach me for leaving it far too late and sowing directly. I think next year I’ll give them another bash, but not be so maverick about it all. My devil-may-care attitude to veg growing really backfires sometimes.
July 5th, 2008 at 10:26 am
I think sweetcorn does need a long growing period so the earlier you can get them in the better. I try to have decent sized plants before I put them out - I have lost count of the number of wimpy plants that have been eaten by slugs before they had a chance to grow!
July 5th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Ours are going great too, must be all this rain. We planted them 2 to a pot and took the best one of each pair. A few of the runty little ones survived too so we’ve got quite a few going on this year.
July 5th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Lucy - yeah, i found last year that if you are careless with some veg, or don’t give it hours of love and attention, it just gets eaten or dies. I’m like that with cauli’s, so have to buy plug plants.
Easy - sounds like a similar experience.
Al - Funny you guys forgot the other nite, we’ll have to get together soon. Good idea to plant 2 to a pot, might do that next year. I think i need to build a fortress around them!
July 5th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Looking good. I have corn this year as well but it doesn’t look as good as yours.