what sweetcorn types have you grown?

**Protea** · 28-02-2008, 09:07 AM

Average yield from nearly all vaieties is 1-2 cobs per plant, so take this into account when planning how many plants you want to grow.

Well done on getting good crop last year - mine were pitiful, not enough sun!!

I've grown a few varieties in the past, recently its been swift F1 and Lark F1 which are an early and mid season respectively. They grew OK but it was either lack of water (2006) or too much rain and not enough sun (2007) so i've not yet had a decent crop off them.

The most successful variety i grew was Earlibird, but this was a few years ago on a different plot. I think my new plot just hates sweetcorn!

My advice would be to go for a hybrid (F1) as these are more reliable, and have been bred to be sweeter. The extra tender varieties (like swift and lark) can also be eaten raw they're so sweet. Earlibird is a supersweet.

Contrary to what some people believe you do not have to plant different varieties miles apart from one another, although they do cross pollinate, its not a problem unless you want to save the seed for re-sowing (which is tricky with hybrids anyway). It won't affect the taste of the cobs. So yu can grow early, mid and late varieties all next to each other to extend the season.

**Alison** · 28-02-2008, 09:15 AM

I grew Incredible last year, the plants were quite short but I got a minimum of 3 cobs per plant. The cobs were on the small to average size which suits me as it's not exactly one of my favourite vegs and it's only really OH that eats it - in fact we've still got about a dozen cobs in the freezer so must start eating them up. You do need to make sure you grow it in blocks not rows and it's a good idea to tap them now and again to make sure they pollinate themselves properly otherwise you run the risk of getting gappy cobs. I did this loads, don't know if I needed to do it as much but it worked so will be following a similar technique this year!

**Cutecumber** · 28-02-2008, 10:12 AM

I've had most success with Sundance.

I don't have as good conditions as you - I've got light soil and it's slightly shady, and I have to plant them a bit closer than I'd like - so I only get one cob on each plant. I am sure the low yield is the result of my growing environment, not the variety. They germinate well, grow strongly and produce good cobs, so I'm happy enough.

**Alison** · 28-02-2008, 10:23 AM

Originally posted by Cutecumber View Post

I've had most success with Sundance.

I don't have as good conditions as you - I've got light soil and it's slightly shady, and I have to plant them a bit closer than I'd like - so I only get one cob on each plant. I am sure the low yield is the result of my growing environment, not the variety. They germinate well, grow strongly and produce good cobs, so I'm happy enough.

My knowledge of growing them is very much based on shove them in and if it works do it again etc so apologies if this is a stupid question!

Anyway, if you're getting a lower crop by putting them close together, have you ever tried planting less to see the effect on your overall yield? Just curious

**Cutecumber** · 28-02-2008, 10:26 AM

Good point, Alison - I try and get 12 plants, which gives me 12 cobs. If I cut down to 9plants, say, perhaps I might end up more cobs... I guess I am worried about the fertilisation issue.

**Alison** · 28-02-2008, 10:33 AM

I only had 8 plants last time (should have been 9 but had a last minute accident with no 9!) and got about 25 cobs although some were pretty small. Don't know what the average is but I was dead pleased.

**queen of the cobs** · 28-02-2008, 10:47 AM

thanks everyone, lots of good advice. I'll bear in mind when I go shopping!

**SMS6** · 28-02-2008, 12:32 PM

Last year I planted an early variety - Early Xtra but that failed miserably. I think it was because I planted in a row not in a block. When it failed I got a gardening book and looked up how they should be planted. (Yes I know I should have done that first.

)

So I then planted - Conqueror in a block of 3 x 4 plants. I got 2 or 3 cobs per plant from most of them.

I was interested to read that you don't have to keep the varieties apart, I thought you did and I've been trying to work out how to fit both varieties in this year.

**zazen999** · 28-02-2008, 01:35 PM

I am growing 3 different types this year, I remember my mum growing them in Canada when I was very little, so I have a major soft spot for sweetcorn growing.

Supersweet as I have some seeds left from last year
Double standard, which is heritage and if this goes well, I'll stick to this in future
Strawberry Popcorn, we grew this last year and due to the silly summer, it just didn't get to harvest before the winds took them down...so starting them much earlier this year. They grow little big strawberries and when you dry them, apparently you can pop them just like popcorn...I am a sucker for this sort of thing. The unripe korns did start to go red last year, and did look strawberry shaped, so I'll bear with it.

To keep them apart, I grow them so that they pollenate with a month or so in between, but of course that's only really relevant if you want to save seed, and until I just grow one type, I'll not do that.

The corn I got last year was fabulous, but alot of it went over during October when we were in NY, as it was still mild then; What I will try this year is to succession grow and keep adding to the block...so start with 10 and add a few to the block every 3 weeks. However, sometimes the later ones do catch up if the summer is good so I might be back to the drawing board with this one next year.

**Cuke** · 28-02-2008, 02:23 PM

I grew Supersweet last year and got nine cobs from nine plants which I was happy with as it was my first year

**davefromthechipie** · 28-02-2008, 06:27 PM

Grew F1 sweet last year Had 3 cobs per plant . You don't even have to cook them

We loved um so much il be growing the same this year but 5X as many, Its the perfect corn imo .

**nick nack** · 28-02-2008, 07:25 PM

I have grown sundance for the last two years and have been fairly successful. Trying 'Extra Tender + Sweet F1 as well

NN

**silver birch** · 01-03-2008, 07:23 PM

Hello! My boyfriend and I have planned out a large garden's worth of fruit and veg this year - we've never grown more than garlic and herbs before but have recently moved into a house with a PERFECT growing garden. I've bought 'Rising Sun F1' seeds for my sweetcorn crop, and this is probably a really silly question but I can't find anywhere how tall my sweetcorn will grow. I was planning on underplanting it with asparagus pea.

Has anyone tried this variety? And could someone give me an idea of how tall sweetcorn gets?

Thank you

**queen of the cobs** · 02-03-2008, 01:08 PM

Originally posted by silver birch View Post

Hello! My boyfriend and I have planned out a large garden's worth of fruit and veg this year - we've never grown more than garlic and herbs before but have recently moved into a house with a PERFECT growing garden. I've bought 'Rising Sun F1' seeds for my sweetcorn crop, and this is probably a really silly question but I can't find anywhere how tall my sweetcorn will grow. I was planning on underplanting it with asparagus pea.

Has anyone tried this variety? And could someone give me an idea of how tall sweetcorn gets?

Thank you

last year my sweetcorn was about 5 feet high; I didn't underplant with anything as I think I may have planted a little too close together, about 9 inches, but I had no trouble with pollinating, however.

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what sweetcorn types have you grown?

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