Sweetcorn varieties

[Matt.]

What are the tallest and or heaviest cropping varieties of sweetcorn? So far in two years I've tried Swift (Fothergils), Lark (T&M) and Extra tender and sweet F1 (T&M).

All have been dissapointing with short stems and small ears. I'd like to know what varities you've grown that are tall i.e 6 feet+ and have two or more cobs. Oddly the packets don't tend to give this info. Cheers.

[Eyren]

I could be wrong, but I reckon any variety is likely to have struggled during the past two British summers - there just hasn't been enough sun for them to photosynthesize and grow that high. Even the best ones on our site are only about 5' this year...

(Don't ask about mine - our cat ate the seedlings! )

[Two_Sheds]

a lot depends on your conditions.
a windy site will stunt growth

[bluemoon]

I've been disappointed with all three of those varieties too, Matt. I keep trying different ones, but always keep going back to 'Sundance'. I think you can get it from different places, but mine came from Sutton's. It's a relatively old variety, but seems to have stood the test of time. They've done well, even in the sort of indifferent northern summer that I've just endured, with two cobs on most plants. One cob is usually larger than the other, but it does reach a typical supermarket size, the smaller one is still large enough to be edible too. The plants here are reaching between 5ft 6ins and 6ft, but might do even better where you are. The flavour is lovely too which, after all, is why we grow our own sweetcorn in the first place.

[Cutecumber]

I've experimented with Swift again this year.

My preferred variety is Sundance, which has always produced - only one cob per plant, but in all summers. I have a shaded, windy garden and the soil is light and sandy. Not exactly perfect growing conditions!!

I have tried Swift previously and it hasn't done wonderfully, but I thought I'd give it another go...

the cobs are very small, sadly.

Back to Sundance for me next year!

[Matt.]

Thanks Bluemoon and Cutecumber for the 'Sundance' recommendation - I'll definitely try that next year. My site is a bit windy but other plots have much taller and bigger crops. Unfortunatly the owners are ever about to ask!

[vegnut]

I,m growing swift at the moment, and they are approximately 5' high with 2 to 3 ears on each. They did go in late so theyr'e not quite ready yet, so i cant say what the size of the cob is going to end up being. Taking into account of the weather we have had this year, i'm reasonably happy...I think

[oldie]

I'm growing "double standard bi-colour" from Real Seeds. They are over 6ft tall. Most seem to have good sized cobs but they are nowhere near ready yet.

[queen of the cobs]

I'm growing 'Incredible' and (sorry to boast) 6 feet tall plants from which i've harvested one of the cobs from each and the 2nd (and sometimes third) are ripening nicely. I would really reccommend starting off in modules and panting out when they are about a foot to 18" tall - I always find this gives a real boost. In fact, I sow in modules, transplant into smallish pots (about 3 or 4 inches) and then transplant into the ground.

I hope you have better luck next year.

[SarzWix]

I'm trying Northern Extra Sweet this year, and it's been pants Plants haven't grown at the same rate as each other, so some plants haven't been pollinated properly.

[kentvegplot]

I've grown 'Sweetie' - it hasn't quite made 6', but all the plants have cobs, some of which I have already enjoyed.

Started off in root trainers, (germination was a bit patchy, only 10 out of 18 seeds came up) and planted out once they were around a foot tall.

Is there a reason you want taller varieties?

[Matt.]

Is there a reason you want taller varieties?

No reason I just like growing big varieties of everything!

To be honest I'm more interested in getting a good crop so three ears from 'Incredible' sounds a good bet too. This year I'm growing Lark and the F1 seed at either end of the plot. I started the F1 later as a second sowing because I thought Lark would be ruined in the June flood. However Lark survived and has done ok and the top of the tassles is about 5.5' but the ears are so small. The pollon started falling two/three weeks ago. The F1 so far looks rubbish. A really good thick strong plant about 5' high but no ears or tassles anywhere?! I've got over 30 plants of each so a decent sample size.

Other growers on my site have plants 7'+ with big cobs. Maybe I'll leave a note on the gate...

[daylily]

Height of plant is no importance in corn growing, unless ruined by some factor, and all corn only will give you about 2-3 cobs a plant. All veriaties you name are perfectly good to grow, I don't really see what the problem is other than unreasonable expectations.

or something important in growing them - as everybody has big corns around - but we don't know what it is... How have you done them?

There is big corn, BTW, several metres tall still won't give you more cobs.

[bridget mc laughlin]

I always tend to go for F1 KELVON GLORY, IT'S ABOUT 6FT TALL AND IT GIVES ME 2 COBS PER PLANT EVERY YEAR.

[rogesse]

My corn is looking terribly sad at the momment (Double Standard - Realseed), I'm ashamed, even in a bad year I have always been able impress! What the cat wasn't able to get at (I plant her a bowl of her own as she loves it so much) was planted in good time in a sheltered sunny position, yet I'll be happy with a cob per plant at this rate!

The 'strawberry popcorn' planted at the same time is fairing much better.

My lottie neighbour is growing 'S.African corn' (?) - he hails from Zimbabwe, which looks very impressive - tall, green and glossy, more like a leafy tropical house plant. I complimented him yesterday but he was disappointed - because of the weather it is all showy leaf and no corn!