Planting out sweet corn

[Paulottie]

Hello Heidi,

Rabbits will eat the seedlings; whilst Badgers(and maybe deer) wait until your sweetcorn is just about ripe then trample the lot over and munch 'em.....sorry, it happened to us once. I grow mine behind chicken wire which won't stop them if they're determined but just makes it more convienient to go for someone else's crops instead- selfish but its worked for me.

I don't want to depress you but forewarned is forearmed etc.

[Eternal Sunshine]

Chris you probably know this, but I'll state the obvious and say that you need to plant them in a block, 4 rows of 4 plants say. Last year I had your problem, I started them too early, just plant them out and fleece them. My sweetcorn is still in the packet. Plan to start them straight into the ground mid of may and a few extras in pots for good measure.

Why do they have to be grown in blocks? Is it something to do with pollinating them? Ours are just peeping their heads up above the soil in the greenhouse.

[TEB]

Sweetcorn is wind pollinated hence the block planting method

[Heidi]

Hello Heidi,

Rabbits will eat the seedlings; whilst Badgers(and maybe deer) wait until your sweetcorn is just about ripe then trample the lot over and munch 'em.....sorry, it happened to us once. I grow mine behind chicken wire which won't stop them if they're determined but just makes it more convienient to go for someone else's crops instead- selfish but its worked for me.

I don't want to depress you but forewarned is forearmed etc.

We should be ok, as one of the first things we did when we got the plot was make a fence of chicken wire. We've been told there are rabbits in the vicinity, but so far none of the stuff we've planted down there has been nibbled, so fingers crossed. Plus it will hopefully keep the badgers out!

[Paulottie]

I really hope so- as I say it has worked for me so far -but they are incredibly strong and they do like sweetcorn. One bloke at ours uses electric fence! but really where do you stop! you should be fine.

[Heidi]

I really hope so- as I say it has worked for me so far -but they are incredibly strong and they do like sweetcorn. One bloke at ours uses electric fence! but really where do you stop! you should be fine.

Thanks. I hope so!!

We're planning on planting some more sweetcorn (the lot we planted last Saturday was 2 rows of Minipop) about 29 plants of Siesta that we're planting in one big block. And then after that another 2 lots of sweetcorn.

Lets hope it doesn't become a badger buffet!!!

[Paulottie]

No, Yuk, don't much fancy BBQ'd badger... smelly things.

[TallGirl]

Sweetcorn benefit from being planted lower than in their original pots., this is because the roots are very near to the surface and by planting further down it encourages new roots to come out from the stems and help anchor the plant against wind rock.

Thanks Vicki! I'll do that when mine go out - might be over the weekend if I get my socks on, might be a bit later which feels like it'd be safe to do after reading this thread.

[Alan G]

My Sweetcorn went out at the weekend in a block of 9.

I fashioned a makeshift cloche by shoving a load of chopsticks in and around them and draping fleece over the top which I pegged down around the edges.

I plan to sow Dwarf French Beans in amongst them in due course.

[JamesM]

Mine's still in the packet, hoping to sow this week or possibly hold off a fornight and do it straight into the ground i haven't quite decided as it's my first year growing the stuff

[NewbieGardenerRow]

Ooops mine were sown in large ish modules and are in my mini greenhouse and probably at least 10" tall now. Well they are poking through the shelf above them anyway (they went kinda mad whilst I was on holiday) I guess I'd better get them planted out in blocks pretty soonish and plant some more just in case.