Sweetcorn potted on yet?

**Raybon** · 05-05-2014, 07:01 AM

Hi.
My sweetcorn is going straight in the ground after hardening off - for me it's a question of space, really! They have to be planted in a block so there tends to be quite a lot of them.....as long as they have a nice, generous compost planting hole they are usually fine.
I heartily dislike those brown cardboardy things as I think the roots have to work too hard to get out and they need a lot of watering - if I have to use them I generally dunk them in water before planting then when they have softened a little gently tear from top to base in about three places so they have a nice escape route!
May be a good idea to warm the soil with plastic sheet for a couple of days before you plant out.

**noviceveggrower** · 05-05-2014, 07:06 AM

I only planted them in the cardboard things cause I'd run out of pots at the time. I was thinking of popping them out of the tubs. I have found in the past that sometimes if you use loo rolls for some things that they don't always rot down so I usually peel them off my plants before I put them in. Have got a bag of compost ready to put a bit in the ground for them.
Thanks for the idea of warming the ground up think I might plant them at home cause I have still got plenty of space and it will be easier to pick and cook in a short space of time.

**Kristen** · 05-05-2014, 10:09 AM

Originally posted by noviceveggrower View Post

I have found in the past that sometimes if you use loo rolls for some things that they don't always rot down so I usually peel them off my plants before I put them in.

Make sure you tear off any cardboard that is above the soil - that can act as a wick and dry out the remaining cardboard underground, and then the roots can't grow through it. Any cardboard underground that is "moist" won't be a problem.

I've never sure about root disturbance of Sweetcorn. To my mind it is supposed no to like root disturbance, so I grow mine in loo-rolls / newspaper pots and "plant whole". But I see plenty in Garden Centre in tiny modules, and read of people growing them in pots & pricking out / potting on, so maybe they are not troubled by root disturbance?

If that is the case you could pot yours on - they won't like going outside in chilly conditions.

**Bex** · 05-05-2014, 01:26 PM

My sweet corn either didn't germinate or keeled over :-(

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**andy_j** · 05-05-2014, 02:23 PM

Probably best to keep them in their existing pots for a couple more weeks and give them a weekly liquid feed just to make them green up a bit. Im doing this with my courgettes as I sowed them a bit too early.

**bretty666** · 05-05-2014, 02:49 PM

i put loads of seeds straight in the ground a couple of weeks ago maybe a bit more? but they are doing fine maybe 4-7 cm tall. weathe here has been very similar to uk weather. i think if you doing under 50 plants it might be worth starting them off but if you do more then you probably dont have the equipment or time to start off in pots then transplant? what variety are you growing??

**Greenleaves** · 05-05-2014, 03:16 PM

I tried broadcast sowing last year on the last May bank holiday and then thinned them out when big enough to select the strongest........failed miserably

so lesson learnt!

**noviceveggrower** · 05-05-2014, 04:58 PM

I started mine off in the brown tubs but put them in the clear plastic propagator lid. I then gave them some warm water to start them off with, not to warm just warm to the touch. Then covered them up with cling film until I saw one appear then removed it.
Think I have 13 out of the 15 come through

**Martin H** · 05-05-2014, 06:34 PM

I chitted mine last week then put them into modules of multipurpose compost and kept them by my computer screens where it's warm. 26 out of 27 germinated, they are now outside on my table in the sun. I'll keep an eye on the forecast overnight temperatures and bring them in if it's going to drop below about 10.

Looking at the forecast I won't be able to put them out on the plot for 2 weeks yet but they should be fine in the modules till then.

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Sweetcorn potted on yet?

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