Yet Another Sweet Corn Issue...

[Crosbie]

Hi Everyone...

Sounds a bit twee but I thought I'd grow a handful of each variety of sweetcorn - supersweets I think - which are coming along nicely -

Then I read about growing in blocks, cross-pollination etc...

So...anyway...the usual stuff...two got knocked about, cat chewed a couple etc,

I'm currently left with:

4 x Butterscotch F1

5 x Lark F1

7 x Honey Bantam

I've studied the recent threads about blocks...spirals etc

My question is:

Can I just go ahead and create a 4 x 4 block with the above (16 plants) or is my little plantation doomed in some way?

Regards
Crosbie

[Duronal]

They'll be fine as long as they flower at the same time. Because most of them are F1 varieties you'll probably want to avaoid keeping any resulting seed for next year but then again you might get something worth keeping

[zazen999]

You might have a problem with supersweets......they should not be grown together apparently [check what the packet says].

[Crosbie]

Packet says, "Simply the best!"

Regards
Crosbie

[walshie]

I got a question about this too. Sweetcorn pollenate (?) each other so.... if you have different varieties together are they going to produce the sweetcorn that you want. i.e. a sweet and tasty pollenates an impressive what will the plant produce? a mix of the two?

[Two_Sheds]

You aren't supposed to plant supersweet with anything else, because they will cross-pollinate.
Because you eat the seed on a sweetcorn, the sweetness can be spoilt by being crossed with a less-sweet variety.

Having said that, I grow 2 varieties on the same plot, and I'm always happy with what I get. It's always sweet enough for me.

[zazen999]

I'm going for 4 varieties this year thanks to a last minute purchase in new york and a donation by Piglet Willie of a mystery packet.

[Peter Bluestar]

I've just sown sweetcorn in pots which have come up really quickly. I plan to plant out in th next couple of weeks but I am a bit concerned as we have lots of wood pidgeon around.

Are they a real threat to my crop and am I best covering up & for how long.

[Crosbie]

It's all here:

Cross-pollination can ruin corn's flavor / LJWorld.com


So I can look forward to some nice tough starchy corn on the cob this year

[realfood]

I have been researching this subject from various published sources, but most papers that I have looked at are a few years old and out of date, as the breeding of sweetcorn is proceeding at a fast pace.
For what it is worth, this is my understanding of the situation.

Extra tender and Sweet (tendersweet) F1. The sweetest type with softer kernels. Some catalogues claim that isolation of this type from other types of sweet corn, is not required. Therefore, you do not need to worry which types of sweet corn are planted in the neighbourhood. Once picked, the sugars do not change to starches as quickly as the older varieties of sweet corn. Also can be quick to mature and should be ready to harvest in September in the North of the UK, and this is the type that I grow in Glasgow.
Suggested varieties of Extra Tender and Sweet (tendersweet)
Swift F1. Very early, very sweet and tender.
Lark F1. Mid season, very sweet and tender.

Supersweets F1. A sweet type but more chewy. The sugar content of this type can be 2or 3 times that of standard sweet corn. Once picked, the sugars do not change to starches as quickly as the older varieties of sweet corn. They do not have the creamy textures of standard sweet corn. Isolation of this type is required from standard sweet corn varieties or the kernels will become tough and starchy in both types. A soil temperature of more than 13 C is required for germination.
Suggested varieties of Supersweets.
Extra early sweet.

Traditional open pollinated or Standard varieties. Can contain up to 6% sugar but are slow to mature and not really suited for the North of the UK. In addition, any sweetness will quickly turn to starch as soon as the cobs are picked. If there is cross-pollination with maize or pop corn, standard varieties will become tough and starchy.

I have written to a sweetcorn breeder to try and get confirmation of the claim that Tendersweet varieties are not affected by cross-pollination.

[Crosbie]

Thanks for this - everyone -

BTW, the 3 varieties I bought are all from the same seed manf.

Funny - right - on the packet they give 'Sowing instructions', 'Growing instructions', 'Serving suggestions.'

No indication that it "might damage your ears and kernels if grown next to other varieties."

A bit more transparency would be nice.

Regards
Crosbie

[Burgerboy]

I am going to try giant sweetcorn this year. Been in the pots 3 weeks and now over 8 inches tall!