Thursday 1 October 2015

HOW TO GROW SWEETCORN

 

Click here for the 'Seeds of Eaden' seed shop

Sweetcorn is easy to grow here in the UK and you cannot beat the test of fresh corn cobs picked from the garden.

You may choose the tried and tested traditional large varieties  of corn, and notable varieties include: Swift F1,  Golden Giant, ‘Earlibird' and ‘Lark’. If you are short on space you may decide to grow mini sweetcorn, which don't need to be grown in large blocks like their bigger brother but will still provide an impressive yield. 

Traditional sweetcorn is pollinated by the wind and so should be grown in blocks rather than rows. Mini sweetcorn is harvested before fertilisation and therefore can be grown in rows or individually as plants.

Chose a fertile soil in a sheltered, sunny position.  Prepare the soil by digging it over and adding organic matter.  Apply a granular fertiliser such as growmore and rake in.
 
Plant traditional sweetcorn in blocks, spacing 45 cm between plants. Mini sweetcorn can be planted in rows or individually. Mulch your plants with organic matter to conserve water and suppress weeds. Mound up the soil over roots that appear at the base of the stems.
Stake tall plants as necessary and protect from birds by placing netting and CDs over your crop.

Water your sweetcorn well in dry weather, especially when they are flowering. Sweetcorn is wind pollinated so tap the top of the plants when the tassels (male flowers) open. Feed the cobs with a liquid fertiliser weekly.

Harvest your corn when the tassels have turned dark brown. Twist the ripe cobs from the stem and eat straight away by boiling in water.

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