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Sweetcorn

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Late_As_Always (U13988084) on Thursday, 12th May 2011

  I sowed sweetcorn seeds in 3" pots and they are doing well at around a couple of inches high. Should I pot these on prior to planting them in the ground or is this not necesary? Thanks.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Thursday, 12th May 2011

  No idea where in the world you are, so here goes, get them in the ground.
  
  Don't forget to plant them in a block and not a long single row to help wind blown fertilization. If you hear of a chance of a late frost just be ready to fling a fleece over them. Cheers, Tony.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Engineer (U3135859) on Thursday, 12th May 2011

  Remember to harden them off by putting the pots outside during the day and
  bringing them in at night for a few days before planting them in the ground, otherwise growth may 'check'. If the forecast in your area is for warm nights for the next few days, you can risk planting them out without doing that.
  Sweetcorn doesn't like root disturbance, so be gentle with them when planting
  (I usually add a handful of the same compost they were grown in to the planting hole and get excellent crops most year, weather permitting!) What variety are you growing?
  Cheers -- Bob
  

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Louise (U14848585) on Thursday, 12th May 2011

  I have planted my sweetcorn seeds in modules, they are about 2 inches tall, i want to plant them out soon - do i need to harden them off first? if so, how long would you recomend.
  
  also, what sized block would you recommend, I have 13 seedlings is 3x 4 ok?

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Engineer (U3135859) on Thursday, 12th May 2011

  Just 4 or 5 days hardening-off should be enough. A 3x4 block is fine. Plant them about 9-12 inches apart both ways. Best to put a cane at each corner of the block before they grow higher than about 2 feet with string tied around so that they don't get blown over by the wind.
  Corn needs a lot of nitrogen, so do feed them from when they have grown to be about foot tall with a high-nitrate feed. Spraying with liquid feed is good as they can take this in through the leaves
  Cheers -- Bob
  

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by Louise (U14848585) on Thursday, 12th May 2011

  Thank you Bob, I have a question about hardening off plants. I have an allotment but it’s too far to go to before work and I only get over once in the week after work and then again on the weekend (unless it’s very dry). The hardening off process does seem very ‘involved’ and probably not possible for me as I couldn’t bring them in at night then put them back out again in the morning. Plus I live in a block of flats with no outside space. What I do have is a spare room - could I put my seedlings on the window ledge with the window open quite wide – they’d get the full force of the wind plus the temperature would drop considerably over night (the room is not being heated) and they could get a lot of sun in the day. Would this work as an alternative?

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by Engineer (U3135859) on Thursday, 12th May 2011

  I think that would work OK. You could always just plant them and cover with a sheet of clear polythene or fleece held up with sticks etc for the first few days.
  Fleece might be a good idea anyway if you have trouble with pigeons etc at
  the allotment. The ones around here (woodpigeons) are a real nuisence and eat whole rows of baby cabbages in just minutes!
  Cheers -- Bob
  

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Thursday, 12th May 2011

  I dig a ditch to plant my sweetcorn in, them as it grows earth them up. You are left with deep roots which stops the plants getting blown by the wind when they get taller.

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• Message 9

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by aldaniti (U14803108) on Friday, 13th May 2011

  Thats a really good idea, I am doing something similar as my sweetcorn is ready to go out before the raised bed they were going in isn't!
  
  I planted them last night in the area the raised bed will be so that in a few days I will put the wooden frame around them & once big enough I will fill the bed with topsoil so it will earth them up, the bed height is 6inches

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• Message 10

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Friday, 13th May 2011

  
  Be very careful when weeding, corn roots are just a smidge below the surface. Hand weeding is preferreable. Don't cut off the 'side shoots' as they provide more leaf area to collect sunlight. and you may get a cob off them. CCheers, Tony.

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