On Fri, 13 Oct 2006 Nick Maclaren wrote:

To David Rance, what I said was "In some years, maybe - in others, no
chance." The problem with seed saving of marginal crops always has
been the bad years.

You're probably right.

However I do think that our climate is improving to the point where
maize/sweetcorn is becoming less marginal. For instance, in France more
than ten years ago I saw maize growing only south of Poitiers. For the
last ten years or so maize has become a regular crop in Normandy - acres
of the stuff! I would guess that around the Suisse Normande (where I
live) it is the most common arable crop. They leave it on the fields
until the plants are completely dry and withered. Every year. I'm sure
David in Normandy will confirm that. There seem to be two main crops in
Northern France now, oil seed rape and maize. You don't see wheat like
you used in Normandy. It's probably still grown in the Beauce - well,
they have to grow wheat somewhere to feed the boulangeries!

I have seen maize growing from time to time in Southern England but not
round here (Reading). I don't know why it doesn't catch on here. Maybe
the EU doesn't give us the incentives.

But what I'm saying is that in Southern England now, more often than
not, maize seed *can* be ripened whereas, say, thirty years ago it
wasn't easy to grow at all let alone ripen. I can still remember my
father's rather pathetic efforts!

And, looking at my own crop this year, I think that this would be a good
year to ripen the seed.

David

--
David Rance http://www.mesnil.demon.co.uk
Fido Address: 2:252/110 writing from Caversham, Reading, UK