"Jon" wrote in message ...
Hello all, new to this group. Apologies for rubbish message a few minutes
ago.....blaim 4 y.o. son.
Does anyone have any advice about growing sweetcorn? I'm thinking of trying
it in my greenhouse, but have no experience. How much space does it need?
How tall will it grow (can I control the height)? When? I'm in the south of
Scotland so there is a possability of frost for another 6 weeks say.
Any advice welcomed.
Thanks
Jonny

Jon,
some will tell you you cant grow it successfully outdoors in the UK.
Not true.
Many of us have been doing so for years.
In Essex I find I can get two or more cobs per plant, but rarely is
the season long enough for the third cob to be productive. This year I
will, as someone else has mentioned, remove the third cobs. If you
have a shorter season you may only get one - it is still worthwhile.
Sweetcorn benefits from added nitrogen (which is logial as it is a
fast growing grass which needs warmth and you are trying to get the
best out of it in a short growing season).
I often sow some in pots early and some seeds direct into the ground.
The plants grown straight in the ground later do just as well. The
trick is to wait till the ground gets warm, as sweetcorn wont
germinate in cold soil. It doesnt like root disturbance, which may
account for the pot grown seedlings not being far ahead of seed sown
straight out. Perhaps if you have a shorter growing season up north
you may want to get the corn going in pots first. One advantage of
planting out is that you will not lose small plants to slugs/snails
and blackbirds which I find a problem for direct sowing.
It likes warmth, and the plants often grow very slowly till the really
warm few days arrive - then they take off. They definitely do better
if watered during hot weather.
Shelter is useful as they tend to get blown over by a gale- they do
straighten up and do ok, but it is harder to get between the plants
for picking if they have toppled.
In your block, make sure the rows are far enough apart that you can
just walk between them.
They are best eaten very fresh, but you can freeze the cobs (blanched
or not). We tend to blanch then cut the kernels off as this takes less
freezer space.
Varieties; I used to plant Jubilee, but I now grow Early Extra Sweet
which is either a Marshalls or Unwins variety and I find it has a
better, sweeter flavour