Last year I grew a lot of sweetcorn plants together which I had started at
different times in modules. What I found was that for some reason the plants
all tried to produce kernels at the same time. Presumably the pollen or
something sets them all off. So the less developed sweetcorn didn't have a
good chance to make kernels and in the worst case there were some very
useless cobs with only one or two seeds on them.

This year I'm going to grow different varieties for different ripening times
again. My question is how far do I need to separate the corn plantings of
different things to get them not to interfere with each other's development
like this. Any suggestions?

"Gyve Turquoise" writes:

Last year I grew a lot of sweetcorn plants together which I had
started at different times in modules. What I found was that for
some reason the plants all tried to produce kernels at the same
time. Presumably the pollen or something sets them all off. So the
less developed sweetcorn didn't have a good chance to make kernels
and in the worst case there were some very useless cobs with only
one or two seeds on them.

I don't think an early dusting of pollen would have any effect until
the silks are ready for it. It sounds like what happened is that
since you had different varieties mixed together, some plants weren't
able to get pollen when their ears developed to that point. In other
words, a stalk of variety A didn't get any pollen when it wanted it,
because it was surrounded by stalks of varieties B, C, and D which
kept the pollen from other A stalks from getting that far.

This year I'm going to grow different varieties for different
ripening times again. My question is how far do I need to separate
the corn plantings of different things to get them not to interfere
with each other's development like this. Any suggestions?

The last sweet corn I planted said either 250 feet or yards; I forget
which. Not many gardeners have that much space, so you just have to
do what you can. If you have two varieties that are likely to
pollinate at the same time, plant them at opposite ends of your garden
and hope it's not real windy when they pollinate. If you have
varieties with very different pollination times, you can plant them
close together and not have to worry about cross-pollination.

Make sure to plant your corn in sections at least four rows wide.
That'll ensure good pollination even if the breeze happens to be
perpendicular to the row.


--
Aaron

Aaron Baugher wrote:

The last sweet corn I planted said either 250 feet or yards; I forget
which. Not many gardeners have that much space, so you just have to
do what you can. If you have two varieties that are likely to
pollinate at the same time, plant them at opposite ends of your garden
and hope it's not real windy when they pollinate. If you have
varieties with very different pollination times, you can plant them
close together and not have to worry about cross-pollination.


I think only one type of supersweet corn has to be isolated from other
varieties -- I think they are called "sh2". You can plant normal sweet
corn and "sugary enhanced" varieties together without ruining them.

Do not plant popcorn or "Indian corn" near your sweet corn.

I'm gonna plant corn today; Golden Bantam and Silver Queen, right next
to each other. I don't know if Silver Queen will produce this far
north, but it's Wife's favorite variety so I'm gonna try it.

Best regards,
Bob

On Sun, 18 May 2003 14:25:02 -0500, zxcvbob
wrote:



I'm gonna plant corn today; Golden Bantam and Silver Queen, right next
to each other. I don't know if Silver Queen will produce this far
north, but it's Wife's favorite variety so I'm gonna try it.


I like the yellow-and-white types best. Yum, yum. We don't
have room for corn (we really don't) - a shame, that.

I can buy good corn here in season though.

Pat

I'm gonna plant corn today; Golden Bantam and Silver Queen, right next
to each other. I don't know if Silver Queen will produce this far
north, but it's Wife's favorite variety so I'm gonna try it.

Bob,
How far north are you? I know that Silver Queen does well in lower
Michigan. I have been planting my half acre of sweet corn in one week
steps starting the first of May. My first planting has 4 inch tall
plants. I finished the last of the half acre planting yesterday.
Can't wait to have corn!

Eric D
Howell, MI

This year I'm going to grow different varieties for different ripening times
again. My question is how far do I need to separate the corn plantings of
different things to get them not to interfere with each other's development
like this. Any suggestions?

I've done two varieties at the same time and in the same field, a
yellow and a white. Where the two types meet, I end up with bicolor
corn. So, you end up with three different corn syles! White, bicolor
and yellow. Didn't seem to hurt the taste at all.

My planting specs are 1.5" deep on the seed, 8.5" apart and 24" rows.
My planting area is 150 ft by 150 ft. I'm using an Earthway planter,
however, I would like to find something better to plant with. I don't
think the Earthway is designed to do as much at I'm asking it to do.

Hope your corn does well,

Eric D
Howell, MI

Eric D wrote:
I'm gonna plant corn today; Golden Bantam and Silver Queen, right next
to each other. I don't know if Silver Queen will produce this far
north, but it's Wife's favorite variety so I'm gonna try it.


Bob,
How far north are you? I know that Silver Queen does well in lower
Michigan. I have been planting my half acre of sweet corn in one week
steps starting the first of May. My first planting has 4 inch tall
plants. I finished the last of the half acre planting yesterday.
Can't wait to have corn!

Eric D
Howell, MI


Southern Minnesota. Zone 4. I didn't get the corn planted yet because
I'm still pulling up dandelions. But it's just as well, cuz it turned
cold again.

Best regards,
Bob