Sweetcorn
 

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

Sweetcorn
 

In article ,
Jon wrote:
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.

It doesn't need a greenhouse, but is a bit iffy in the UK. You can
grow it in pots now, but don't plant it out until the weather warms
up. The height depends on the variety - 4-6' in the UK, 6-10' in
the tropics. Plant it in blocks, not rows, as it is wind pollinated.

It is not very frost sensitive, but likes hot weather. Actually, you
have a possibility of frost at any time, but your expected date of
last frost should be in about 6 weeks! This affects things that are
seriously frost sensitive.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

Sweetcorn
 

"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?
It's wind pollinated so needs to be outdoors. Plant as much as you can in a
block, not a row to maximise pollination. Not sure about varieties but you
can pick most as 'baby' cobs if they don't get time to ripen where you are.

Martin

Sweetcorn
 

In article , Jon
writes
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.

I can think of an immediate problem with pollination. Sweet corn is wind
pollinated - it relies on the wind to transfer pollen from the male
tassel like flowers at the top of the plant to the female flowers (which
will become the cobs) lower down, and is usually planted in square
blocks rather than straight lines to help this process.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/

Sweetcorn
 

Thanks for the reply Martin, also Kay and Nick.
Jonny
Martin Sykes wrote in message ...
"Jon" wrote in message
...
It's wind pollinated so needs to be outdoors. Plant as much as you can in a
block, not a row to maximise pollination. Not sure about varieties but you
can pick most as 'baby' cobs if they don't get time to ripen where you are.

Martin

Sweetcorn
 

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
I can think of an immediate problem with pollination. Sweet corn is wind
pollinated - it relies on the wind to transfer pollen from the male

I've never even thought of growing it in a greenhouse but I don't see why
not apart from space (height). I doubt if pollination would be a problem,
you'd just need to go round tapping the stems - probably daily for a few
days when the male flowers were ready to release pollen.
For outdoor planting on N Wales coast I will sow in the greenhouse about 2-3
weeks from now. For S Scotland choose early maturing varieties.

Rod

Sweetcorn
 

I've never even thought of growing it in a greenhouse but I don't see why
not apart from space (height). I doubt if pollination would be a problem,
you'd just need to go round tapping the stems - probably daily for a few
days when the male flowers were ready to release pollen.
Rod

You are probably right. I remember brushing against mine last year and getting
showered in clouds of pollen. It seems to part with plenty of it fairly easily!
--
Drakanthus.


(Spam filter: Include the word VB anywhere in the subject line or emails
will never reach me.)

Sweetcorn
 

In article , Jon
writes
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.

We sow the seed singly in 3.5" or 5" polypots in mid-April and grow the
plants on until after the last frost has (hopefully) passed - first week
in June here. Then they are planted outside in a block to aid
germination at about 60cm/2ft. spaces each way. They will grow to about
4-5ft./120-150cm. high depending on soil and weather. We restrict each
plant to 2 good cobs rather than letting several grow.

The cobs should be picked as soon as they are ripe - i.e. when the
sheath becomes papery and translucent, then either eaten immediately
after picking or put into the freezer for storage.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

Sweetcorn
 

In article , Jon
writes
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


Sweetcorn is wind pollinated so is normally planted outdoors in a block
- not a row.
--
cbw

Sweetcorn
 

The message
from "Jon" contains these words:

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.

I've grown it near Loch Lomond, out of doors; some years we got a crop
and some years we had an early frost in September and got nothing.
Choose a short-season variety (it will tell you on the packet); start
the seeds in individual pots in the greenhouse about 4 or 5 weeks before
your last frost date (mine was June 6) and if they start to get potbound
before they can go outside, pot them up a size. Plant out in a block in
rich soil and water well. They like liquid nettle or comfrey feed, a
mulch around their roots, and plenty of water. You won't ripen more than
2 heads per plant so snap off any others that form.

When the cobs look well-filled, peel back a bit of the husk to see if
juicy seeds are filled up almost to the tip; if not, close it again. For
maximum taste/tenderness, don't pick them until a couple of minutes
before you cook them; which takes less time than shop-bought cobs.

Janet.

Sweetcorn
 

In article ,
Janet Baraclough wrote:

... You won't ripen more than
2 heads per plant so snap off any others that form.

Perhaps 3 in Cambridge, in a good year. In a bad year, you may as
well compost the whole plant.

When the cobs look well-filled, peel back a bit of the husk to see if
juicy seeds are filled up almost to the tip; if not, close it again. For
maximum taste/tenderness, don't pick them until a couple of minutes
before you cook them; which takes less time than shop-bought cobs.

Yes, if you like the cobs when sweet and tender. If you prefer them
riper, nuttier and starchier, they take longer to cook. But it is
hard to ripen them enough for that in the UK :-(

I was brought up on maize, and so have a different viewpoint to most
people from the UK. Dammit, I even like mealie meal porridge, and
that makes most people from these islands gag :-)

Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

Sweetcorn
 

In article ,
Gorgeous George wrote:

As do your conversation skills.

Come on, George, even a troll should be able to do better than THAT!
If you slip much further, you will fail the Turing test.

Let's have some REAL abuse - you know you can do it, if you try.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

Sweetcorn
 

In article , Nick Maclaren
writes
I was brought up on maize, and so have a different viewpoint to most
people from the UK. Dammit, I even like mealie meal porridge, and
that makes most people from these islands gag :-)

Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

Would that be the same as the 'grits' you get for brekky in America?
Tastes like cement ;-)
But, as you say, depends what you were brought up on

Best Wishes,
--
Jeff Taylor

Sweetcorn
 

On Fri, 21 Mar 2003 05:55:57 +0000, Alan Gould wrote:

The cobs should be picked as soon as they are ripe - i.e. when the
sheath becomes papery and translucent, then either eaten immediately
after picking or put into the freezer for storage.

"Immediately" is actually a matter of minutes. The sugars in corn
start to turn to starch as soon as it is picked.

In corn-growing country, it's generally agreed that the best
corn-on-the- cob is obtained by bringing the (salted) water to a
boil *before* you pick the cobs. Pick, shuck as you run from
field to cauldron, and into the water. Serve with butter and
pepper. Divine!

If you want to freeze it, it might be a good idea to blanch it in
boiling water first.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Sweetcorn
 

In article ,
Jeff Taylor wrote:
In article , Nick Maclaren
writes
I was brought up on maize, and so have a different viewpoint to most
people from the UK. Dammit, I even like mealie meal porridge, and
that makes most people from these islands gag :-)

Would that be the same as the 'grits' you get for brekky in America?
Tastes like cement ;-)
But, as you say, depends what you were brought up on

Similar, but not cooked the same way. I failed to find somewhere
that served grits when I was in Texas, unfortunately.

Mealie meal porridge has a glutinous consistency and a bland taste,
but with a slight aftertaste that many people dislike.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

Sweetcorn
 

In article ,
Gorgeous George wrote:

Interesting to note Cambridge University trying to incite "REAL"
abuse. Might as well add that to my list, speaking of which,.you seem
to have forgotten to pass on the address of the head honcho!
deliberate oversight again?

I did. I forgot that trolls are allergic to education, and therefore
you wouldn't be able to enter a public library to look up the address
of the University of Cambridge. It is:

The University of Cambridge,
The Old Schools,
Trinity Lane,
Cambridge CB2 1TN.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

Sweetcorn
 

In article ,
(Jon) wrote:

How tall will it grow

I have a packet of Unwins "Blue Jade" claiming a 3' bushy habit. Guess
what colour it is :-)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

Sweetcorn
 

"Jon" pushed briefly to the front of the queue on
Thu, 20 Mar 2003 20:54:42 -0000, and nailed this to the shed door:

^ 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.

I grew it once when I used to live in East Kilbride. Nothing to it.
It's only when you start worrying about how to do it that you find
it's difficult ;-)

Andy

--
sparge at globalnet point co point uk

Speculate to accumulate;
catabolize to anabolize;
reculer pour mieux sauter.

Sweetcorn
 

"Gorgeous George" wrote in message
...
On 21 Mar 2003 21:00:22 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

In article ,
Gorgeous George wrote:

As do your conversation skills.

Come on, George, even a troll should be able to do better than THAT!
If you slip much further, you will fail the Turing test.

Oh dear NOW you want to play!

Let's have some REAL abuse - you know you can do it, if you try.


I never resort to abuse. Wit, charm and intellect are my weapons of
choice, as you well know having been the target.


So I take it you have no weapons at all then? :o)

Sweetcorn
 

"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

Sweetcorn
 

Thanks to all of you for your replies (to many to mention). Lots of good
advice all saved. Lets hope the sun keeps shining.
Jonny
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