Yikes!! Dem some long roots!!!

[Iamhanuman]

I was just having a quick gander at my new sweetcorn which is growing in toilet roll tubes by my kitchen window and I thought, i've never grown this before, and fancied a closer look at the leaves, so I picked up the tube only to be met with brief resistance and then a tiny pop!
What did I see but a long trailing root coming out of the bottom!!!
so i'm then worrying that i've damaged this long trailing white root, and worried what I should do while i'm waiting for this thing to get to 15cms in height or whatever and the frost to pass!

seasoned sweetcorn growers, lend me your ears (pun intended)

[veggielover]

I don't have the answer for this one but i have found the same happening to mine so will follow this thread!!!

[susiewoosie]

Could you get another loo roll and fill it with compost then tape the 2 together. A bit like blue peter

[tulip]

i'm not a seasoned sweetcorn grower, but 'lend me your ears' made me laugh

[Iamhanuman]

thanks to all!!!
but where are those seasoned sweetcorn growers??

[Lottieval]

I'm not a seasoned sweetcorn grower, just done it the last two years. I start mine off in the larger size rootrainers so the roots can stick out of the bottom. I don't think you'll do too much damage, plants are pretty good at growing more roots. If you're worried perhaps you could balance each loo roll over a module cell filled with compost! I'd just leave them till they're ready and then handle gently.

[snohare]

I would love to amaize you with my corny tips, but alas I can only say I am rooting for you !
Of course you may have to take the advice of a seasoned sweetcorn grower with a pinch of salt.... But I'd say that as long as the roots coming out of the bottom stay moist they will come to no harm. Try a thin layer of coir or something like that between the pots ?

[bubblewrap]

Trying sweetcorn for the first time this year.
Mine have not sprouted yet.
Just an idea would trimming the roots as you do with leeks do any harm?

[SarzWix]

I don't think that sweetcorn likes to have it's roots disturbed BW, I don't think they'd take to root trimming. I grow mine in peat pots and the roots always end up out of the bottom of the pot, doesn't seem to do them any harm as long as they're kept moist.

[basketcase]

seasoned sweetcorn growers, lend me your ears (pun intended)

Very corny. Well, somebody had to!

Sorry, don't know anything about sweetcorn at all.

[Iamhanuman]

you're all so lovely!!!

thank you and, snohare, I wish you would amaize me with your corny tips!!!
LOL

[Florence Fennel]

you're all so lovely!!!

thank you and, snohare, I wish you would amaize me with your corny tips!!!
LOL

You started it Iam when you said the corn went "pop"! Good luck anyway.

[dinky_doo]

Could you get another loo roll and fill it with compost then tape the 2 together. A bit like blue peter

why not use a kitchen roll tube they are longish

[FionaH]

Glad i read this, will stand my sweetcorn in some water methinks. I bought some from the GC cos I didnt think mine were going to germinate, and they have long roots too. Sure enough mine germinated the very next day!

[Norm]

I start mine in 4" pots and let them fend for themselves until it's time to plant them out. If you're worried about root disturbance, half fill an old bucket with compost and stand the bogrolls in that. They'll have somewhere to grow into and you'll just have to be a bit more careful when you plant them out. Mine only went into the pots last weekend and they're just pushing through now and should be ready to go in about the middle of May.