Sweetcorn off shoots

[Keith_P]

My (Lark F1) sweetcorn plants seem to be doing great! Perhaps a bit too great. Very lush plants with thick 18"-24" stalks. Does anyone know if it's advisable to remove side shoots to focus the plants energy into the primary stalk? Thanks in advance.

[shirlthegirl43]

hello and welcome to the vine.

The only time I had any success with sweetcorn I just saw the 'extra' stalks as a bonus

[magz.mccarthy]

I'm having the same thoughts - a lot of my sweetcorn plants have 2 large side shoots at the base of the plant - it almost looks like 3 plants!

[Keith_P]

Magz, That's my situation. I planted 56 plants and, assuming no advice to the contrary, I'll be removing side shoots from half of them. Next year I should be wiser.

[realfood]

You should leave the side shoots on.

[esrikandan]

Aren't the side shoots the cobs forming?

[Keith_P]

These "side shoots" are forming at the base of the plants and not midway up as I'd expect for developing cobs. Also, there are multiple leaves as there are on the primary stalk. As Magz said, it looks like three plants. Perhaps I'm too pessimistic. It'd be wonderful to have extra cobs.

[shirlthegirl43]

As I said previously, I left them on mine. I was worried that if I started cutting off the shoots I ran the risk of the plants rotting, and if I pulled them off I was concerned about damaging the root systems. I would leave them and enjoy the increased crop.

[esrikandan]

How interesting - not seen that before. Perhaps you can post a pic?

[Rodley]

Had plenty of these last year on my sweetcorn. Most of them produced cobs. This year they have just started forming and I will be leaving them on.