Sweet corn leaves turning yellow

[rob the roller]

I have started all of my sweetcorn in peat pots. Nearly all have germinated but the leaves on nearly all the plants have started to turn yellow. Can anyone suggest what may be causing this?

Thanks

Rob

[womble]

I've had the same problem, it could be many things, but I think mine was down to a lack of warmth and sun, they certainly perked up after being out in the sun yesterday

[Snadger]

Some of mine were hardening off in an uncovered cold frame before the frosty weather. Luckily I took them back indoors but they still look a bit down in the dumps.
I think its partly because of the cold sunless days and partly because they are becoming potbound having exhausted the available nutrients in the potting compost.

Sunshine and a new growing medium is what they require!

[maypril]

I have started all of my sweetcorn in peat pots. Nearly all have germinated but the leaves on nearly all the plants have started to turn yellow.

Have they been outside. We've had pretty cold weather recently and they won't like that.

If it's not the cold then it's most likely the compost. Sweetcorn is a heavy feeder of nitrogen, are you using old compost? Sometimes they can deplete the nitrogen in specialist seed compost rather quickly, I prefer to use multi-purpose compost.

You could try adding a tiny bit of sulphate of ammonia if you think the compost may be to blame.

[rob the roller]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I should have said that the pots are on my south-facing window ledge on the fourth floor.

They are planted in the very cheapest MP compost available, so it may be that lack of nitrogen is the culprit. I will look out for sulphate of ammonia, although I don't recall having seen it previously. Does it contain nitrogen, as well as sulphur and ammonia?

Rob