Sweetcorn is 9 enough?

[linzmbrown]

Hi folks, I've just bought 9 sweetcorn which I plan to plant out this weekend. Do you think 9 is enough to pollinate? Also, if anyone has any tips on growing these it would be much appreciated. I am new to allotments and have read about earthing up, wind breaks and staking for sweetcorn. Also, do they attract pests? I.e. Do I need to protect them from birds? Thanks.

[Nicos]

9 would be best planted in a block of 3 rows of 3 so they can pollinate each other better.
When the 'flowers' appear give them a good shake every day to disperse the pollen.

The only pests I used to get were squirrels and possibly mice , although I believe deer and badgers ( and wild boar..I live in France ) are rather partial to them

I never staked mine and they were fine- how windy is your site?

Have you thought about planting beans and /or courgettes between them?
There is something called Three Sisters Planting...here are a few links of previous threads on here if you are interested in reading about it??

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ers_13895.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ers_30414.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ing_43698.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ner_78597.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ery_14490.html

[Bill HH]

If you plant them in a block 3x3 ,not a row then they should pollinate well, I find them quite pest free. If the site is prone to high winds you may find staking them is needed, they can grow very tall.



( oops Nicos beat me to it lol)

[Bren In Pots]

You've had good advice from Nicos and Bill

so I'll add a link to the vines own growing guide :-

Growing Sweet Corn | Grow Your Own

[linzmbrown]

Lovely thanks everyone. I've never heard of the three sisters technique but beans and courgettes are already in the ground in our allotment so we may have to give that a miss. We've a fairly big plot so are not struggling for space. The site is not too windy, it's protected on two sides by tall trees. Problem is our plot is fairly open plan but I guess I'll keep an eye on them to see if they look like they need staking. I was planning to put them in front of the beans so they'll be protected by the beans/cane structure on one side and raspberry bushes on the other. How exciting!!!

[Mikey]

When planting sweetcorn, try to keep it as far away from neighbouring plots growing sweetcorn as you can. Growing more than one variety together in close proximity can have a detrimental effect on the flavour of both.

[Fleurisa]

Plant them deep and they will root from the stem making them more stable

[PyreneesPlot]

Good advice above.
In terms of harvest, nine is not enough once you've eaten it fresh from the plant.
Can you cook on the lottie? If so, don't harvest until the water is boiling!! Enjoy
Deer have eaten mine before I put up a fence.

[Mikey]

They grow them in the fields around us, and they don't give it the spacing I've followed with the packet. As they are such an upright plant I would pack closer together, but 9 wouldn't be enough for me. You'll be lucky to get more than one full cob off a single plant.

[Martin H]

If there are pigeons around, you will need to protect your crop when the cobs start to form. Flying rats like nothing better than to stand on top of the cob, shred the sheath with their beaks and eat the corn. I learnt this last year the hard way!

[Greenleaves]

I grow 18 in a 6 x 3 block. On one of the plants I place a brown paper bag over the male flower and give it a shake each day for a week....then use the capured pollen to help nature along. Always had full cobs doing it this way.

I second the need to keep pigeons at bay!

[greenishfing]

9 can't possibly be enough if you have plenty space. Home grown sweetcorn is just so wonderful.

The flying rats have never bothered mine (touch wood) but forewarned is forearmed.

[Raybon]

Hope my pigeons don't read this thread, I've never had a problem with them before! But maybe that's because they had the blackcurrants last year......