Can someone help me with my sweetcorn, please?

[Snoop Puss]

Good news! Hope you enjoy them.

[Zelenina]

Yesterday, they were not ripe. Today, they are.

That's great! Enjoy eating it!

So now you probably don't need this page I just found showing the ripening stages of corn. But I'll post it anyway in case it might help someone else.

https://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn...grainfill.html

It shows a dent type of corn which is being fully ripened for grain or seeds. For sweet corn to eat you harvest it at the "Kernel Milk Stage (R3)"

Also note that if you do want to fully ripen your corn and it's not a dent type (e.g. flint corn, flour corn, popcorn) it probably won't develop the dents in the kernels that are shown here.

[1Bee]

Zelenina, that's brilliant! Thank you so much, that's just what I needed. Interesting how the silks go brown quite early, before the kernels are ripe.

I think mine are mostly at the R2 stage, as the ones we ate last night were edible, but tasteless, rather reminding me of mini corn (which I loathe... ha). The one milky kernel must have been a lucky strike...

Unless the weather is kind in the next week or two, I don't think I'll get proper ripe corn, but I've learned a lot this time, and have earmarked a better spot for them for next year. I'll give it one more good go and if that doesn't work, I'll decide sweetcorn is not going to work for me.

[Snoop Puss]

Don't give up on sweetcorn. I notice that Incredible is described as an 85-day sweetcorn. Maybe you could try one that's a bit quicker. Lark, for instance, is described as a 75-day sweetcorn. Maybe those few extra days might make a difference. I can vouch for Lark being delicious!

[1Bee]

I'll at the very least give it another season, Snoop, don't worry. I thought Swift or Northern Extra Sweet next year, but I'll have a look at Lark, too. Thanks!

[Zelenina]

I was thinking the same as Snoop. Try an earlier variety next time. Americans call Incredible a main crop variety, which in the UK, especially in the north, means quite late. And it grows very tall, so maybe a shorter one would put more energy into the cobs rather than keeping on growing. Also it's a sugary enhanced variety which is supposed to be sweeter and more tender than standard sweetcorn, and stays sweet a bit longer. But I don't know if that has anything to do with the slow ripening.

[Snoop Puss]

Lark and Swift each have their advocates. I've had more luck with Lark - better germination and cobs - but others have found Swift better. Try one next year and the other the year after that. Either way, don't give up!

[Lymmguineas]

I've gotta laugh: popped to the plot on the way to pick up the boys from school. Checked the cobs again: milky fluid.



Yesterday, they were not ripe. Today, they are. There's a lesson there, somewhere...

Just be glad you got some! The badgers had most of mine! I only got about four cobs from a dozen or so plants.

[Mark_Riga]

And rats got most of mine I could post a picture but they are not pretty site (loads of sweetcorn, some with 3 cobs on looking like peeled bananas). And the farmer's field with acres of maize next door is untouched. I wonder how they know what will taste the best? I've got some sweet potatoes growing in a polytunnel, I'm hoping they don't find those.

[bario1]

I've been a'maized' by Earlybird this year, developed especially for short seasons apparently. I've grown Lark the last few years in the polytunnel, but got better results from Earlybird outside!

[Mr Bones]

We grew Swift and Earlibird in succession this year. Difficult to decide between the two for taste, being supersweet varieties both made excellent eating.
Swift have tougher stems so more suitable for an early crop on a windy site but Earlibird yielded more cobs.
Not a true comparison really with growing them one after the other.

[dennyjim]

Most folk on my site (including me) had terrible sweetcorn this year - not enough sun I suspect and /or poor pollination. Most didn't bulk up at all...

Hiya Baldy, What corn do you grow? I tried some this year but they were very Pasty. Could not bring myself to eat it

[dennyjim]

Thanks Mr. Bones. I'll try one, or maybe both of those next year if I can