Staggered sowing of 3 varieties of sweetcorn

**Spunky** · 22-12-2014, 05:56 PM

Hello bo I grew swift last year and they were brilliant, to be honest I don't know why I'm not trying them again this year!
All I can remember is I sowed them beginning of May, they were exactly knee high on the Fourth of July and we were eating them late August/early September so I'd imagine pollination was possibly the start of August ish
Ps my gardens East facing

**Guest** · 22-12-2014, 06:26 PM

Hi and welcome to the vine.

Unfortunately I don't know about how long it takes from sowing to the point of pollination and the duration of the pollination period.

However, I am sure I have read in a couple of places that it is advised that golden bantum is grown under cover, but I am stuffed if I can find anything and realseeds aren't listing it at the mo. I am sure that is why I have never gone for it.

Swift is a hybrid so not likely to come true if you save seed. My swift this year was pants

but MiL's done really well.

**Kristen** · 22-12-2014, 06:43 PM

Originally posted by Bohobumble View Post

how imperative is it that the are kept separate, am I being over-cautious?

No, you are not being over cautious and IMO it is critical. Corns will be variable if the various types of corn cross pollinate (and maybe even for the same type, but different varieties, according to some reports). Flavour of the crop will be seriously impaired if it happens, and turns out to be an issue, so I would recommend assuming that none of your varieties should be allowed to cross pollinate with any other.

Note this refers to eating, and in this regard I think the Sweetcorn is unique? as normally the seeds are only affected with regard to what will grow next year, whereas with Sweetcorn the sweetness of the cobs is also effected (and you are likely to get rock-hard corns amongst soft/sweet ones and so on).

It is also important to avoid cross pollination with neighbouring plots, which can obviously be difficult on allotments. Only solution I know is to club together with your neighbours and all buy & sow the same variety.

**Bohobumble** · 22-12-2014, 08:35 PM

Last year was the first time I grew sweetcorn, I found some swift on offer in Wilko's. I didn't note when it started to flower tho. It didn't really matter to be honest at that point. They were absolutely wonderful and really easy (3 sisters technique).

So I bought a couple of other varieties after a bit of reading, but a little more reading told me to keep them separate, and my only way of doing so is keeping pollination separate with time!

**heirloomsquash** · 22-12-2014, 10:49 PM

may be this will help. I found the info posted below on various websites that sell varieties you want grow ,
sweet corn germination is between 7-21 days
if you assume about 14 days average germination time.
Sweet corn Golden Bantam is ready to harvest about 80 days from seedling emergence.
sweet corn swift f1 is ready to harvest about 83 days from seedling emergence.
Sweet corn Ornamental Fiesta is ready to harvest about 102 days from seedling emergence.
pollination happens about 21 day before harvest.
if want pollination of each variety 14 days apart.
all you need to do the know when you want harvest each variety.
since weather is out your control. Doing the math with numbers is about as accurate as you can get at solving this problem.
the formula below is all you need.
seed start date for each variety+14days+number day to harvest = harvest date
good luck hope works out for you.

**Bohobumble** · 22-12-2014, 11:34 PM

Originally posted by heirloomsquash View Post

pollination happens about 21 day before harvest.

Thank you, this was the missing information I need, is this from your own experience or from resource you found? How long are the tassles 'out' and at risk of cross-pollination for?

Thanking you!

**heirloomsquash** · 22-12-2014, 11:52 PM

7-10 days
for pollination to occur in sweet corn before the 3 weeks mentioned in my post above.

**Bohobumble** · 23-12-2014, 12:48 AM

Originally posted by Spunky View Post

to be honest I don't know why I'm not trying them again this year!

Do it!

Ah go on!

**Bohobumble** · 23-12-2014, 01:21 AM

Originally posted by Norfolkgrey View Post

However, I am sure I have read in a couple of places that it is advised that golden bantum is grown under cover, but I am stuffed if I can find anything and realseeds aren't listing it at the mo. I am sure that is why I have never gone for it.

I got mine from 'More Veg' which have them in stock, however be aware that I paid for 20 seeds and they sent me only 15

They're good for small qty's of interesting varieties tho, but my first time trying them so I cannot vouch for the viability of their seeds.

I think they are definitely outdoor plants as I would have selected as such. Just re-read the destructions on the pack, they definitely say they can be planted outdoors.

I'll see how they go this year!

I've also bought seeds from Real Seeds, they're pretty good, I'm very happy with the germination rates and plants resulting.

I have seen this website if it helps (lists them but not currently in stock) with an offer of �10 free seeds voucher if you link them to your blog/website: Discounts For Allotment Societies

**BertieFox** · 01-01-2015, 07:23 PM

Associated question on pollination. I normally grow my sweetcorn in a large block in a 4 by 1 metre bed. This is fine for good pollination. However, I don't like having one crop all in one block and I too would like to stagger production to have a longer season of harvesting.

What do people think is the minimum number of sweetcorn plants you can grow in a block to get decent pollination? If I grew four together for example, would I need to intervene by shaking the male flowers over the forming cobs or could I leave it to nature and the wind and still expect success?

My plan is to have just a small block of corn at the end of half a dozen different beds, with staggered sowings to give me a crop from summer to autumn.

Will it work? Any advice?

**Kristen** · 01-01-2015, 08:00 PM

Originally posted by BertieFox View Post

What do people think is the minimum number of sweetcorn plants you can grow in a block to get decent pollination? If I grew four together for example, would I need to intervene by shaking the male flowers over the forming cobs or could I leave it to nature and the wind and still expect success?

I would not be confident for wind pollination below 9 plants.

With only 4 plants are you going to get enough for a meal? Perhaps not all 4 plants will come ripe at the same time, so you might have less than 4 cobs at a time, for a meal. Enough for 2 I suppose, but perhaps not for a family meal - but dunno if that is important for you

**Alison** · 01-01-2015, 08:49 PM

I've grown as few as a block of 9 but like Kristen says, not sure about less than that. Suppose you could tap them more.......

**Bohobumble** · 02-01-2015, 01:21 AM

Originally posted by BertieFox View Post

What do people think is the minimum number of sweetcorn plants you can grow in a block to get decent pollination? If I grew four together for example, would I need to intervene by shaking the male flowers over the forming cobs or could I leave it to nature and the wind and still expect success?

My plan is to have just a small block of corn at the end of half a dozen different beds, with staggered sowings to give me a crop from summer to autumn.

Will it work? Any advice?

Well this was me last year trying out the 3-sisters technique (except my neighbour on the allotment accidentally destroyed the squashes) https://greengardengate.wordpress.co...p-carousel-453 as you can see from the pic I planted 5 together in mounds.

This was my first attempt growing sweetcorn so I don't know if this is variety specific (Swift F1), but I got on average 3 cobs from each plant, I didn't particularly worry about shaking them either tho my site is slightly exposed so I guess there was enough wind.

I'm still keen to hear anyone else's experience growing sweetcorn!

**Bohobumble** · 02-01-2015, 01:32 AM

Also, they didn't all ripen at once, I picked the biggest (milky of course) cobs from each plant as needed, and the smaller ones ripened over the coming weeks.

Announcement

Staggered sowing of 3 varieties of sweetcorn

Staggered sowing of 3 varieties of sweetcorn

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Latest Topics

Recent Blog Posts