I'd appreciate some advice on why my sweetcorn have done so badly this
year. The cobs are about half size with kernels fully developed on the
lower half only. The tassels went black around the beginning of the
month and they don't seem to have been developing any further since
then.

Is this down to poor pollination? I don't see why this should be, as I
have about 40 plants, planted in a block with roughly 8 inch spacing
between plants.

Or could it be lack of water? I haven't bothered watering them much as
I've been too busy watering everything else in the garden and assumed
that sweetcorn wouldn't mind dry conditions. After all there are
fields all around full of healthy looking plants and I don't think
they get any irrigation. What are the farmers doing right that I'm
doing wrong?

Robert

"Robert Davies" wrote in message
...
I'd appreciate some advice on why my sweetcorn have done so badly this
year. The cobs are about half size with kernels fully developed on the
lower half only. The tassels went black around the beginning of the
month and they don't seem to have been developing any further since
then.

Is this down to poor pollination? I don't see why this should be, as I
have about 40 plants, planted in a block with roughly 8 inch spacing
between plants.

Or could it be lack of water? I haven't bothered watering them much as
I've been too busy watering everything else in the garden and assumed
that sweetcorn wouldn't mind dry conditions. After all there are
fields all around full of healthy looking plants and I don't think
they get any irrigation. What are the farmers doing right that I'm
doing wrong?

Robert

Well for one thing the farmers aren't growing "sweetcorn" they are growing
maize, and they are growing it as a feed crop, thus all they care about is
that it puts out a higher yield of green stuff per square food than wheat or
corn. They are not interested in the cobs at all as far as I know.

I would have thought 8" seperations is not nearly enough, and may be causing
the plants to struggle mine are normally spaced 12-18" apart, and they do
get generous amounts of water round the roots at least once per week, having
said that the first one I harvested this year was still very well set just
the cobs were all dried out, far too much hot weather and not nearly enough
water I reckon.

Duncan

The message
from "Druss" contains these words:


I would have thought 8" seperations is not nearly enough, and may be causing
the plants to struggle mine are normally spaced 12-18" apart, and they do
get generous amounts of water round the roots at least once per week, having
said that the first one I harvested this year was still very well set just
the cobs were all dried out, far too much hot weather and not nearly enough
water I reckon.

I'd agree with all that. I give them very well fertilised soil and a
good space for their roots. A thick mulch over the entire bed (chopped
comfrey leaves are good), water in dry weather, and an occasional
generous dose of comfrey tea or diluted wormfarm juice. I find it's
better to limit the cobs to two per plant, once they are fertilised and
starting to swell I cut off the male flower and the top of the plant, to
let more light/sun get to the cobs.

Janet.

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Druss" contains these words:


I would have thought 8" seperations is not nearly enough, and may be
causing
the plants to struggle mine are normally spaced 12-18" apart, and they
do
get generous amounts of water round the roots at least once per week,
having
said that the first one I harvested this year was still very well set
just
the cobs were all dried out, far too much hot weather and not nearly
enough
water I reckon.

I'd agree with all that. I give them very well fertilised soil and a
good space for their roots. A thick mulch over the entire bed (chopped
comfrey leaves are good), water in dry weather, and an occasional
generous dose of comfrey tea or diluted wormfarm juice. I find it's
better to limit the cobs to two per plant, once they are fertilised and
starting to swell I cut off the male flower and the top of the plant, to
let more light/sun get to the cobs.

It all sounds a far cry from growing mealies in the more sandy and dry parts
of the Orange Free State. {:-))

Franz