Sweet Corn problem

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Sweet Corn problem - any ideas

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gray_b

Joined: 24 Jun 2011
Posts: 254
Location: Leafy Shires of the Midlands

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 24 6:29 pm Post subject: Sweet Corn problem - any ideas
All my sweet corn cobs are the same as this photo. They are sort of dividing into 2, kernels also are nor forming well. I think viruses, but maybe something else ? [/img]

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 24 8:18 pm Post subject:
Lack of pollination surely?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 24 6:02 am Post subject:
There’s definitely lack of pollination but no idea why the ends are misshapen

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 24 6:29 am Post subject:
Could be this: https://www.rhs.org.uk/problems/fasciation

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Aug 29, 24 7:59 am Post subject:
odd shape might be due to empty spaces with a few kernels between them lack of pollination explains the empty spaces

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Fri Aug 30, 24 10:39 am Post subject:
i wonder if it might be to do with excess wet - causing splitting. Has it been unusually wet where you live? the rainy weather would also contribute to lack of pollination, as sweetcorn depends on wind to scatter the pollen. saying that I would ask if any other of your veg has been effected, could be dodgy compost if so

gray_b

Joined: 24 Jun 2011
Posts: 254
Location: Leafy Shires of the Midlands

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 24 1:10 pm Post subject:

These were block planted in the soil, having been started in the greenhouse in pots with bought in compost.

I did wonder about the compost. As I know that if there was any residual weedkiller or other chemicals from the green waste, it can cause distortion in stems.

Cannot remember variety, but they grow 6ft tall, and all of them only have only 1 cob on them.

Watering has not been a problem, as no hosepipe bans this year.

I can understand duds due to lack of pollination.

We will see if the problem re-occurs, as I have another later batch (by 1 month) growing of the same variety. They are just sheding pollen, so hopefully might be ripe before the frosts.

This year has been a bad year for other vegetables. I've already pulled out my 10 varieties of tomatoes, due to having watery, pulpy, tasteless fruit. The only varieties worth it were Alsia craig and Chocolate, but I threw thwm away as well.

Leeks, Butternut Sqash (blossom end rot), Cucumber (blossom end rot) and Broad Beans (flower drop) terrible

Cauliflowers (no cabbage whites) and Runner beans are looking good.

Early potatoes in ground were terrible, but in tubs they were fantastic.

Last edited by gray_b on Tue Sep 03, 24 1:17 pm; edited 1 time in total

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 24 1:11 pm Post subject:

gray_b wrote:

I have another later batch (by 1 month) growing of the same variety. They are just sheding pollen, so hopefully might be ripe before the frosts.

Blimey that's proper late, good luck with them you never know with the climate being what it is

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6613
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 24 1:27 pm Post subject:
With all of the blossom end rot symptoms, you likely have had inconsistent or extreme soil moisture conditions

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 24 9:32 am Post subject:

tahir wrote:

gray_b wrote:

I have another later batch (by 1 month) growing of the same variety. They are just sheding pollen, so hopefully might be ripe before the frosts.

Blimey that's proper late, good luck with them you never know with the climate being what it is

it could be a planting timing issue I guess - re pollination - I sowed 2 packets of seeds, in pots in gh and then planted them out. I had too many plants so cleared an new area and planted some more then gave the rest to my neighbour. The first bed was wonderful, fat cobs and second and third smaller cobs. But the plants I put out later in the newly cleared area had gaps in the cobs and no second cobs. my neighbour had the same issue. So plants sown at the same time but just planted out later did a lot worse.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15998

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 24 8:03 am Post subject:
I can rarely grow sweetcorn outside. We are in the south of England, and field crops seem to do all right, but our microclimate isn't conducive to things that need warmth. I can only really grow tomatoes successfully in the greenhouse too.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Fri Sep 06, 24 8:08 pm Post subject:

tahir wrote:

gray_b wrote:

I have another later batch (by 1 month) growing of the same variety. They are just sheding pollen, so hopefully might be ripe before the frosts.

Blimey that's proper late, good luck with them you never know with the climate being what it is

Mine is only just at this point. Then I noticed that the maize around us was taller, but behind in terms of development. THEN I remembered that most of the maize crop is taken as wholecrop silage for cattle feed. Oops!

gray_b

Joined: 24 Jun 2011
Posts: 254
Location: Leafy Shires of the Midlands

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 24 9:42 pm Post subject:

Just gathered the 2nd crop of sweet corn, and cleared the ground.

These were a lot better, no distortion of the cobs, and 50% were well filled cobs. But 50% were still only half filled.

And only one cob per 6ft plant.

Certainly not worth the effort. So I must change the variety for next year.

I just like eating the cobs fresh, the same as picking fresh Raspberries and eating them straight away. The flavours and sweetness are out of this world.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 24 10:03 pm Post subject:
Very true, can’t beat fresh sweetcorn

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15998

Posted: Wed Oct 30, 24 7:44 am Post subject:
I have given up with sweetcorn as it doesn't do very well for me. We were fortunate that we managed to buy a few really fresh sweetcorn cobs this year. Microwaved in their sheaths they were beautiful.

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