ONCE you’ve tried fresh, homegrown sweetcorn, nothing shop-bought will compare, but isn’t it tricky to grow? Not with the right treatment! Let’s look at what this must-grow crop loves.
Grass act
Sweetcorn is actually a large lofty grass. Its reputation for being fickle comes down to the way it photosynthesises. Giving you a quick biology lesson, most plants use the C3 pathway for this energy-giving process, but sweetcorn, having evolved in arid regions, uses C4.
C4 is excellent in hot, dry summers but struggles in cool, damp ones. So a bad summer can result in poor corn. But don’t despair! There are loads of ways to combat this (see panel on next page) that focus on starting plants off early, choosing the right variety for your locality, keeping things warm and boosting growth when it’s most critical. Follow these guidelines, and you’ll be fine regardless of our infamous summers!
Planting perfection
Being a grass, sweetcorn is wind-pollinated.
