Gardening: Monty Don on how best to grow sweetcorn
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Monty Don often shares his best gardening tips and tricks, on both social media and TV. In the latest episode of BBC’s Gardeners’ World, the horticulturist explained the way gardeners “must” plant sweetcorn in order for them to get pollinated.
52% off Portable BBQ Grill
Perfect to carry to gardens and parties, this portable BBQ is now 52 percent off on Groupon and priced at £37.99. Shop before deal ends.
View Deal Shop now
Finishing up planting his pumpkins and squashes, Monty was in need of a crop to plant beside these vegetables.
He had made space in his garden for his choice of vegetable – the pumpkin.
Monty said: “Now the reason why I’m raking this is not just for neatness, but because I haven’t finished.
“What we have is masses of bare soil, which will be covered, but until then it’s a waste of space not to use it now.
“In the past I’ve grown lettuce with pumpkins – any kind of catch crop that will grow quickly you’ll harvest and eat while there’s still light available.”
Catch crops are plants that are quick to grow.
They can fill a gap after harvesting or be sown and picked alongside plants that are slower to mature.
For catch crops to succeed, your soil must be in good condition.
It needs to be full of rich nutrients to support this intensive farming. This means compost.
DON’T MISS:
How to ‘immediately’ increase your property value by 10-15 percent [EXPERT]
Alan Titchmarsh shares how to ‘transform’ roses – keeps them ‘alive’ [TIPS]
How to make your own natural fabric softener with cupboard ingredients [INSIGHT]
“This year I’m going to grow my sweetcorn with them.
“With sweetcorn you must plant them in a grid not in rows because they are wind pollinated.
“So the wind blows the pollen and if you plant them in a row and the wind comes from the side it will just simply blow them away.
“But if you have them in a grid, it doesn’t matter which direction the wind comes from.
“There’s a very high chance that it will be pollinated.”
The gardening pro then proceeded to set out where he was going to plant the sweetcorn, ensuring there was “sufficient spacing” in-between each crop.
Monty highlighted the importance of watering after planting.
He said: “Now I must stress how important it is to water these.
“When I finish planting I will water these and give them a really good soak.”
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) advises sweetcorn plants should be grown outdoors 18 inches apart.
The RHS experts explained: “Sow outdoors in late spring, in the ground or in pots. Make sure the soil temperature is above 10C (50F).
“As sweetcorn is wind pollinated, plants should be grown in blocks rather than rows, 45cm (18 inches) apart.
“Sow two or three seeds at each point, then thin out the extra seedlings to leave just the strongest one.”
Sweetcorn will benefit from a warm, sheltered spot in an area that is sunny and protected from strong winds.
Source: Read Full Article