Sweetcorn

[mjulian]

Does anyone out there grow their own sweetcorn? I've grown some this year and have been told that I should cut off the top of the cane to allow the cobs to fully develop. I've looked online and in loads of books but cannot find this anywhere. Does anyone know if it's the right thing to do please? The cobs seem to be growing well so am reluctant to cut the cane tops if not really necessary. Many thanks in advance for any help.

[spathiphyllum]

Cutting off the top of the cane is not something I do.

[TonyV]

I have never heard of it or do it to mine.

[shoota]

You pinch out the tops of tomato plants so the energy is directed to the fruit so I suppose the same principle could apply to sweetcorn.

[TonyV]

Yes I know Shoota but pricking out the top of tomatoes stops further growth and flowers as does taking out any side shoots, so food and water goes to a restricted number of trusses. Sweetcorn has neither of these traits.

[Buenchico]

The RHS website doesn't mention it:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/sweetcorn

[Prudie]

Although I gather it's mainly done for animal feed they certainly don't do that to the fields of farmed corn growing round me.

[shoota]

That's a different strain of maize Prudie, those cobs are inedible - I've tried.

[AKMild]

The top of the cane contains the pollen needed to fertilise the sweetcorn. Without them they would never ripen. If it doesn't mention cutting the cane on the seed packet then don't do it. It sounds like the advice you've been given is wrong, however well-intentioned.

[shoota]

I don't see why the principle of topping shouldn't apply to sweetcorn as well as many other plant species.
If you have a few canes why not try it on a couple and see what happens?

[Prudie]

Thanks for the tip shoota, must admit have also been tempted to pluck a couple :-)

[TonyV]

Shoota pls do not take this comment the wrong way. The reason for not topping sweetcorn is that it serves no purpose and possibly detrimental, see earlier post. With tomatoes it does serve a purpose.

[shoota]

No probs Tony, I'm not an expert, just joining in the discussion.
I can't see how, once the cob is established and growing, that it could hurt. I can see how it may be beneficial however, as per toms, grapes etc.

[mjulian]

Thanks everyone. The majority seem to believe that it's not essential - which is what I thought. As I said before, I've looked on various gardening websites and there is no mention of cutting the tops so I won't do it. Thanks again.

[TonyV]

OK shoota plus re your comment about picking sweetcorn from field, I did the same in France whilst staying in a Gite. Corns were like bullets, Gite was miles from nearest village deliberately chosen so no veg as village shops closed early.

[Old_Geezer]

Growing my first this year. Not cut any tops off. Read that once the golden fibre stuff turned brown the cob was ready for harvesting. One of mine had gone so brown it had disappeared, so I took it off. Think it was far from ready. Some of the kernels were still white, and didn't think I got a lot off anyway. Still, more on the plants to come yet.

[TonyV]

Mine have been ok apart from the ones mice got too even covered with cut off pop bottles, but not sure if the bottles create a micro climate that helps ripening.

[woofgang]

I have tried them but they get full of earwigs

[Chipchopper]

As AKMILD says, the tops are needed for the pollination to take place, as this is the male part of the flowers which contain the pollen. This is why they are best planted in blocks so that the wind can transfer the pollen to the lower female flowers.