Garden Answers (UK)

Is it possible to grow sweetcorn plants in pots?

- HELEN MILLER, SWANSEA

Yes, but the plants won’t be very productive. Each plant will only produce one or two cobs so sweetcorn is best planted en masse. They also need lots of water and feed to get a crop, so container growing will be quite labourinte­nsive for you over summer. For good pollinatio­n, the male flowers (at the top of the plant) need to drop their pollen onto the female cob tassels (below). Shaking the plants can help pollen transfer. When the tassels turn brown, check whether the cobs are ready by pressing your thumbnail into a kernel; if the juice runs nice and milky they’re ready to harvest.

 ??  ?? Sweetcorn is best planted in a group
Sweetcorn is best planted in a group

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