Vegetables
Sweetcorn 'Early Bird'
Zea mays
Super-tasty sweetcorn variety. Producing 3 or more cobs per plant, with many rows of smaller kernels. Best grown in blocks rather than rows to aid pollination. Although cobs can be picked over several weeks, they taste best when eaten as fresh as possible.
- Position
- Full sun
- Height
- 1.2m
- Spread
- 30cm
Growing calendar
Sowing & growing
Sow under glass March-May, 3-4cm deep in pots or modules of seed compost and water well. Germinates at 18-30°C. Acclimatise seedlings to outdoor conditions, and plant out 60cm apart, once risk of frost has passed. Alternatively, sow directly outside in June once soil is warm enough. Sow 2 seeds together and thin to strongest seedling. Do not grow near other varieties of sweetcorn.
Aftercare
Plants may need staking if growing in an exposed position. Growing in a block means that plants can help to support each other. Protect young plants on cold nights with cloches.
Gallery
Ref. SES021