Sweetcorn Golden Lion F1 50 Vegetable Seeds

Packet Content:  50

SWEETCORN GOLDEN LION F1 ~ A multi-sweet mid-season variety, as four to ten times the sugar content of normal sugar  types, richly coloured kernels which produces medium to large sized cobs, typically 21cm in length. Medium sized grains and medium sized core. 20 rows of grains per supersweet cob. And with proper handling is able to be stored for up to 10 days. Less hardy than even se types, requiring higher germination temperatures, precise planting depth and isolation from all other corn pollen for optimum results. The name derives from the shrunken, shrivelled appearance of the dried kernel which is low in starch.

SOW: inside from mid April to early May in deep pots, or from May to June outside

Sowing & Growing
Sow Sweetcorn in the greenhouse at a temperature of 20-27oC into peat pots as they
do not like to have their roots disturbed. Seed can be sown outdoors but the soil
needs to be at least 10oC, this can be achieved by using cloches or a clear plastic
film to pre warm the soil before sowing in mid April.

Seed takes 10-12 days to germinate and once seedlings reach 8cm tall they can be
planted out. Unlike most vegetable Sweetcorn is better planted in blocks rather than
rows, as this promotes successful pollination of the female flowers which produce
cobs. Poor pollination can lead to missing kernels in cob rows. An ideal spacing for a
block of sweetcorn is 45cm x 45cm.

Once established keep the bed weed free, and feed fortnightly with a feed
recommended for tomatoes. Earthing up around the stems will encourage supporting
roots essential for crops grown in windy locations. Water in periods of dry weather,
this is especially important at the time of flowering.
A single sowing of early, mid and late varieties can give a longer harvest period
extending the harvest by 2-3 weeks. Sweetcorn takes on average 14-16 weeks from
sowing to harvest.
 

To encourage pollination of the silks, female flowers, tapping the tassels or male
flowers, helps pollen to fall and pollinate flowers to produce cobs.
It is advised to grow super sweet varieties separately from standard sweetcorn as
cross pollination can cause a reduction in taste of the super sweet varieties.
During the development of the plants side shoots or ?tillers? often appear. These are
not harmful to crop production and will not reduce the yield of cobs, removing such
tillers may actually damage the plant rather than helpful.
 

Harvest
A good guide to the ripeness of the cobs is the shrivelling browning of the silks at the
end of the cob. Squeezing kernels is a good test to how ripe the cobs are, a watery
liquid suggest unripe, milky liquid ripe to harvest, thick dough like substance the cobs
have gone over and past it. Twisting the cobs off the plant close to eating time will
ensure great tasting sweet cobs.

Suitable for the vegetable garden, allotments and containers.
Be prepared to water well and supplement feed with high-potash feed during season. Regular feeding is recommended.