Last Updated on April 11, 2024 by Real Men Sow
Baby sweet corns are easy to grow, delicious, crunchy, sweet, and full of flavor. These plants can be grown closer than regular sweetcorn to save space. You don’t need to plant them in traditional blocks to encourage germination.
How To Grow Baby Corn
For best results, choose a sunny location – Use well-drained soil on a sunny, protected site.
A traditional veg plot or raised beds are better for sweetcorn plants – Sweetcorn plants require a lot of space so they prefer to be grown in raised beds. They are too tall to be grown in pots. However, you can grow mini sweetcorn (Minipop), in pots and grow bags.
How far apart should you plant baby corns?
Allow 40cm between the plants. Baby corn can be planted 20cm apart.
Plant in grid formation – Plant them in blocks, not rows. Three rows of adjacent rows is better than one long row. This allows for cross-pollination which increases the likelihood of getting a good crop.
Caring Guide For Baby Corns
Protect from frost
Sweet corn must be planted outside only after the last frost risk has passed. Until then, they can be grown in glass-enclosed pots. Protect your sweet corn with a cloche if you are unsure.
Water regularly
Water the sweetcorn plants for the first week. They will need to be watered during dry spells.
Keep weeds down
You can keep weeds down by using a hoe to weed between the plants on a regular basis. It should be done a few times per week.
Harvest Time For Sweet Baby Corns
Sweetcorn should be harvested towards the end/beginning of fall. When the cob’s ends turn dark brown (almost completely black), they are ready for picking. Baby corn should be harvested young, while the tassels remain pale. Double-check by peeling off the outer husk, and then piercing the kernel with your thumbnail. If the liquid is clear, it’s ready for you to pick. You need to be patient if the liquid is clear.
Common Problems When Growing Baby Corns
Slugs
Young sweetcorn leaves may be damaged by slugs. They don’t like the ribs so they eat the strips between them, causing some damage. You can set slug traps and conduct a dusk patrol to ensure that your plot is free from debris, weeds, and other slug-friendly hiding spots.
Earwigs
They can be found in sweetcorn cobs as they love to hide under the leaves and husks. A few newspapers rolled up and dampened on the soil can be used to lure them away from your crops. You can also empty the newspaper roll at the other end.
Brown or yellow leaves
Lack of nutrients and water can cause leaves to turn a discolored color. Regular watering is important to keep the soil moist. A fortnightly liquid feeding will also be recommended.
