'Earlibird' Extra Sweet Sweetcorn Plants

When sweetcorn plants are still young seedlings they can become prey to birds, slugs and snails. To prevent damage from birds the best defence is a fine horticultural fleece. Birds will generally not try to eat the plant as it grows larger. The fleece will have to be taken off as the plant grows larger to promote pollination. For slugs and snails, it is important to keep the area around the plant debris free and as dry as possible, especially at night as slugs and snails love damp conditions. You can use barriers such as egg shells or copper wire to surround the plant to prevent slugs and snails reaching the leaves.

Keep the soil consistently moist rather than allowing it to dry out. During dry spells, water well, once or twice a week.

Sweetcorn plants require 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day. Position in a sheltered space, protected against chilling winds for best growth.

Thrives in any well-drained soil. If your soil is particularly clay-heavy and/or often becomes waterlogged then you can improve the drainage by adding in plenty of organic matter such as garden compost as well as some perlite or gravel.

Once the flowers emerge feed the plants with a high-potash fertiliser such as liquid tomato feed every fortnight