I'm off corn

Tony Baker

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Got some open pollinated seed and planted them out. Pumping the water into them but just can't keep up. Cobs are looking pretty ordinary. Being on tank water I just can't justify the water I use for them. I may try again in a wicking bed but won't be doing them in a raised bed again.
 

Jenny

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It is tough trying to grow anything in drought conditions. When is you rainy season, winter or summer?

In the past I haven't had much luck with corn that I grew in containers on my patio, with dismal yields.

This time round I planted them in the soil in my alleyway instead. The seeds I planted in Sept at first grew nicely, but eventually most of the plants got strangled and toppled over by the pumpkin vines. I then planted another batch of a seed (different variety) during Oct/Nov in another bed in the alleyway and they are growing tall and strong, no ears on it yet though, so will have to wait an see if I will get any decent sized corn, this time around. I only planted a few seeds though, as an experiment and if it does well, then next spring I will plant on a bigger scale.
 
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Tony Baker

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Its supposed to be our rain season now but its been very poor. We just bought a load of water today and I'll be carting water in my ICB all next week.
 

Jenny

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Its supposed to be our rain season now but its been very poor. We just bought a load of water today and I'll be carting water in my ICB all next week.
Ah ok so you also in Summer Rainfall area. It sucks that you have to buy water though. I know drilling boreholes is expensive, but isn't that perhaps an option to look at in the future?
 

Tony Baker

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The bore water in my area is slightly salty. OK for stock to drink but not good for the garden.
 

Mark Seaton

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I grew corn this year in an old bathtub.
It is very thirsty, so you are right that it would be hard to keep up. But in saying that, I overcrowded it and I would have had the best corn I ever did.... Except we had to go away for a couple of days and as I didn't have automatic watering it struggled as we had 3 days over 40c.
In saying that, I managed to save a lot and still managed a good harvest.
I did read recently that saving corn seed is not worth it unless you grow hundreds of plants as there is a problem with pollination. you can end up with inbreed depression or some such thing and also you don't want cross pollination with different varieties.
 
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