How to grow Sweet Corn

First, corn grows fast and large and demands plenty of food and water to sustain its rapid development, so you'll need to dig in heaps of organic fertiliser. They respond best to the kinds of composts and manures contained within 5 IN 1, a carefully blended organic fertiliser soil enricher that promotes healthy and abundant growth.

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Corn needs to be grown in a position which gets full sun yet is sheltered from the wind. There are many different types of sweet corn available either as seeds or seedlings, some of which produce black, red and multicoloured kernels.

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To prevent cross-pollination, only plant one variety at a time. Select a site in which you can plant the seeds or seedlings in blocks of four rows, each about 30cm (12in) apart. This will ensure good pollination and guarantee a bumper crop.

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Once the corn seeds have germinated, give them a deep watering about twice a week to promote good strong growth. This is a far more effective technique than watering briefly every day. As it grows, sweet corn develops above-ground roots and it's important to cover these with a thick, rich mulch to protect them.

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Corn takes about three to four months to grow and produce cobs which are ready for picking. Now here's the trick to knowing when corn is ready to pick - wait for the tassels on the end of the cobs to turn almost black, give the cob a quick twist and it will come straight off the plant.