maize??

wex96

Hi was just wondering if any can tell me if the maize that is grown here is the same type we eat as "corn on the cob" or is it just to feed animals:D:D:o

Sam Kade

It's the same type only difference is that the summer is not warm enough for it to ripen. It's grown as silage to feed cattle.

The_Conductor

Sam Kade wrote: »

It's the same type only difference is that the summer is not warm enough for it to ripen. It's grown as silage to feed cattle.

When it does mature its normally flaked (its a feeding stuff for sheep/goats).

Oldtree

These is a large field of maize (for fodder) near us and is is doing very well at the moment. If we get reasonable bit of weather for the rest of the summer it should be a successful crop.

But having seen this I want to give Sweetcorn a go next year in the vegi plot. The organic Center have a few varities and say the following

Sweetcorn
Zea mays - Family Graminae

Sweetcorn is a tender crop which needs a long growing season and high soil fertility. It is best grown in a polytunnel or glasshouse. To encourage pollination, shake the plant, the male flowers are on the tip of the plant. Seeds should be sown in April for planting in May.

I have a poly tunnel but grow in pots rather than the soil, so I will try some there and give it a go outside, having grown the seedlings in protected pots first. Though I do not think this would be a commercially viable venture.

The_Conductor

Sounds very interesting- you might get back to us and let us know how it goes?

Cheers,

Shane

Maize growing is quite common now in Ireland.
I've seen the plant grow 10ft tall or more in this country.
It does ripen actually,usually in mid october when we get our first frosts and depending on the variety-thats when it is normally cut.
It is used as a feed for cattle especially dairy cows.
Thats what it's used for in most countries by the way including the U.S and on the continent.

Oldtree

the field near me was ploughed in april or so, and then planted may or so. I will keep a note of the exact dates next year. When it was planted a biodegradable pink plastic sheet was placed over the drills, I guess as a protection from late frosts, to warm the soil and as a weed supressent, which looked wierd (a ploughed field with pink lines following the contours), but then when the maize started growing and poked holes in the plastic. The plants were about 3 feet high the last time I looked.

Will provide further details as I find out more, and how I get on next year in the vegi plot/poly t.

wex96

what i was really wondering was if a farmer was to "give me some ;)" can i eat it? obviously after it's gone yellow. :D

Oldtree

You could probably eat it. But would it be ripe enough??? These crops are grown for their speed of growth and nutrient content and not their taste. Also what has been sprayed on the crop may not be suitable for human consumption. Careful now.

Occidental

I've grown sweetcorn in a polytunnel and for a personal crop it works fine. Not as sweet as the stuff you'd get in Canada for example, but perfectly good to eat. I've tasted maize years back and I believe it's fine to eat, though very bland and you'd want to have a lead lined stomach. All the roughage you'll ever need, that's for sure.

Oldtree

what variety of sweetcorn did you grow?

Sam Kade

Deleted User wrote: »

It does ripen actually

Really where would I go in october to see a field of ripe maize? All maize crops I've seen when cut are only partiailly ripe.

meathstevie

The gunclub the old man is in on the continent grow a couple of acres of mixed feed crops for game every year and maize would be part of it. Every late autumn and through winter it's being harvested by hand. The fruits are thrown through some sort of a tresher and used in feeders, the stalks are usually ploughed under in spring. Just to make the point that the stuff indeed ripens quite nicely in Northern Europe. In the likes of Holland, Belgium, Germany etc maize has been used as cattle feed for decades with very good results in dairy and beef farming.

Belfast

Oldtree wrote: »

You could probably eat it. But would it be ripe enough??? These crops are grown for their speed of growth and nutrient content and not their taste. Also what has been sprayed on the crop may not be suitable for human consumption. Careful now.

I grew it in my garden in Dublin with a glasshouse or polytunnel a few years ago. I was nice and sweet.
It was a good summer that year and was very hot.
I have not tried it in a wet cold year.

I think the type of mazie I grew was Sweetcorn : Conquest F1 Hybrid from thompson and morgan
but it could have been on of the other varieties..
other varieties here
http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/list/full-index/s/22

Oldtree

Just passed the crop near me today and its about 5 foot high with both male and female flowers showing. The plants look very healthy with no signs of disease or wilting or over watering, which is suprising given the amount of rain we've had here over the last while.

Oldtree

Mobile pictures attached taken today