HITTING THE SWEET SPOT

Welcome to the wonderful world of sweetcorn as Rob Smith takes a look at both old and newer varieties, with some growing advice too

- Rob Smith

WE hen it comes to a vegetable that really does need to be homegrown to appreciate its fresh taste, sweetcorn must be high on the list. Unlike the starchy, lacklustre cobs you can buy in the supermarket, home-grown sweetcorn is a revelation the first time you try it, and after that there is no looking back! With its mouth-wateringly sweet and tasty kernels, sweetcorn that's produced fresh in the garden or allotment can be enjoyed straight from the plant with no cooking, just like fruit. In fact, it's not uncommon for them to be so juicy that you end up with it dribbling down your chin.

With improvements in sweetness and shelf life, sweetcorn varieties have come a long way in the last few years, which is especially helpful when you have lots of cobs ready at the same time. Mainly categorised simply as 'sweetcorn' and 'supersweet', you'll find differing codes for different levels of sweetness and kernel texture. It may all seem a little complicated, but it really isn't.

SU is what we would class as normal, or standard sweetcorn, the type you find in the shops. The cobs only keep their sweetness for a couple of days and quickly turn starchy.

SH2, or supersweet, are up to twice as sweet as standard types, and they last longer after harvest before they begin to turn starchy. They don't usually produce as many cobs per plant as standard types, and they don't germinate well in cooler temperatures, so start them off inside in modules for best results.

SE, or sugar enhanced - these are somewhere between standard and supersweet. They have tender kernels which make them easier to chew and less tough, and they have a longer shelf life than standard types.

SY, synergistic types, have the benefits of supersweet and sugar enhanced varieties. They are sweet tasting with a good shelf life, plus they do not need to be isolated from SU and SE varieties, though the taste will be sweeter if you do.