Growing Sweetcorn in Cumbria....
Why It’s Working This Year compared to last.
There’s no shortage of maize growing in fields around here — acres of it, year after year. But that’s usually silage maize: tougher, faster-growing varieties bred for bulk and animal feed, not flavour.
What I’m growing is sweetcorn, the kind you actually want to eat. And that’s a different story.
Last year was a washout.
Constant rain, low temperatures, and most crops barely got going. This year’s been better. We still had cold nights all the way till June but a few decent warm spells, a bit of shelter from the polytunnel, and the sweetcorn has finally taken off.
From humble beginning (sweetcorn front center) at the end of may.
To a thriving jungle!
So yes, you can grow sweetcorn in Cumbria, but if you're aiming for ripe, sweet, fresh cobs, you’ll need the right weather and a bit of help. Outdoors is hit and miss. Under cover, like in this tunnel, it’s looking promising.
When i put these plants in I prepared the bed with
a bag of my 1.5 year old compost for slow release nutrients and water holding.
A couple handfuls of fish, blood and bone for an added early NPK boost.
A light sprinkle of wood ash For added potassium, but not so much to raise the PH.
A handful of rock dust and gypsum, to increase minerals, calcium levels and soil structure.
As i’m generally no-dig, I spread all this on the surface and used my garden fork like a broad fork, i didnt turn the soil but opened it up a little, aerated the ground and partially mixed in the new and old compost, soil and amendments.
So far, so good. The plants are flowering, and I’ve been giving them a light shake in the mornings to help with pollination — there’s not much wind movement in the tunnel, so manual pollination helps.
Now cobs are starting to form, hopefully the weather will carry on this year and we'll be eating fresh sweetcorn straight off the plant!
Bonus Harvests from the Undergrowth
With the sweetcorn shooting up, there’s still space below — so I’ve layered in some understory planting to boost the yield from this small patch.
Lettuce – quick, shade-tolerant, and loves the cooler soil.
French marigolds – for colour and pest control.
Nasturtiums & petunias – to attract pollinators and add a splash of life.
Volunteer tomatoes & sunflowers – last year’s escapees, making a surprise return.
It’s not just about packing more in — it’s about working with the space, the light, and the bugs to get more out of every bed.
Next up: I’ll share more about why I’m tucking flowers and veg in together — it’s not just pretty, it’s practical. Think pest control, pollination, and squeezing more food out of every square metre.