Planting out the sweetcorn

Thursday, 16th June
I am still way behind with everything so I had to come down to the plot, even though it was almost incessant heavy showers. Even so I didn't get down until after 3pm.
My priority was to get my sweet corn planted now that the tunnels had been moved off the bed reserved for them. However I had forgotten that the ends of the posts were still in the ground! It took ages to dislodge them especially as I had to shelter in the car from the rain twice. Once they were out of the ground it started to pour down so I went for a coffee break in the car. After waiting 20 minutes I decided if it didn't stop by 5.30 I would collect the trays of plants, put them back in the car and go home. At 5.29 it stopped so I started marking out the bed. Setting out the 30 plants in a 5 by 6 grid should produce good cross fertilisation. This arrangement almost fills the bed but leaves enough room for the squashes that I want to plant in and around the corn.
The plants have been ready for some time so they were pot bound and the roots needed teasing out as I set them in the ground with a little bunds round them to concentrate any water to the roots. I also added a dose of chicken manure to each plant to get them off to a good start before giving them a good watering despite the rains.
I went home with a nice patch of neatly planted corn.

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