Zea mays 'Ovation'

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  The RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) helps gardeners choose the best plants for their garden.
• RHS Plants for Pollinators plants

  This plant will provide nectar and pollen for bees and the many other types of pollinating insects.

  It is included in an evolving list of plants carefully researched and chosen by RHS experts. Divided into 3 groups these lists, linked below, are maintained by a team of RHS staff and are reviewed annually.

  • Garden Plants
  • Wildflowers
  • Plants of the World

Cultivation

Grow in a sunny, sheltered spot in soil that has been enriched with well-rotted organic matter. Sweetcorn can tolerate many soil types but prefers well-drained soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. As this is a ‘Supersweet’ type, avoid growing next to other varieties to prevent cross pollination if you want the cobs to retain their sweet taste. 'Supersweet' varieties can also be more temperamental so the seeds need to be sown at the correct time, at the correct depth and in the correct temperature - check the packet for more information. Harvest from August to September. See sweetcorn cultivation for futher information.

Propagation

Sow seeds undercover from mid-spring in pots or modules and then plant out May - June after hardening off and the last frosts have passed. Alternatively sow 'in situ' from late spring to early summer. Always plant in a grid pattern to ensure pollination. See sowing vegetable seeds

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Pruning

No pruning required.

Pests

May be susceptible to damage from birds, slugs, mice and badgers.

Diseases

May be susceptible to smuts which appear as large galls on the cobs and stalks in hot weather.