Sweetcorn - Pruning side shoots?

[skyblu]

I have had some advice from another allotmenteer who is a veteran sweetcorn grower and that is to cut off any side shoots on my sweetcorn that start from the base/ground level of the plant.  He demonstrated what to do then stood over me whilst I did the rest...it felt like murder!!  :o I can't find anything in any of my books about doing this and was wondering if any of you guys do this too or had any thoughts on it?

[skyblu]

[1066]

I was looking at these side shoots the other day and wondering what their purpose was in life, so I'll be interested to read the response to your question

1066

[manicscousers]

I leave them, sometimes get baby corn for stir fries  ;D

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

I think Jeannine said you got a lot of sideshoots if the soil was very fertile (a good thing), or if thew were a bit wide spaced (not a bad thing). A quick look on the web suggests that removing them is either a waste of time, or actually could reduce the crop.

Jeannine kindly did a megapost here on all you need to know about sweetcorn, but I couldn't find it

[saddad]

I leave Tillers... it was practice to remove them to channel energy into the main stem when corn hadn't been adapted to our climate...
:)

[cornykev]

I've never removed them and never seen any one on our site remove them, I'd leave them or do halvey halvey and see if there's any difference.       ;D ;D ;D

[skyblu]

d**n! wait 'til I get my hands on that veteran...last time I take his advice! luckily I was a bit haphazard so lots got missed anyway (accidentally on purpose) - so it looks like I'll be doing a half and half trial  :)

thanks people