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Monday 12 October 2026
Keter Manor Outdoor Apex Double Door Garden Storage Shed (6 x 8ft)
A durable and stylish beige and brown garden storage shed perfect for storing garden tools, equipment, bikes, and outdoor essentials. Weather-resistant, low maintenance, and ideal for any garden or allotment setup.
🍂 Essential Garden & Allotment Products for October
October is the perfect time to prepare your garden
for winter, improve your soil and get ahead with
autumn planting. Here are some useful gardening
essentials for this month.
🌱 Compost & Soil Improvers
Give your garden beds a boost before winter with compost and organic matter.
Shop Compost & Soil Improvers
🌿 Autumn Plant Feed & Fertiliser
Prepare your soil for autumn planting with suitable fertilisers and soil nutrients.
Browse Garden Fertilisers
🥬 Seed Trays & Propagation Kits
Keep growing through autumn by starting suitable hardy crops under cover.
Shop Seed Trays
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Sunlight, Spacing & Planting Depth for Strong Sweetcorn Stalks
Sunlight, Spacing & Planting Depth for Strong Stalks
Growing sweetcorn that stands tall and produces full, juicy ears means getting the basics just right: sunlight, spacing, and seed depth. These three factors have a big impact on pollination, plant health, and your final harvest.
How Much Sunlight Does Sweetcorn Need?
- Full Sun Essential:
Place sweetcorn in the brightest spot you can. It needs at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight a day—the more, the better. - Shaded Plants = Weak Growth:
Planting in partial shade leads to leggy plants, fewer cobs, and poor pollination. Avoid areas shaded by buildings, trees, or tall crops.
How Should Sweetcorn Be Spaced?
- Plant in Blocks, Not Rows:
Sweetcorn is wind-pollinated. For the best cob development, plant seeds in squares or rectangular “blocks,” rather than single rows. This improves the movement of pollen between plants. - Spacing Guidelines:
- Space seeds/plants 20–25cm (8–10 in) apart within each row or block.
- Leave 40–50cm (16–20 in) between each block or row.
- Small Gardens:
You can plant as few as a 3×3 grid (9 plants), but bigger blocks (e.g., 4×4 or 5×5) mean better pollination and more successful harvests.
How Deep Should Sweetcorn Seeds Be Planted?
- Ideal Planting Depth:
- Sow seeds 2–3cm (about 1 inch) deep.
- Too shallow = risk of drying out.
- Too deep = slow and weak germination.
- Direct Sowing:
Press seeds firmly into the soil, cover, and water gently. - Starting Indoors:
Plant seeds the same depth in modules or small pots.
Tips for Even Growth and Pollination
- Thin Any Extra Seedlings
After germination, thin to strongest plants at the proper spacing—don’t crowd! - Succession Sowing
For a longer harvest, sow another block every 2–3 weeks (until midsummer).
Pro Tips
- Correct spacing means each plant receives sunlight, air, and soil nutrients—reducing disease and increasing cob size.
- Water thoroughly after planting and keep soil moist, especially during early growth.
Next Step: Watering Sweetcorn—How Much & How Often?
Now your seeds are in the ground, set them up for success by learning everything about watering sweetcorn the right way. Check out our next guide!