Monthly Fruits and Vegetables Guide with Monty
Growing Sweetcorn and Lettuce Together for a Continuous Vegetable Supply
In the garden this June, Monty Don shares a clever tip for growing sweetcorn and lettuce together to ensure a steady vegetable supply throughout the growing season.
Sweetcorn, with its deep roots and tall stature, requires space and good pollination. Planting sweetcorn in clusters or rows, with at least 3-4 plants grouped together, allows for adequate light and airflow.
Lettuce, on the other hand, is a fast-growing, shallow-rooted crop that matures quickly. It can be planted 6 to 8 inches apart around or between the corn, making efficient use of space. Lettuce can be sown repeatedly in succession for continuous harvest, while corn grows over a longer season.
Grouping sweetcorn stalks improves pollination and yield, making it an ideal companion for the lettuce. In fact, this combination can be seen as a modern take on the traditional "Three Sisters" companion concept, where corn, beans, and squash are grown together. Lettuce, with its fast growth, can fit as a lower-level crop in this arrangement.
For container growing, ensure large deep pots (10–15 gallons) for corn, with lettuce around the edges or between pots for space efficiency.
This innovative approach provides an early season harvest of lettuce while the sweetcorn matures later, ensuring a continuous vegetable supply through the growing season. Just remember to avoid planting tomatoes near corn, but lettuce and corn grow well together.
Monty Don shares more tips and advice on June jobs for the fruit and veg garden in a collection of videos from BBC Gardeners' World. Happy gardening!
Sources: [1][2][3][5]
In the home-and-garden setting, Monty Don's recommended strategy to grow lettuce and sweetcorn together not only optimizes space but also ensures a continuous vegetable supply throughout the growing season, serving as a modern-day adaptation of the "Three Sisters" companion concept. For effective container growing, one can use large, deep pots for sweetcorn with lettuce positioned around the edges or between pots to enhance space efficiency.
