🌽 When to Plant Corn

🥬 Vegetable
Warm Season

Direct sow in blocks for pollination

📅 Planting Calendar by USDA Zone

Select your zone to highlight your exact planting dates. Dates are calculated from each zone's average frost dates.

Find my zone
Zone Last Frost Start Indoors Transplant Direct Sow
Zone 2A May 30 Jun 13
Zone 3B May 15 May 29
Zone 4A May 8 May 22
Zone 4B May 1 May 15
Zone 5A Apr 25 May 9
Zone 5B Apr 18 May 2
Zone 6A Apr 21 May 5
Zone 6B Apr 10 Apr 24
Zone 7A Apr 5 Apr 19
Zone 7B Mar 28 Apr 11
Zone 8A Mar 20 Apr 3
Zone 8B Mar 12 Mar 26
Zone 9A Feb 28 Mar 14
Zone 9B Feb 15 Mar 1
Zone 10A Feb 1 Feb 15
Zone 10B Jan 15 Jan 29
Zone 11A Jan 1 Jan 15

Sweet corn needs space and warm soil but rewards with unbeatable fresh flavor.

Top Growing Tips

  • Plant in blocks of at least 4 rows for good pollination
  • Soil must be 60°F+ for germination
  • Heavy feeder — side-dress with nitrogen when plants are knee-high
  • Silks turn brown when ears are ready (about 3 weeks after silking)
  • Eat or process immediately — sugar converts to starch within hours

Companion Planting

Good companions: beans, squash, cucumbers, melons

Avoid planting near: tomatoes (both are heavy feeders)

Harvest Timeline

60-100 days from seed