Growing sweet corn: timing, spacing and costs by zone
When to plant sweet corn in Zones 6–9, spacing, and what to know before you commit ground.
Not yet expert-reviewed. Written by BAU Farm Intelligence from public extension and agency sources. Check dates and program details with your local extension office.
When to plant
Sweet corn: warm-season, will not take a frost. Plant when soil reaches 65–85°F. Dates below are averages worked out from each zone's frost dates — check your own field.
- Zone 6b (Boone NC): seed April 24 – May 15; fall planting July 9 – July 30. First picking around July 15 – August 12.
- Zone 7b (Raleigh): seed April 8 – April 29; fall planting July 23 – August 13. First picking around June 29 – July 27.
- Zone 8b (Charleston SC): seed March 15 – April 5; fall planting August 16 – September 6. First picking around June 5 – July 3.
- Zone 9a (Gainesville FL): seed February 25 – March 18; fall planting September 1 – September 22. First picking around May 18 – June 15.
Setting it up
Direct-seed in the field. Space plants 12 inches apart in rows 30 inches apart, about 1.5 inch deep. Expect roughly 75 days to first harvest.
Field notes
Plant in blocks of 4+ rows for wind pollination. Isolate super-sweet varieties from standard varieties by 250 ft or 14 days.
How it fits each zone
- Zone 6b: good — Sweet corn is frost-tender, so timing the outdoor transplant to the last frost matters more here than in warmer zones. Row cover buys 2 weeks of head start.
- Zone 7b: excellent — Sweet corn is well suited to Zone 7b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.
- Zone 8b: excellent — Sweet corn is well suited to Zone 8b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.
- Zone 9a: excellent — Sweet corn is well suited to Zone 9a. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.
What it costs per acre
- 2026 Sweet Corn — Irrigated Budget (University of Georgia CAES — Agricultural & Applied Economics, 2026): about $5,249 per acre in transcribed costs.
- 2008 Retail Sweet Corn Production Budget (hand harvested) (Ohio State University Extension — Farm Office, 2008): about $0 per acre in transcribed costs.
- University of Delaware Sweet corn (fresh market, hand-harvested) budget — 2025 (University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, 2025): about $2,200 per acre in transcribed costs.
- Sweet Corn Planning Budget (G734), 1 acre with overhead irrigation (University of Missouri Extension, 2025): about $3,185 per acre in transcribed costs.
- Rutgers Table 33: Costs and Returns for Sweet Corn (Mid to Late Season), Per Acre — 1996 (Rutgers Cooperative Extension — Farm Management, 1996): about $1,593 per acre in transcribed costs.
- 2008 Maryland Vegetable Enterprise Budgets: Sweet Corn, Fresh Market — Per Acre (University of Maryland Extension, 2008): about $982 per acre in transcribed costs.
These are published budgets, not your costs. Plug your own numbers into the breakeven calculator before you commit ground.
Before you plant
Line up who will buy it and at what price before seed goes in the ground. See the planting calendar for your exact zone.
Sources
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- University of Georgia CAES — Agricultural & Applied Economics — 2026 Sweet Corn — Irrigated Budget (2026)
- Ohio State University Extension — Farm Office — 2008 Retail Sweet Corn Production Budget (hand harvested) (2008)
- University of Delaware Cooperative Extension — University of Delaware Sweet corn (fresh market, hand-harvested) budget — 2025 (2025)
- University of Missouri Extension — Sweet Corn Planning Budget (G734), 1 acre with overhead irrigation (2025)
- Rutgers Cooperative Extension — Farm Management — Rutgers Table 33: Costs and Returns for Sweet Corn (Mid to Late Season), Per Acre — 1996 (1996)
- University of Maryland Extension — 2008 Maryland Vegetable Enterprise Budgets: Sweet Corn, Fresh Market — Per Acre (2008)