Sweet corn planting calendar for USDA Zone 6a

Western NC mountains, southern PA, central OH, northern MO. Average last spring frost May 1, first fall frost October 1 — a 153-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: 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.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors

May 1 – May 22

Expected first harvest

July 22 – August 19

Fall planting window

July 2 – July 23

Fall harvest window

September 22 – October 20

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing: 12″
Row spacing: 30″
Seed depth: 1.5″
Soil temperature: 65–85°F
Frost tolerance: tender
Days to harvest: 75 days

Grower notes for Zone 6a

Plant in blocks of 4+ rows for wind pollination. Isolate super-sweet varieties from standard varieties by 250 ft or 14 days.

Plant near: beans, squash, cucumbers

Keep away from: tomatoes

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.

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