Sweet corn planting calendar for USDA Zone 8a

Wilmington NC, Columbia SC, Atlanta, Dallas, Norfolk. Average last spring frost March 28, first fall frost November 5 — a 222-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent

Sweet corn is well suited to Zone 8a. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors

March 28 – April 18

Expected first harvest

June 18 – July 16

Fall planting window

August 6 – August 27

Fall harvest window

October 27 – November 24

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 8a

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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