When to plant sweet corn in zone 7b
In zone 7b, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 5, sow outdoors April 5 to 19. For a fall crop, plant July 26 to August 9.
The zone 7b schedule for sweet corn
- Sow outdoors
- April 5 to 19
- Safest planting date (10% frost risk)
- April 21
- First harvest, roughly
- June 4 to July 28
- Plant for a fall crop
- July 26 to August 9
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 3,025 ZIP codes in zone 7b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for sweet corn.
Frost risk in zone 7b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 7b, the typical last frost ranges from about March 30 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 17 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 24 to November 18. For a typical place in the zone:
- March 20Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 5Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- April 21Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Sweet Corn are killed by frost, so if you want to be safe, plant out after the safe date rather than the typical one, or be ready to cover plants on a cold night.
Your dates for sweet corn
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant sweet corn where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Sweet Corn in zone 7b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | Mar 30 | Apr 6 to 20 | Aug 14 to 28 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 30 | Mar 31 to Apr 14 | Aug 11 to 25 |
| Nashville-Davidson, TN | Mar 31 | Mar 31 to Apr 14 | Jul 28 to Aug 11 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Apr 4 | Apr 4 to 18 | Jul 27 to Aug 10 |
| Albuquerque, NM | Apr 6 | Apr 6 to 20 | — |
| Tulsa, OK | Mar 31 | Mar 31 to Apr 14 | Jul 29 to Aug 12 |
| Newark, NJ | Apr 2 | Apr 7 to 21 | Aug 4 to 18 |
| Jersey City, NJ | Apr 2 | Apr 7 to 21 | Aug 4 to 18 |
| Reno, NV | Apr 20 | Apr 20 to May 4 | — |
| Lubbock, TX | Apr 4 | Apr 4 to 18 | Jul 27 to Aug 10 |
| Richmond, VA | Apr 3 | Apr 3 to 17 | Jul 29 to Aug 12 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Apr 8 | Apr 8 to 22 | — |
How to grow sweet cornAll zonesSweet Corn in zone 7aSweet Corn in zone 8aAbout zone 7b
Sources
- How to Grow Sweet Corn in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Growing Sweet Corn in a Home Garden · University of Maryland Extension
- Growing Home Garden Sweet Corn (Circular 905) · University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
- Sweet Corn (HGIC factsheet) · Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP103/VH021) · University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- GN 154: Soil Temperature Conditions for Vegetable Seed Germination (Harrington emergence table) · UC Cooperative Extension, Sacramento County (UC ANR)
- Fall Vegetable Gardening (SPES-801) · Virginia Cooperative Extension