When to plant sweet corn in zone 8a
In zone 8a, where the last spring frost typically comes around March 29, sow outdoors March 29 to April 12. For a fall crop, plant August 1 to 15.
The zone 8a schedule for sweet corn
- Sow outdoors
- March 29 to April 12
- Safest planting date (10% frost risk)
- April 14
- First harvest, roughly
- May 28 to July 21
- Plant for a fall crop
- August 1 to 15
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 2,584 ZIP codes in zone 8a, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for sweet corn.
Frost risk in zone 8a
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 8a, the typical last frost ranges from about March 18 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 7 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 31 to November 16. For a typical place in the zone:
- March 9Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- March 29Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- April 14Safe: 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 8a cities
| City | Typical last frost | Plant | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 30 to Apr 13 | Jul 28 to Aug 11 |
| Memphis, TN | Mar 16 | Mar 16 to 30 | Aug 10 to 24 |
| Baltimore, MD | Mar 24 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | Aug 15 to 29 |
| Atlanta, GA | Mar 15 | Mar 15 to 29 | Aug 14 to 28 |
| Raleigh, NC | Mar 28 | Mar 28 to Apr 11 | Aug 2 to 16 |
| Greensboro, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 30 to Apr 13 | Jul 30 to Aug 13 |
| Durham, NC | Mar 31 | Mar 31 to Apr 14 | Jul 29 to Aug 12 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 30 to Apr 13 | Jul 30 to Aug 13 |
| Chesapeake, VA | Mar 17 | Mar 17 to 31 | Aug 17 to 31 |
| Huntsville, AL | Mar 24 | Mar 24 to Apr 7 | Aug 2 to 16 |
| Fayetteville, NC | Mar 30 | Mar 30 to Apr 13 | Aug 4 to 18 |
| Little Rock, AR | Mar 21 | Mar 21 to Apr 4 | Aug 4 to 18 |
How to grow sweet cornAll zonesSweet Corn in zone 7bSweet Corn in zone 8bAbout zone 8a
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