Plant Corn in Zone 10a
Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 10a
Zone 10a averages 323 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around January 31 to a first fall frost around December 20. Corn needs roughly 75 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 23 percent of that window. Corn is a tender crop, which is what decides where in the window it belongs.
Corn resents transplanting and hates cold soil, so direct sow around Feb 7, after the Zone 10a last frost has passed and the soil has warmed. At 75 days to harvest, a 323-day Zone 10a season has room for about 3 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.
Fall planting: corn in Zone 10a
Corn has no useful fall window in Zone 10a. Sweet corn pollinates badly in short, cool autumn days, so a fall planting rarely fills out.
Sweet corn pollinates badly in short, cool autumn days, so a fall planting rarely fills out.
Fall dates are counted backward from the Zone 10a average first frost, not forward from a sowing date. See the fall planting calendar by zone for the full method.
Spring vs fall corn in Zone 10a
| Planting | Sow or start | In the ground | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Feb 7 | Feb 7 | Apr 23 |
| Fall | — | — | — |
Corn in nearby zones
Further reading on corn
- Soil temperature for planting seeds
The soil temperature corn needs before it will germinate.
- Companion planting chart
What to plant with corn and what to keep away from it.
Other crops in Zone 10a
Frequently asked questions
When should I start corn in Zone 10a?
Direct sow outdoors around Feb 7.
Can I direct sow corn in Zone 10a?
Yes, direct sow around Feb 7.
Can I plant corn in the fall in Zone 10a?
Corn has no useful fall window in Zone 10a. Sweet corn pollinates badly in short, cool autumn days, so a fall planting rarely fills out.
Will corn survive frost in Zone 10a?
No. Corn is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 10a planting has to finish before the average first frost.
How many plantings of corn fit in a Zone 10a season?
About 3. Zone 10a averages 323 frost-free days and corn needs roughly 75 days plus a couple of weeks of turnaround, so sowing every 45 days keeps a supply coming.