Plant Corn in Zone 5a
Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 5a
Zone 5a averages 156 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around April 30 to a first fall frost around October 3. Corn needs roughly 75 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 48 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 May 7, after the Zone 5a last frost has passed and the soil has warmed.
Fall planting: corn in Zone 5a
Corn has no useful fall window in Zone 5a. 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 5a 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 5a
| Planting | Sow or start | In the ground | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | May 7 | May 7 | Jul 21 |
| 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 5a
Frequently asked questions
When should I start corn in Zone 5a?
Direct sow outdoors around May 7.
Can I direct sow corn in Zone 5a?
Yes, direct sow around May 7.
Can I plant corn in the fall in Zone 5a?
Corn has no useful fall window in Zone 5a. Sweet corn pollinates badly in short, cool autumn days, so a fall planting rarely fills out.
Will corn survive frost in Zone 5a?
No. Corn is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 5a planting has to finish before the average first frost.