Plant Corn in Zone 6b

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 6b

Direct sow

Apr 22

Harvest (~75d)

Jul 6

Zone 6b averages 186 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around April 15 to a first fall frost around October 18. Corn needs roughly 75 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 40 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 Apr 22, after the Zone 6b last frost has passed and the soil has warmed. At 75 days to harvest, a 186-day Zone 6b season has room for about 2 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: corn in Zone 6b

Corn has no useful fall window in Zone 6b. 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 6b 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 6b

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Apr 22	Apr 22	Jul 6
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Apr 15

First fall frost

Oct 18

Growing season

186 days

Corn in nearby zones

Corn in Zone 6a (colder) Corn in Zone 7a (warmer) Full Corn grow guide Zone 6b planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 6b

Tomatoes in Zone 6b Peppers in Zone 6b Cucumbers in Zone 6b Lettuce in Zone 6b Zucchini in Zone 6b Carrots in Zone 6b Beans (bush) in Zone 6b Peas in Zone 6b Broccoli in Zone 6b Spinach in Zone 6b Kale in Zone 6b Onions in Zone 6b Garlic in Zone 6b Potatoes in Zone 6b Squash (winter) in Zone 6b Radishes in Zone 6b Beets in Zone 6b Eggplant in Zone 6b Basil in Zone 6b Cilantro in Zone 6b Parsley in Zone 6b Pumpkins in Zone 6b Sunflowers in Zone 6b

Frequently asked questions

When should I start corn in Zone 6b?

Direct sow outdoors around Apr 22.

Can I direct sow corn in Zone 6b?

Yes, direct sow around Apr 22.

Can I plant corn in the fall in Zone 6b?

Corn has no useful fall window in Zone 6b. Sweet corn pollinates badly in short, cool autumn days, so a fall planting rarely fills out.

Will corn survive frost in Zone 6b?

No. Corn is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 6b planting has to finish before the average first frost.

How many plantings of corn fit in a Zone 6b season?

About 2. Zone 6b averages 186 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.