Plant Corn in Zone 7b

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 7b

Direct sow

Apr 10

Harvest (~75d)

Jun 24

Zone 7b averages 212 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around April 3 to a first fall frost around November 1. Corn needs roughly 75 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 35 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 10, after the Zone 7b last frost has passed and the soil has warmed. At 75 days to harvest, a 212-day Zone 7b season has room for about 2 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: corn in Zone 7b

Corn has no useful fall window in Zone 7b. 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 7b 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 7b

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Apr 10	Apr 10	Jun 24
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Apr 3

First fall frost

Nov 1

Growing season

212 days

Corn in nearby zones

Corn in Zone 7a (colder) Corn in Zone 8a (warmer) Full Corn grow guide Zone 7b planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 7b

Tomatoes in Zone 7b Peppers in Zone 7b Cucumbers in Zone 7b Lettuce in Zone 7b Zucchini in Zone 7b Carrots in Zone 7b Beans (bush) in Zone 7b Peas in Zone 7b Broccoli in Zone 7b Spinach in Zone 7b Kale in Zone 7b Onions in Zone 7b Garlic in Zone 7b Potatoes in Zone 7b Squash (winter) in Zone 7b Radishes in Zone 7b Beets in Zone 7b Eggplant in Zone 7b Basil in Zone 7b Cilantro in Zone 7b Parsley in Zone 7b Pumpkins in Zone 7b Sunflowers in Zone 7b

Frequently asked questions

When should I start corn in Zone 7b?

Direct sow outdoors around Apr 10.

Can I direct sow corn in Zone 7b?

Yes, direct sow around Apr 10.

Can I plant corn in the fall in Zone 7b?

Corn has no useful fall window in Zone 7b. Sweet corn pollinates badly in short, cool autumn days, so a fall planting rarely fills out.

Will corn survive frost in Zone 7b?

No. Corn is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 7b planting has to finish before the average first frost.

How many plantings of corn fit in a Zone 7b season?

About 2. Zone 7b averages 212 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.