Plant Corn in Zone 9a

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 9a

Direct sow

Mar 8

Harvest (~75d)

May 22

Zone 9a averages 274 frost-free days, running from a last spring frost around March 1 to a first fall frost around November 30. Corn needs roughly 75 days from planting out to first harvest, so it uses about 27 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 Mar 8, after the Zone 9a last frost has passed and the soil has warmed. At 75 days to harvest, a 274-day Zone 9a season has room for about 3 sowings, so stagger them rather than planting everything at once.

Fall planting: corn in Zone 9a

Corn has no useful fall window in Zone 9a. 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 9a 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 9a

Planting	Sow or start	In the ground	Harvest
Spring	Mar 8	Mar 8	May 22
Fall	—	—	—

Last spring frost

Mar 1

First fall frost

Nov 30

Growing season

274 days

Corn in nearby zones

Corn in Zone 8b (colder) Corn in Zone 9b (warmer) Full Corn grow guide Zone 9a planting calendar

Other crops in Zone 9a

Tomatoes in Zone 9a Peppers in Zone 9a Cucumbers in Zone 9a Lettuce in Zone 9a Zucchini in Zone 9a Carrots in Zone 9a Beans (bush) in Zone 9a Peas in Zone 9a Broccoli in Zone 9a Spinach in Zone 9a Kale in Zone 9a Onions in Zone 9a Garlic in Zone 9a Potatoes in Zone 9a Squash (winter) in Zone 9a Radishes in Zone 9a Beets in Zone 9a Eggplant in Zone 9a Basil in Zone 9a Cilantro in Zone 9a Parsley in Zone 9a Pumpkins in Zone 9a Sunflowers in Zone 9a

Frequently asked questions

When should I start corn in Zone 9a?

Direct sow outdoors around Mar 8.

Can I direct sow corn in Zone 9a?

Yes, direct sow around Mar 8.

Can I plant corn in the fall in Zone 9a?

Corn has no useful fall window in Zone 9a. Sweet corn pollinates badly in short, cool autumn days, so a fall planting rarely fills out.

Will corn survive frost in Zone 9a?

No. Corn is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 9a planting has to finish before the average first frost.

How many plantings of corn fit in a Zone 9a season?

About 3. Zone 9a averages 274 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.