When to plant sweet corn

By Abdi S., a nature lover who checks every guide against university extension sources.

Last checked November 6, 2026 against 3 sources, including extension guides and NOAA frost data

Short answer

Sweet corn is tender: seeds can go in around your average last frost. Seeds need soil of at least 50 °F to sprout.[1, 2]

Sweet corn at a glance

Frost tolerance	Tender [1, 2]
Plant outside (seeds)	Around the average last frost [1, 2]
Soil temperature for seeds	At least 50 °F; best around 80 °F [1]
Time to harvest	60–90 days [1]

Spring planting

Spring, seeds: Sow seed around the average last frost date. These crops don’t tolerate frost. [1, 2]

Example dates for some US cities

Based on each city's main airport weather station: the date with an even chance of frost after it (32 °F). [3] Your own dates can differ: use the ZIP code box above.

City	Average last frost	Plant outside
New York, NY	Mar 30	around Mar 30
Atlanta, GA	Mar 15	around Mar 15
Dallas–Fort Worth, TX	Mar 8	around Mar 8
Chicago, IL	Apr 16	around Apr 16
Denver, CO	May 5	around May 5
Minneapolis, MN	Apr 23	around Apr 23
Seattle, WA	Mar 2	around Mar 2

Questions people ask

Can sweet corn survive frost?

No. Tender crops don’t tolerate frost, so plant around your average last frost date or later. [1]

What soil temperature do sweet corn seeds need?

At least 50 °F; they sprout best around 80 °F. [1]

How long does sweet corn take to grow?

60–90 days. [1]

Sources

Facts on this page were checked against these sources on November 6, 2026. The wording is our own. Frost dates: NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; NOAA does not endorse this site. Some guides are written for Utah: we use only their general rules, not their local calendar dates.

Vegetable Planting Guide (CMG GardenNotes #720). Colorado State University Extension. Reviewed Sep 2024.
Suggested Vegetable Planting Dates for Utah. Utah State University Extension. Revised May 2025.
U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (frost dates). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

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