Planting guide · zone 5b
When to plant sweet corn in zone 5b
In zone 5b, the average last spring frost is May 8 and the first fall frost is Oct 8. Here is sweet corn's whole year, counted from those dates.
May 15Direct sowSpring
May 29Succession sowing 2Spring
Jun 12Succession sowing 3Spring
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Soil & site
The heaviest nitrogen feeder in the garden — rich soil, side-dress when knee-high.
Seedling care
Direct sow in warm soil; cold ground gives patchy stands.
Growing notes
Plant in blocks of at least 4 short rows, never one long row — corn is wind-pollinated and needs neighbors on all sides for full ears.
Harvest
When silks are brown and dry, pierce a kernel: milky juice means ready. Roughly 20 days after silks first appear.