Beginner Seasoned
Pick your zone and the dates re-calibrate.
The Guide Crops Vol. 003

Sweet Corn

in Zone 9, this week

Sweet corn is a tall summer grass grown for its ears, which you pick young and sweet at the milk stage. Corn is pollinated by wind, not by bees: the feathery tassel at the top drops pollen that has to reach the silks below, and each silk that catches pollen becomes one kernel. That is why you plant corn in a square block of short rows instead of a single long row, so the pollen has plenty of neighbors to land on. It likes warm soil, rich feeding, and steady water while the ears are forming. Sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata) is a tall, frost-tender warm-season grass grown for its immature ears, picked green at the milk stage. It is wind-pollinated: the tassel sheds pollen that must land on the silks, so it is planted in a block of short rows rather than one long row. Variety choice turns on sugar genetics (su, se, sh2), which set both sweetness and how long the ears hold quality after picking. Direct-sown into warm soil, it is a heavy feeder with a critical moisture window at tasseling and silking.

Sweet Corn mature plant
Fig. 01 · Sweet Corn, mature Zone 9
Mature in
60-90d
from transplant
Sunlight
Full sun
6-8 hrs daily
Water
High
1 inch / week
Spacing
8 to 12 in
between plants
Soil pH
6-6.8
slightly acidic
Today · in your zone

What's happening right now

October 21 · Zone 9 · Stage 01 · Germination

Off-season for sweet corn in zone 9.

Seasoned
Microclimate · Zone 9a vs 9b

Your zone, at a finer grain

Zone 9 averages a last frost around March 1. Within Zone 9, the colder half (9a, winters down to 20°F) runs about a week later. The warmer half (9b, winters down to 25°F) runs about a week earlier. The plant app picks your subzone from your ZIP.

SubzoneLast springFirst fallGrowing daysWinter minFruits reliably
9aMar 8Nov 24~26120-25°FYes · two seasons
9bFeb 28Nov 30~27525-30°FYes · two seasons

Averages from 8 weather stations per subzone, drawn from NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals. Your actual frost date can vary by up to two weeks based on elevation, proximity to water, and local topography.

Source: NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals Methodology
Your climate region in Zone 9
The season at a glance

Planting calendar

In Zone 9, sweet corn can be planted March through August. Harvest runs May through November.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
plant
too cold
too cold
plant
plant
plant
plant
plant
plant
too late
too late
too late
too cold
harvest
harvest
harvest
harvest
harvest
harvest
harvest
harvest
indoors
plant out
harvest
Seasoned
Stagger your sowings

Succession planting

To spread out the harvest, plant a new BLOCK every couple of weeks rather than a single row, so each block can still pollinate itself. Or plant early and late varieties at the same time. Either way, stop planting early enough that the last block ripens before your first fall frost.Stagger whole BLOCKS, not single rows: sow a fresh block every two weeks (or when the previous planting has three to five leaves) so each block still pollinates itself. Alternatively, plant su, se, and sh2 types of differing maturity at once. Stop early enough that the last block finishes before the first fall frost.

Every 2 weeks · sow a short new rowUp to 12 sowings a season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
sow
harvest
keep sowing
continuous harvest
The season, mapped

Seed to garden

Plant corn seeds right where they will grow, once the soil has warmed to at least 60°F and frost is past. Corn does not like having its roots disturbed and comes up fast anyway, so there is little reason to start it indoors.Direct-sow into warm soil (at least 60°F, warmer for sh2) after the last spring frost. Corn resents root disturbance and germinates quickly in place, so transplanting offers little gain and risks setting plants back.

  1. 01
    Sow outside
    Mar 1 - Aug 15
  2. 02
    First harvest
    From May 12
    60-90 days from sowing
Start method
Direct
Soil temp
60-90°F
From seed to fruit

The growing journey

Stage 01 · Germination
01
Germination
Days 0-10 · current stage
Bare soil for about a week, then a pointed shoot pushes up and the first leaf opens. Corn comes up in 4 to 6 days in warm soil, slower when it is cool. The seed is most at risk of cold damage in the first day or two after planting.Bare soil for roughly a week, then the coleoptile spikes through and the first blade unfurls. Emergence takes about 4 to 6 days in warm soil and much longer in cool soil. The imbibitional-chilling risk sits in the first day or two after sowing.
Plant the seeds about 1 to 2 inches deep once the soil has warmed to at least 60°F, laying out a block of short rows rather than one long row. Keep the bed evenly damp but not soggy, since cold, wet soil rots the seed.Sow about 1 to 2 inches deep once soil is at least 60°F (warmer for sh2), into a block of short rows. Keep the seedbed evenly moist but not saturated; cold, wet soil rots seed and chills supersweet kernels.
FROM PLANT · Plant corn in a square block of short rows, not one long row. Corn is pollinated by wind, so the pollen from the tassels has to drift down onto the silks. A block of at least four short rows (think four rows of four) keeps the pollen among the plants, so the ears fill out with full kernels.Plant corn in a BLOCK, not a long single row. Corn is wind-pollinated: the tassel sheds pollen that must fall on the silks, and a block of at least four short rows (a 4 by 4 grid) fills the ears far better than one long row where pollen blows off to the side.
FROM PLANT · Wait until the soil has warmed to at least 60°F before planting, and a little warmer for supersweet types, whose seeds rot in cold, wet soil. Planting early just gives you missing plants, so there is nothing to gain by rushing.Wait for soil at least 60°F before sowing, warmer for supersweet sh2, whose tougher seed rots or takes imbibitional chilling injury in cold, wet ground. There is no head start in early planting.
02
Seedling
Days 7-21
The young plants send up several long, narrow leaves and reach a few inches tall by two or three weeks. This is when flea beetles and cutworms can do the most damage, so watch for tiny holes and cut-off stems.The seedlings put out a few strap-shaped leaves and stand a few inches tall by around two to three weeks. This is the stage flea beetles and cutworms do the most harm, so watch for pinholes and clipped stems.
Keep weeds down by hoeing often and lightly. Only hoe deep enough to cut the weeds off just under the soil, because corn roots grow close to the surface. Water often enough that the plants don't wilt. If you planted the seeds closer together, thin the plants to 1 foot apart now.Keep the block weed-free with frequent, shallow cultivation. Hoe only deep enough to cut weeds below the surface, since corn roots run close to the top of the soil. Water as needed to keep plants from wilting. If you sowed closer than the final spacing, thin to 1 foot apart now.
FROM PLANT · Keep your sweet corn away from popcorn and field corn, and keep supersweet types apart from the others by distance or by planting them two weeks apart. If their pollen mixes, the kernels turn starchy instead of sweet.Keep sweet corn away from popcorn and field corn, and isolate supersweet sh2 from su and se types by about 250 feet or two weeks' difference in tasseling. Stray pollen crosses the kernels and turns them starchy.
03
Vegetative
Days 18-45
Fast upward growth from a few inches to knee-high and taller, adding leaves and thickening the stalk. Inside, the plant is already forming the tassel and ears, so steady water and feeding at this stage set up your harvest.Rapid upward growth from a few inches to knee-high and beyond, adding leaves and building the stalk that will carry the ears. Reproductive parts (tassel and ears) are being set inside now, so steady water and feeding here shape the crop.
Feed with nitrogen when the plants are about knee-high, and keep the water steady as they shoot up. Pull a little soil around the bases to steady the tall stalks, and avoid injuring them, which can let in disease.Sidedress nitrogen at knee-high and keep moisture steady as the plants stretch up. Hill a little soil around the base for support, and hold off overhead work that could injure stalks and invite smut.
FROM PLANT · Feed corn with nitrogen when it is about knee-high and again when the tassels appear. Corn is a hungry crop, and those are the two times it needs the most food. In sandy soil, feed a little more often, since the nitrogen washes away.Sidedress nitrogen at knee-high and again as tassels form. Corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder, and the two demand peaks are rapid stalk growth and the run-up to pollination; sandy soils call for splitting it further.
04
Tasseling
Days 43-55
A feathery tassel appears at the very top of each stalk and starts releasing pollen. This is one of the two touchiest weather stages: hot spells over 95°F or dry soil now ruin the pollen and leave you with gappy ears.The tassel pushes out of the top of the stalk and begins shedding pollen. This is one of the two most weather-sensitive stages: heat over 95°F or drought here kills pollen and thins the eventual kernel set.
Keep the water steady and generous now, because this begins the most important stretch for the crop. Feed once more with nitrogen as the tassels appear, and try not to shake the plants and lose pollen early.Do not let the bed dry out: this is the start of the critical-moisture window. Keep water high and steady, sidedress nitrogen again as tassels emerge, and avoid anything that knocks pollen off prematurely.
FROM PLANT · Keep the soil moist while the tassels are shedding pollen. Hot weather over 95°F or dry soil now ruins the pollen, so the ears end up with missing kernels. Water deeply and keep it steady through this stretch.Do not let the bed dry out at tasseling. Heat over 95°F or drought as pollen sheds kills pollen viability and thins the kernel set. Keep moisture high and steady through the pollination window.
05
Silking
Days 48-60
Silks come out of the top of each young ear a day or two after the tassels open, and every silk that catches pollen turns into one kernel. The silks can be pollinated for up to two weeks. Silks that dry up without pollen mean empty ears.Silks emerge from the ear tips a couple of days after the tassel opens; each silk that catches pollen becomes one kernel. Silks stay receptive for up to two weeks. Brown, dry silks with no pollination leave blank ears.
Keep the water at its highest and steadiest now, because silking is the stage that suffers most from dry soil. Water deeply through any hot spell, and leave the plants alone while pollen is landing on the fresh silks.Hold moisture at its peak: silking is the single most drought-sensitive stage. Water deeply through any heat wave, and do not disturb the block while pollen is shedding onto the fresh silks.
FROM PLANT · Silking is the most important time of all for water. If the corn dries out now, the silks cannot catch and hold pollen, and that costs you more than dry weather at any other time. Water deeply through any hot spell while the silks are out.Silking is the single most drought-sensitive stage: stress here desiccates silks and pollen and gives the greatest yield loss of any timing. Water deeply through any heat wave while the silks are receptive.
06
Kernel Fill
Days 55-72
The ears fatten and the kernels swell and fill in, with the husks tightening around them. The cob reaches nearly full size within a week of pollination, and the kernels look plump by about two weeks.The ears bulk up and the kernels swell and fill, the husks tightening around them. The cob reaches near-full length within a week of pollination, with kernels obviously swollen by about two weeks.
Keep watering steadily while the kernels fill out. Drying out now costs you kernels at the tip of the ear. Leave the ears alone to fill, and start watching for raccoons as they plump up.Keep moisture steady as kernels plump; stress now aborts tip kernels rather than causing outright pollination failure. Leave the ears undisturbed and watch for raccoons as the ears bulk up.
FROM PLANT · Keep watering steadily while the ears fill. After the corn has been pollinated, dry soil shows up as missing kernels at the tip of the ear, so do not let it dry out until the ears are ready.Hold steady moisture through ear fill. Once pollination has succeeded, dry conditions show up as aborted kernels at the ear tip rather than outright failure, so keep water even until the milk stage.
07
Harvest
Days 68-85
The silks turn brown and dry, the ear feels plump and firm, and a poked kernel runs a milky juice. This comes about 18 to 20 days after the silks appeared and lasts only a few days before the corn turns starchy.Silks brown and dry at the tip, the ear feels full and firm, and a punctured kernel runs milky. This is about 18 to 20 days after silking, and it lasts only a handful of days before the sugars turn to starch.
Pick at the milk stage, when the silks have browned and a squeezed kernel runs a milky juice (watery means wait, pasty means too late). The peak lasts only a few days and the whole block ripens close together, so check every day and snap the ears off with a firm downward twist.Pick at the milk stage: browned, dry silks and kernels that run milky (not clear, not doughy) under a thumbnail. The window is only about 4 to 5 days and a block ripens together, so check daily and pull ears with a sharp downward twist.
FROM PLANT · Pick when the silks have browned and a squeezed kernel runs a milky juice. This peak lasts only a few days and the whole block comes ready together, so check every day. Cool the ears right after picking to keep them sweet.Pick at the milk stage: browned silks and a kernel that runs milky under a thumbnail. The window is only about 4 to 5 days and the block ripens together, so check daily. Cool ears immediately to slow the sugar-to-starch clock.
Beginner
Know your soil

Your soil

Identify yours

Not sure what soil you have? Grab a small handful of damp soil from your garden bed and squeeze it. If it crumbles apart easily, it's sandy. If it holds together but breaks when you poke it, it's loam (what most vegetables want). If it stays in a hard, slippery ball, it's clay.

What this crop wants

Corn likes deep, rich, well-drained soil. If water pools on your bed after rain, work in compost and consider a raised bed so the roots never sit wet.

If your soil doesn't match

You have sandy soil

Mix 2-3 inches of compost into the top 6 inches of your bed before planting. Compost holds moisture (which sandy soil drains too fast) and adds the nutrients sandy soil tends to lack. Repeat each season. Compost breaks down over time.

You have clay soil

Mix 2-3 inches of compost AND a few inches of coarse sand or perlite into the top 6 inches of your bed. The compost feeds the plants; the sand breaks up the clay so air and water can move through. Don't add sand without compost. It can compact like concrete.

Containers and raised beds

If amending your soil sounds like too much work, or if your soil is heavy clay, full of rocks, or contaminated, build over it. A raised bed at least 12 inches deep filled with a 50/50 mix of compost and sandy loam gives you ideal growing soil with no battles. A 5-gallon container with quality potting mix does the same for one plant at a time. Both bypass your native soil entirely.

Learn more about your soil
The specs

Care guide

The numbers that matter, at a glance.

Sunlight
Full sun · 6-8 hrs/day
Water
high
Spacing
8 to 12 inches
Days to maturity
60-90 days from transplant
Soil pH
6 to 6.8
Container OK?
No
Germination temp
60-90°F
In a pot

Not suited to a pot

Sweet corn is not suited to pots. It grows tall, feeds heavily, and must be planted in a block of several plants for wind pollination, so it belongs in a garden bed, not a container.Sweet corn is a poor container crop: it is tall and hungry and depends on a block planting for wind pollination, none of which a single pot supports. Grow it in the ground.

Soil chemistry

Soil pH for sweet corn

Preferred
6 to 6.8
Tolerated
5.5 to 7

Corn does best in soil that is slightly acidic to neutral, around a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Most garden beds are already close; a soil test is the only way to know for sure and to catch soil that is too acidic.A soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8 suits sweet corn. Lime an acidic bed to reach that range the season before, and confirm both pH and fertility with a soil test, since corn's heavy feeding rewards a well-limed, well-fed bed.

Verified · 2 sources View
Steady hand on the hose

Watering

When & how much
Frequency
Water regularly so the soil stays evenly moist. Pay the closest attention from the time the tassels appear through when the ears are filling out, which is when corn needs water the most.Water regularly to keep the root zone evenly moist through the season, with the highest demand from tasseling through silking and ear fill.
Amount
Aim for about 1 inch of water a week, and closer to 1.5 inches while the corn is pollinating and filling ears. Water deeply so it soaks down to the roots rather than just wetting the surface.About 1 inch of water per week from rain and irrigation, rising toward 1.5 inches per week across the pollination and ear-fill window; water deeply to wet the full root zone.
Method
Give corn a deep soak rather than frequent light sprinkles. Corn handles overhead watering better than many crops, but watering at the base wastes less and keeps the leaves drier.Deep soaking at intervals suits corn. Overhead watering is tolerated far better than on disease-prone crops, but soaker or furrow watering conserves water and keeps the canopy from staying wet.
Signs of trouble
Too much water
If the soil stays soggy and the lower leaves yellow while the plant stalls, the roots are drowning. Ease off and let it drain.Yellowing lower leaves and stunted, stalled growth in ground that stays wet point to waterlogged, oxygen-starved roots.
Too little water
Leaves that roll up like tubes in the afternoon mean the corn is too dry. If this happens while the tassels and silks are out, you get ears with missing kernels, so keep the water steady then.Leaves that roll or curl at midday, especially near tasseling, signal drought stress; stress in the silking window desiccates silks and pollen and leaves gappy, poorly filled ears.
Feeding rhythm

Feeding

Frequency
high
Type
nitrogen-forward, sidedressed
When to start
starter at planting; sidedress at knee-high and again at tasseling

Corn is hungry, especially for nitrogen. Mix a balanced fertilizer into the soil at planting, then feed again when the plants are about knee-high and once more when the tassels appear at the top. Those are the times corn needs the most food. In sandy soil or after heavy rain, feed a little more often, since the nitrogen washes away.Corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder. Work a balanced starter into the bed at planting, then sidedress nitrogen twice: once when plants are knee-high and again as the tassels form, the two windows when demand peaks. Sandy soils and heavy rain leach nitrogen, so split the sidedressing further where that applies.

Nitrogen-forward

Corn wants plenty of nitrogen. Use a balanced fertilizer at planting, then feed nitrogen again as it grows.Nitrogen-forward feeding: a balanced starter, then nitrogen sidedressings at knee-high and tasseling.

Who grows well together

Companion planting

Corn is the tall centerpiece of the classic Three Sisters planting with beans and squash. The beans feed the soil the corn is so hungry for, and the squash shades the ground below. Keep corn away from tomatoes, since the two share the same ear-and-fruit worm. Corn anchors the traditional Three Sisters trio: beans climb it and fix nitrogen for its heavy demand, and squash sprawls below as a living mulch. The main caution is tomatoes, which share the pest Helicoverpa zea (corn earworm / tomato fruitworm), so a shared planting can concentrate it.

Other
Beans
The Three Sisters partner: beans pull nitrogen from the air and enrich the soil for hungry corn, and can climb the stalks.Pole beans use the cornstalk as a living trellis and fix nitrogen that offsets corn's heavy demand; the pairing is the well-documented Three Sisters polyculture. The benefit is soil-and-structure rather than a measured pest effect. Traditional
Squash
The third Sister: its big sprawling leaves shade the soil around the corn, holding moisture and smothering weeds.Squash rounds out the trio as a ground-covering living mulch that shades soil, conserves moisture, and suppresses weeds around the corn. A soil-and-space benefit; give it room so it does not swamp young corn. Traditional
Keep apart from
Tomatoes Corn and tomatoes are hit by the same worm, called the corn earworm on corn and the tomato fruitworm on tomatoes, so growing them together can build it up.Corn and tomato share Helicoverpa zea (corn earworm on corn, tomato fruitworm on tomato). Interplanting gives the pest two sequential hosts in one spot, so separating them limits the buildup. Well-grounded
Provenance tagged inline · see methodology for the labeling system Key
Harvest signals

When to pick

Corn is ready when the silks at the top of the ear have turned brown and dry and the ear feels plump and firm. To be sure, peek at a few kernels and press one with a thumbnail: ready corn runs a milky juice, watery juice means wait, and thick paste means you are late. This peak lasts only a few days, so check daily once the silks brown.Pick at the milk stage: the silks have browned and dried at the ear tip, the ear feels full and firm, and a punctured kernel runs a milky (not clear, not doughy) juice. This is roughly 18 to 20 days after the first silks show, and the window lasts only about 4 to 5 days.

Verified · 2 sources View
Yield

What to expect

Each corn plant usually gives just one or two ears, which is why you grow a whole block of it rather than a few plants. A 10-foot row gives roughly a dozen to two dozen ears, all around the same time.Each stalk typically yields one to two ears, which is why corn is grown in a block of many plants rather than a few; a 10-foot row returns roughly a dozen to two dozen ears over its short window.

A block of corn comes ready all within a few days, then quickly goes past its best. Planting blocks a couple of weeks apart, or mixing early and late varieties, spreads out the harvest instead of getting it all at once.A block ripens close together over a short 4-to-5-day milk-stage window, then the sugars turn. Staggered blocks (or su, se, and sh2 types of differing maturity) spread the harvest instead of one glut. Sweet corn is a fun first-year crop, but it needs room: plant a block of several rows, not just a few plants, keep it watered when the silks are out, and guard the ripe ears from raccoons. Do that and a small block gives a real harvest in 60 to 90 days.Sweet corn is rewarding but space-hungry for a first-year grower: it needs a block of several rows, steady water at silking, and protection from raccoons at the finish. Given those, a short block delivers a real harvest in 60 to 90 days.

What changes yield
Block planting for wind pollination (a single row or a few plants pollinates poorly and gives gappy ears)Steady moisture at tasseling and silking (the critical window; drought here is the largest yield loss)Heat during pollination (over 95°F depresses pollen and desiccates silks)Nitrogen supply (corn is a heavy feeder; short nitrogen limits ear fill)Raccoon and bird protection at the milk stage (a raided block can be lost in a night)
Verified · 2 sources View
Pick your variety

Recommended varieties

Sweet corn comes in three sugar types. Standard sweet (su) tastes classic but must be eaten quickly. Sugary-enhanced (se) is sweeter and tender and holds a bit longer, and is the easiest all-around choice. Supersweet (sh2) stays sweetest the longest, but its seed needs warmer soil to sprout and it has to be kept apart from the other types so their pollen does not make it starchy.Choose by sugar genetics. Standard sugary (su) gives classic corn flavor but the shortest quality window; sugary-enhanced (se) is sweeter and more tender and holds a little longer; supersweet (sh2) holds sweetness longest and stores best, but its seed needs warmer soil to germinate and it must be isolated from su and se types by distance or planting date, or the cross turns the kernels starchy.

Sweet G-90
Standard sugary (su) bicolor: classic corn flavor, but the sugar turns to starch fastest, so it has the shortest hold. Germinates in cooler soil than the sweeter types.
Bodacious
Sugary-enhanced (se) yellow: sweeter and more tender than su, holding quality a day or two longer, with no isolation needed from su types.
How Sweet It Is
Supersweet (sh2) white: holds its sweetness longest, but the seed needs warmer soil to germinate and must be isolated from su and se corn to stay sweet.
Off the vine

Storing your harvest

Room temp
Do not leave corn out on the counter. It loses its sweetness quickest when warm, so get it into the fridge.Not recommended. Sweet corn converts sugar to starch fastest at room temperature, so hold it cold rather than on the counter.
Fridge
Cool the ears fast, leaving the husks on, and keep them cold. Old-style sweet (su) corn is best within a day or two, sugary-enhanced (se) holds a little longer, and supersweet (sh2) can keep up to about a week in the fridge.Chill immediately after picking, husks on, to slow the sugar-to-starch conversion. Standard sugary (su) types hold good quality only 1 to 2 days, sugary-enhanced (se) a day or two longer, and supersweet (sh2) up to about a week refrigerated.
Freezer
Corn freezes well if you want to keep it. For the best flavor, blanch and freeze it within a few hours of picking, while it is still sweet.Corn freezes well for longer storage. For best quality, blanch and freeze (or can) within a few hours of picking, before the sugars turn.
Verified · 1 source View
From the garden to the kitchen

Recipes to try

BBQ & Grill

Grilled Corn with Herb Compound Butter

BBQ & Grill · 25m · Serves 4
More recipes
arriving with the harvest
When something goes wrong

Common problems

Ears with bare patches and missing kernelsEars with gaps and missing kernels
01 of 04
What happened The ears came out with bare patches because those silks never got pollinated. This usually happens when the corn was planted in too small a group (a single row or a few plants), or when heat or dry soil during silking ruined the pollen and dried up the silks.The ears filled unevenly with blank patches because pollination failed on those silks. The usual causes are a too-small planting (a single row or a few plants), heat over 95°F or drought during silking that killed pollen and dried the silks, or silks that were never dusted because the block was too sparse. Next season Plant a block of at least four short rows so the wind can pollinate well, and keep the water steady while the tassels and silks are out. Try to time it so silking is not in the hottest part of summer, and in a small patch you can gently shake the tassels at midday to spread pollen.Plant a BLOCK of at least four short rows so wind pollination is thorough, and keep moisture high and steady through tasseling and silking. Time plantings so silking misses the worst summer heat, and hand-shake the tassels at midday in a small planting to help.
Corn came out starchy instead of sweetKernels starchy, tough, or not sweet
02 of 04
What happened The kernels were chewy and starchy instead of sweet, either because they were picked too late, after the milk stage passed, or because pollen from nearby popcorn, field corn, or a different sweet-corn type drifted in and crossed them.The kernels were doughy and starchy rather than sweet and milky, from harvesting past the milk stage (the sugars had already converted) or from cross-pollination by nearby popcorn, field corn, or a different sugar type, which turns even a supersweet ear starchy. Next season Pick at the milk stage and check every day once the silks brown, because the peak lasts only a few days. Keep sweet corn well away from popcorn and field corn, and keep supersweet types apart from the others by distance or by planting them a couple of weeks apart.Harvest at the milk stage, checking daily once silks brown, since the window is only 4 to 5 days. Isolate sweet corn from popcorn and field corn, and keep supersweet sh2 apart from su and se types by about 250 feet or two weeks of tasseling difference.
Seeds rotted or came up thin and patchySeed rotted or came up in a thin, patchy stand
03 of 04
What happened The seed went into soil that was too cold and wet, so it rotted or was damaged by the cold in the first day or two instead of sprouting. Supersweet types are the hardest hit, because their wrinkled seeds are weaker in cold ground.The seed was sown into soil that was too cold and wet, so it sat and rotted or suffered imbibitional chilling injury in the first day or two after sowing. Supersweet sh2, with its shrunken, tougher seed and lower starch reserves, is the most prone to a poor cold-soil stand. Next season Wait until the soil has warmed to at least 60°F, and a little warmer for supersweet types, since planting early only rots the seed. Plant into warm, well-drained soil or a raised bed instead of a cold, wet spot, and do not keep the seedbed soggy.Wait until soil is at least 60°F at sowing depth, and warmer still for sh2; there is no benefit to early sowing. Plant into warm, well-drained ground or raised beds rather than cold, wet spots, and avoid over-watering the seedbed.
Ripe ears eaten overnightRipe ears stripped overnight
04 of 04
What happened The ears were torn open and eaten and the stalks knocked over, right when the corn was ready. Raccoons (and sometimes birds or deer) raid ripe sweet corn at night and can clear a small patch in a night or two.The ears were pulled down, husked, and eaten, and stalks knocked flat, right as they reached the milk stage. Raccoons (sometimes birds or deer) raid sweet corn at ripening and can clear a small patch in a night or two. Next season The sure fix is to keep them out. Set up a short two-wire electric fence and turn it on before the corn is ripe, not after the first raid, because once raccoons find your corn they come back every night.Exclusion is the reliable defense: put up a two-wire electric fence (about 4 and 8 inches high) and energize it BEFORE the ears reach the milk stage, since once raccoons find the patch they return nightly.
Verified · 4 sources View
The usual suspects

Pests & diseases

Pests
Corn earworm
P · 01
Symptoms A fat, striped caterpillar tunneling into the tip of the ear under the husk, leaving chewed kernels and dark droppings. It usually stays near the tip, but the damage can let mold in.Chewed, frass-fouled kernels at the ear tip where a fat, striped caterpillar has fed under the husk; silks may be clipped, and tip damage opens the door to mold. Cause The corn earworm, a caterpillar whose moth lays eggs on the silks. The young caterpillars crawl down the silks into the ear. It is the same pest as the tomato fruitworm.The corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), whose moths lay eggs on fresh silks; the hatching larvae follow the silks down into the ear tip. It is the same species as the tomato fruitworm. Organic treatment The good news is the worm usually stays at the very tip, so you can just cut that part off. A classic trick is a few drops of vegetable or mineral oil on the silks after they have been pollinated, and an organic spray such as Bt or spinosad works if you time it to fresh silks.Because most feeding is confined to the ear tip, the loss is often cosmetic: cut off the damaged tip at the kitchen. A few drops of mineral oil applied to the silk channel after pollination is a traditional home tactic; a spinosad or Bt product timed to fresh silks is the labeled organic option. Prevention Pick varieties with long, tight husks that make it harder for the worm to get in, and plant early so the ears silk before the moths are at their worst in late summer.Choose varieties with tight, long husk cover, which slows the larvae, and plant early so the crop silks before peak moth flights in late summer.
The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

  1. Resistant varieties

    Start at the seed packet. Varieties with long, tight husk cover make it harder for the young caterpillars to work their way down into the ear. It slows them rather than shutting them out, so treat it as a head start.Husk cover is the varietal lever: long, tight husks slow larvae moving down the silk channel toward the tip. It reduces entry rather than preventing it, so keep the later rungs available.

  2. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

    Bt is a naturally occurring bacterium sold as a spray that sickens young caterpillars once they eat it. It helps only if you put it on fresh silks, because that is where the eggs hatch and where the tiny caterpillars feed before they get down inside the ear.Bt is a labeled organic option for the exposed window on fresh silks. Once larvae are down the silk channel they are out of reach, which makes silk timing the whole of the decision.

  3. Spinosad

    Where earworm pressure is heavy, spinosad is the stronger organic spray, and like Bt it has to land on fresh silks to reach the caterpillars before they tunnel in.Spinosad is the other labeled organic material for silk-stage treatment, under the same timing constraint as Bt, since neither reaches larvae already feeding inside the ear.

The bottom rungs are products with label rules: timing, pollinators, and days to wait before harvest. Before you spray →

European corn borer
P · 02
Symptoms Tiny holes in the young leaves, then sawdust-like droppings where the leaves meet the stalk, and small holes bored into the stalk itself. Badly tunneled stalks can break.Small shot-hole feeding in the whorl leaves, then sawdust-like frass at leaf axils and pin-sized entry holes in the stalk and ear shank; tunneled stalks weaken and can snap. Cause The European corn borer, a caterpillar that starts by chewing the young leaves, then tunnels into the stalks, hollowing them out.The European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), a caterpillar that first feeds in the leaf whorl, then bores into stalks and ear shanks, weakening the plant from inside. Organic treatment Check the young leaf whorls and rub out the egg patches and small caterpillars before they tunnel in. An organic Bt spray only works while they are still out on the leaves; once inside the stalk you cannot reach them.Scout the whorls and pick off egg masses and young larvae before they bore in; a Bt product reaches them only while they are still feeding in the open whorl. Once inside the stalk they are protected. Prevention Chop up and dig in the old cornstalks after harvest, because the borer spends the winter inside them, and move your corn to a new spot each year.Shred and turn under cornstalks after harvest, since the borer overwinters in old stalks; rotating away from last year's patch helps too.
The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

  1. Off-season tillage

    After harvest, chop the old cornstalks up and dig them into the bed. The caterpillars spend the winter inside those stalks, so working the residue in cuts down how many come back.Shred and incorporate stalk residue post-harvest. The overwintering stage sits inside old stalks, so destroying the residue is the main between-season lever.

  2. Crop rotation

    Move the corn to a different part of the garden each year rather than replanting last year's patch.Rotating the planting away from last season's block backs up residue destruction; it is offered as a supporting step rather than a stand-alone one.

  3. Handpicking

    Scout the whorl, the tight cluster of new leaves at the center of each plant, on a routine. Rub out the egg patches and small caterpillars you find there before they get into the stalk.Whorl scouting with hand removal of egg masses and early instars covers the window that matters; after larvae enter the stalk or ear shank they are protected from anything applied to the outside.

  4. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

    A Bt spray, a bacterial product the caterpillars have to eat, reaches the borers while they are still feeding out in the open whorl. Once they are inside the stalk it will not get to them.Bt covers the same open-whorl window as handpicking and suits widespread whorl feeding; it has no reach on larvae already tunneled into stalk tissue.

The bottom rungs are products with label rules: timing, pollinators, and days to wait before harvest. Before you spray →

Cutworms
P · 03
Symptoms Young corn plants cut off right at the ground overnight, as if with scissors. If you dig near a cut plant, you often find a fat gray caterpillar curled up in the soil.Young seedlings clipped off at or just above the soil line overnight, often toppled and left; a gray, greasy-looking caterpillar curls up just below the surface nearby. Cause Cutworms, fat caterpillars that live in the soil and come out at night to chew through young stems at the base.Cutworms, the soil-dwelling larvae of several night-flying moths, which sever tender seedling stems at the base as they feed after dark. Organic treatment Go out at night with a flashlight and pick them off, or dig around a freshly cut plant to find the culprit. A little collar of cardboard or foil pushed into the soil around each stem keeps them out.Handpick at night or just under the soil around fresh damage; a cardboard or foil collar pushed an inch into the soil around each seedling blocks them. Prevention Clear weeds from the bed before you plant, because the moths lay their eggs in weedy soil, and plant into warm soil so the seedlings grow quickly past the tender stage.Keep the bed weed-free before planting, since cutworm moths lay in weedy ground, and delay sowing until the soil is warm and seedlings grow fast through the vulnerable stage.
The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

  1. Stem collars

    Set a cardboard or foil collar around each young stem, pushing it about an inch into the ground. Cutworms chew at the base, so the collar puts a wall between them and the plant.A cardboard or foil collar set an inch into the soil rings each seedling through establishment, the stage when stems are still soft enough to be severed at the base.

  2. Handpicking

    A flashlight after dark is the tool here: take the caterpillars off by hand, or scratch through the top inch of soil beside a plant that was cut overnight, where the culprit tends to lie curled up.Night collection plus digging just under the surface next to fresh damage works at low to moderate numbers; the larvae feed after dark and shelter shallowly by day.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Flea beetles
P · 04
Symptoms Tiny dark beetles that hop away when you get close, leaving the young leaves peppered with little pinholes. Bad early damage stunts small plants and can spread a corn disease.Tiny dark beetles that jump when disturbed, leaving fine pinholes and shot-hole pitting in the leaves of young plants; heavy early feeding stunts seedlings and can transmit Stewart's wilt. Cause Small beetles called flea beetles that chew young corn leaves. One kind also carries the germ that causes Stewart's wilt, a corn disease, spreading it as it feeds.Several flea beetle species that feed on corn seedlings; the corn flea beetle also carries the bacterium that causes Stewart's wilt from plant to plant. Organic treatment Small plants usually grow past light damage. If the beetles are thick, cover the young plants with a lightweight row cover, taking it off when the tassels form so the wind can pollinate, and use an organic spinosad spray only if you must.Seedlings usually outgrow light feeding; where beetles are thick, a floating row cover over young plants (removed at tasseling for pollination) protects them, and spinosad is labeled if needed. Prevention Pull weeds that shelter the beetles, plant into warm soil so the corn grows quickly, and pick varieties that resist Stewart's wilt if it is a problem where you live.Control weeds that harbor the beetles, plant after the soil warms so seedlings grow fast, and choose Stewart's-wilt-tolerant varieties where the disease occurs.
The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

  1. Resistant varieties

    Where Stewart's wilt occurs in your area, pick a variety described as tolerant of it. That does not stop the beetles chewing the leaves; it limits the disease they can pass along while they feed.Varietal tolerance here is aimed at Stewart's wilt, the bacterial disease the corn flea beetle vectors, not at the feeding injury itself. It is a seed-buying decision, made where the disease occurs locally.

  2. Floating row cover

    Where beetles are thick on the seedlings, cover the young plants with lightweight row cover fabric. Take it off when the tassels form so the wind can carry pollen to the silks.Row cover over the seedling stage is the exclusion step under heavy pressure; it has to come off at tasseling because corn sets its ears by wind pollination.

  3. Spinosad

    Light feeding is usually something small plants grow past, so hold an organic spinosad spray back for the times seedlings are actually being set back.Spinosad is labeled if needed, but fine pitting on plants that are growing away from it does not call for a spray.

The bottom rungs are products with label rules: timing, pollinators, and days to wait before harvest. Before you spray →

Raccoons
P · 05
Symptoms Ears torn open and eaten, and stalks knocked over, appearing overnight right when the corn is ready. Raccoons seem to know the exact night before you plan to harvest.Ears pulled down, husked, and half-eaten overnight just as they reach the milk stage, with stalks knocked flat; damage arrives suddenly the night before you meant to pick. Cause Raccoons, which raid ripe sweet corn at night and can clear a small patch in a night or two. They are one of the most common reasons a home corn crop is lost.Raccoons, which raid sweet corn at the milk stage and can strip a patch in a night or two; they are one of the most common causes of a lost home crop. Organic treatment You cannot spray for raccoons; you have to keep them out. A short two-wire electric fence, switched on as the ears get close to ready, is the surest way to protect the patch.There is no spray; exclusion is the answer. A two-wire electric fence (about 4 and 8 inches high) turned on as ears near maturity is the most reliable home defense. Prevention Set up and turn on the fence before the corn is ripe, not after the first raid. Once raccoons find your corn, they come back every night.Put the fence up and energize it before the ears reach the milk stage, not after the first raid, since once they find the patch they return nightly.
The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

  1. Exclusion fencing

    You cannot spray for raccoons, so the job is keeping them out. Run a short two-wire electric fence around the patch, the wires low at roughly 4 and 8 inches off the ground, and switch it on as the ears get close to ready. Do it before the corn is ripe rather than after the first raid: once raccoons have found your corn they come back every night.Exclusion is the whole control here, since no spray applies. A two-wire electric fence at about 4 and 8 inches, energized before the ears reach the milk stage, is the most reliable home defense. Timing carries as much weight as the fence itself, because a barrier raised after the first raid is trying to break an established nightly route rather than prevent one.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Diseases
Common smut
D · 01
Symptoms Puffy silver-white growths on the ears or stalks that later burst into a cloud of black powder. On the ear, these galls take the place of kernels. They show up most on stressed or damaged plants.Silvery-white galls on ears, tassels, or stalks that swell, then rupture to release a mass of powdery black spores; ear galls replace kernels and are most common on stressed or injured plants. Cause A fungus that gets in through wounds and silks, especially in hot, dry spells, and forms the galls. Its spores can survive in the soil for years.The fungus Ustilago maydis, which enters through wounds and silks and is favored by hot, dry weather punctuated by injury; its spores survive years in the soil. Organic treatment There is no home spray. Cut off and throw away (do not compost) the galls before they burst, so their spores do not spread into your soil.There is no spray for the home garden; cut off and bag the galls before they rupture and blacken, to keep spores out of the soil. Do not compost them. Prevention Try not to injure the plants while weeding, keep water and feeding steady so the corn is not stressed, move your corn each year, and pick more resistant varieties if smut keeps coming back.Avoid wounding plants during cultivation, keep moisture and fertility steady to reduce stress, rotate away from infected beds, and choose more tolerant varieties where smut recurs.
The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

  1. Resistant varieties

    If smut turns up year after year, look for a variety described as more tolerant of it when you buy seed.Varietal tolerance is the seed-buying lever where smut recurs in the same ground. It is tolerance rather than immunity, so keep the removal step running alongside it.

  2. Crop rotation

    Move the corn to a different bed each year. The fungus can sit in the soil for years, so replanting the same spot keeps handing it another crop.Spores persist in soil for years, so rotating out of an infected bed is the standing cultural step; it lowers what is waiting there rather than clearing it.

  3. Garden sanitation

    Cut off the galls, the puffy silver-white growths, and bag them for the trash before they burst open. Keep them out of the compost, since the black powder inside is spores headed for your soil.Excise and bag galls while they are still silvery and intact; once one ruptures the teliospores are already loose. Trash rather than compost.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Common rust
D · 02
Symptoms Small rusty-brown, powdery spots on both sides of the leaves that darken later in the season. A bad case yellows the leaves and can leave the ears less full.Small cinnamon-brown, powdery pustules scattered on both leaf surfaces, darkening toward the season's end; heavy infection yellows and kills leaf tissue and can cut ear fill. Cause A fungus whose spores blow in on the wind and take hold in cool, damp weather. In most gardens it arrives fresh each year rather than surviving the winter in place.The fungus Puccinia sorghi, whose spores blow in on the wind and infect under cool, moist, humid conditions; it does not overwinter in most northern gardens but arrives each year on wind currents. Organic treatment Most gardens can live with a little rust. Pull off the worst lower leaves to slow it and give the plants air. You rarely need to spray in a home garden.Most home crops tolerate rust without treatment; remove badly infected lower leaves to slow spread and improve airflow. A labeled fungicide is rarely needed in a garden. Prevention Pick rust-resistant varieties, which are easy to find, and plant early so the corn is nearly done before rust gets bad late in summer. Water at the base when you can.Choose rust-resistant hybrids, which are widely available, and plant early so the crop matures before rust builds late in the season; avoid overhead watering where practical.
The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

  1. Resistant varieties

    Rust-resistant varieties are easy to find, so start there when you buy seed.Resistant hybrids are widely available and carry most of the load. The pathogen blows in on wind currents rather than overwintering in most northern gardens, so there is little local carryover to manage.

  2. Disease-escape sowing

    Plant early in your window so the corn is nearly done before rust gets bad late in summer, which is this crop's guidance alongside the rust-resistant variety this ladder starts with. The one limit is the soil itself, since corn seed rots in cold, wet ground; this method's cautions carry the soil temperatures to wait for.An early planting takes the crop through silking and grain fill before rust builds late in the season, which is this crop's guidance and why the rung sits beside the resistant hybrid at the front of the ladder: both are settled before anything is in the ground. The floor is the seedbed, because corn seed sown into cold, wet soil rots rather than emerges, and this method's cautions carry the temperatures that set it.

  3. Water at the base

    Water at the soil line instead of over the top of the plants where you can. Rust takes hold in cool, damp conditions, so leaving less water sitting on the leaves helps.Skip overhead irrigation where practical. Infection favors cool, moist, humid weather, and base watering keeps leaf wetness periods shorter.

  4. Garden sanitation

    Take the worst of the lower leaves off to slow the spread and let more air through the plant. Most home patches live with some rust and no spray at all.Removing the most heavily pustuled lower leaves slows spread and opens the canopy; a labeled fungicide is rarely warranted at garden scale, where tolerating the infection is the usual outcome.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Stewart's wilt
D · 03
Symptoms Long yellow streaks with wavy edges running down the leaves, appearing after flea beetles have been feeding. A bad early case wilts and stunts young plants and can kill them.Long, pale-green to yellow streaks with wavy margins running along the leaves, following flea-beetle feeding scars; severe early infection wilts and stunts seedlings, sometimes killing them. Cause A bacterium spread by the corn flea beetle as it feeds. After a mild winter more beetles survive, so the disease tends to be worse the next year.The bacterium Pantoea stewartii, carried and introduced by the corn flea beetle; mild winters that let more beetles survive drive worse outbreaks the following year. Organic treatment You cannot cure an infected plant; pull and throw away badly affected seedlings. The real control is keeping the flea beetles that spread it in check.There is no cure once a plant is infected; remove and destroy severely affected seedlings. Management is aimed at the flea-beetle vector, not the bacterium itself. Prevention Grow resistant varieties, which is the main defense, and keep flea beetles off young plants with a row cover or an organic treatment so they cannot pass the disease along.Grow resistant or tolerant hybrids, the primary defense, and manage flea beetles on young plants with row cover or a labeled treatment to break the transmission cycle.
The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

  1. Resistant varieties

    Resistant or tolerant varieties are the main defense here, so choose them at seed-buying time if this disease shows up where you garden.Hybrid resistance is the primary control. Nothing is curative once the bacterium is in the plant, so the decision is made at seed purchase.

  2. Garden sanitation

    There is no cure for a plant that is already infected. Pull badly affected seedlings and get rid of them rather than waiting to see whether they come back.Rogue and destroy severely affected seedlings. Infected plants do not recover, and management shifts to the vector rather than the bacterium.

  3. Floating row cover

    Covering young plants with row cover keeps corn flea beetles, the insects that carry this bacterium from plant to plant, off the seedlings during the stage when infection does the most harm. Take the cover off at tasseling so the corn can pollinate.Row cover over seedlings breaks the transmission cycle by excluding the corn flea beetle vector through the most damaging infection window; it comes off at tasseling for wind pollination.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Verified · 3 sources View
Seasoned
Where to plant next year

Crop rotation

Move your corn to a new spot each year, on about a two-to-three-year cycle. Planting it where beans or peas grew the year before gives it the extra nitrogen it wants.Rotate corn on a two-to-three-year cycle and place it after a nitrogen-fixing legume where you can, since corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder.

Family
Poaceae (grass)
Years between
2 years
in the same bed
Avoid following
Try not to plant corn in the same spot two years running. Moving it each year keeps corn diseases and pests from building up and gives the soil a rest from its heavy feeding.Avoid following corn with corn in the same bed; rotating breaks the buildup of soil-borne diseases and corn pests, and spreads out the crop's heavy nitrogen demand.
Plant after
Corn follows a legume well: beans or peas leave nitrogen in the soil that this hungry crop puts straight to use.
Verified · 2 sources View
In the app · pre-launch

When plant taps you on the shoulder

The plant app sends a timely reminder at every critical moment of your sweet corn season. The wording adjusts to whichever you pick: beginner or seasoned. Here are three you'll see in Zone 9.

p
plant
Last frost arrives
Time to plant sweet corn Time to sow sweet corn
Plant sweet corn right in the garden after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed to at least 60°F. Plant a block of at least four short rows, 1 to 2 inches deep, so the wind can pollinate it. Direct-sow sweet corn after the last spring frost, once the soil is at least 60°F (warmer for sh2). Plant a BLOCK of at least four short rows, 1 to 2 inches deep, for good wind pollination.
p
plant
2 weeks after last planting
Plant your next block of corn Sow your next block of corn
To keep corn coming, plant another block about two weeks after the last one, or when the first planting has three to five leaves. Plant whole blocks, not single rows, so each one can still pollinate. For a longer season, sow a fresh BLOCK about two weeks after the last, or when the first planting has three to five leaves. Stagger blocks, not single rows, so each block still pollinates itself.
p
plant
7 weeks after planting
Keep your corn watered now Keep corn watered through pollination
Your corn is tasseling and silking, which is when it needs water the most. Keep the soil evenly moist and water deeply. Dry soil or heat over 95°F now leaves ears with missing kernels. Tasseling and silking are the critical-moisture window. Water deeply and keep the bed evenly moist; drought or heat over 95°F now gives gappy, poorly filled ears.
Get personalized alerts.

plant sends the right notification at exactly the right moment, for your zone, your weather, your crops. Founding members lock the rate forever.

Back the Kickstarter →
Ask the gardener

Common questions

Got a question we missed?

We're building this guide with real growers. Got a question we missed? Ask here. We read every one and add the best answers right to this page.

Grown this before?

Share a tip

Learned something the hard way? Pass it on. Real growers' tips make this guide better for the next person, and we credit you by name when yours goes live.

Seasoned
Spot something wrong?

Report a problem

If you've grown this crop and you see a date, a temperature, a companion claim, or a recommendation that doesn't match your experience, tell us. Real growers' corrections make this guide better for the next person.

How we built this guide

Methodology & sources

Every date, temperature, spacing, and recommendation on this page is sourced from university cooperative extension publications, peer-reviewed agricultural research, NOAA climate data, and direct extension calendars. Where claims are softer (traditional gardening wisdom not formally documented), we say so.

Research-backed Documented in cooperative extension publications or peer-reviewed research
Well-grounded A known agronomic principle, but not formally tested for this specific pair
Traditional Time-tested gardening wisdom, limited formal research support
Last reviewed
May 12, 2026
Data version
crops_data_final · v1.0 · schema 2.9
Sources cited on this page
16 publications
Verified entries
Companion-planting claims tagged inline · zone dates verified against 5+ extensions
See all sources cited on this page
  • University of Minnesota Extension umn_ext
  • University of Maryland Extension umd_ext
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension cornell_ext
  • Iowa State University Extension iastate_ext
  • Michigan State University Extension msu_ext
  • NC State Extension ncsu_ext
  • Penn State Extension psu_ext
  • U. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Extension uiuc_ext
  • UC Davis Postharvest Center ucd_postharvest
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension tamu_agrilife
  • Virginia Cooperative Extension 426-331 vce_426_331
  • Piedmont Master Gardeners piedmont_mg
  • UGA Vegetable Garden Calendar uga_calendar
  • Clemson Home & Garden Information Center clemson_hgic
  • UC IPM Statewide IPM Program uc_ipm
  • NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals noaa_normals

Read the full methodology →

Spot a data point that doesn't match your experience? Submit a correction; accepted corrections earn full author credit on the page.

Growing notes, weekly.

Zone-aware seasonal nudges, what's worth planting now, and the occasional recipe from the harvest. No spam, ever.

Vol. 003 · Sweet Corn · plant.lifestyle

Glossary