Sweet corn: when to sow, plant out and harvest
Sowing, planting and harvest dates for your climate, good and bad companions, growing tips.
When to sow in your region
Average dates, computed from the frost dates of each climate. For your exact dates, choose your town.
| Climate | Sow under cover | Sow outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern France | 1 March – 31 May | 15 April – 19 May | 1 July – 30 September |
| Atlantic coast | 19 February – 21 May | 5 April – 9 May | 21 June – 4 October |
| Eastern France | 21 February – 23 May | 7 April – 11 May | 23 June – 28 September |
| Mediterranean | 18 January – 19 April | 4 March – 7 April | 20 May – 20 October |
| Mountains (around 1,000 m) | 26 March – 25 June | 10 May – 13 June | 26 July – 29 August |
Growing
- Family
- Poaceae
- Latin name
- Zea mays convar. saccharata
- Cold tolerance
- Tender (killed by frost)
- Soil temperature to germinate
- 10 °C minimum
- Emergence
- 5–10 days
- Between rows
- 50–70 cm
- In the row
- 30–40 cm
- To harvest
- 60–90 days
Companion planting
The level of evidence is shown for each pairing: many rest on tradition rather than on studies.
Good neighbours
- French bean (bush or climbing)Scientific study
- Winter squash and pumpkinScientific study
- LettuceExtension serviceSources disagree
- BeetrootTradition
- Courgette (zucchini)Tradition
- CucumberTradition
- DillTradition
- Melon (cantaloupe)Tradition
- PeaTradition
- PotatoTradition
- SunflowerTradition
Sources
- Jardiner Malin — Calendrier de semis et récolte au potager
- La Bonne Graine (seed company) — Le calendrier des semis et des plants
- The Old Farmer's Almanac — Planting Calendar (New York City, last frost Apr 3; cross-checked with Minneapolis, last frost Apr 30)
- Colorado State University Extension — Vegetable Planting Guide
- Oregon State University Extension — Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination (from the UC Davis/Harrington data)
- Tous au potager — Distance de plantation des légumes : tableau des espacements