Know Your Growing Zone
The most important factor when it comes to knowing when your corn growing season starts is to find out the planting zone in which you live. If you know the typical growing length of your area, you can then determine when the best time is to plant your corn.
Tip: If you do not know in which growing zone you live, call your local extension office or your local nursery. Even better, talk with a seasoned gardener and perhaps make a new friend!
Know Your Corn Seeds
Most farmers who produce corn on a widespread scale plant their corn in April or May and begin harvesting in September. If you live in the midwest, your corn season will follow that same timeline. However, if you live in an area with a short growing season or a long one, the time frame will be different.
It is essential to know which corn varieties are best suited for the geographical area in which you live. For example, if you live in Alaska, you need to plant corn that matures very quickly. If you live in Georgia, you can safely choose a type of sweet corn that takes longer to ripen.
Extending Your Corn Growing Season
If you live somewhere with a very short growing season, it is easy to feel limited by the variety of corn you can grow. However, you can easily extend your growing season by planting corn seeds indoors about six weeks before you plant them outdoors.
Since corn does not transplant well, you should choose biodegradable peat pots to start your corn seeds indoors. You just plant the cardboard-type pots directly into the ground, which helps prevent root shock that can kill your corn seedlings.
No matter where you live, you can grow corn. You may have to choose an early ripening variety, but you can still have your own corn growing season no matter your climate.
