When to plant sweet corn in Enterprise and Joseph, OR

Plant sweet corn from seed, directly in the garden in Enterprise and Joseph, May 31 – Jul 5.

Moderate Plant seeds in the ground

Why these dates

Enterprise and Joseph's typical last spring frost is May 24. Frost kills sweet corn, so planting starts once frost risk drops, around May 31. Keep row cover or a frost blanket handy for the first couple of weeks, since a late frost is still possible.

High desert and mountains. Central and high eastern Oregon. Frost is possible almost any month. Use row covers, wall-o-water or cloches for warm crops, and choose short-season varieties.

Difficulty: Moderate
Sun: Full sun
Spacing: 10 inches apart in a block of short rows
Planting depth: 1 inch deep
Frost: Killed by frost
First harvest: About 80 days after planting

Step by step

Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
Plant seeds May 31 – Jul 5, 1 inch deep, 10 inches apart in a block of short rows.
Keep the soil evenly moist until sprouts appear, which can take one to three weeks in cool soil.
Harvest: Ready about three weeks after the silks appear, when the silks are brown and the kernels squirt milky juice.

Varieties that do well here

Early Sunglow
Bodacious
Golden Bantam

Watch out for

Crows pull up sprouting seeds. Cover the bed with netting or row cover until plants are 4 inches tall.

Plant in blocks of at least four short rows, not one long row, for good pollination.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Enterprise and Joseph, OR?

Typically May 24. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by July 6. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Joseph.

Is it too late to plant sweet corn in Enterprise and Joseph?

The spring planting window runs through July 5. Later plantings may not have time to produce before the first fall frost, which usually arrives around October 1.

How long until I can harvest sweet corn?

About 80 days after planting. Ready about three weeks after the silks appear, when the silks are brown and the kernels squirt milky juice.

Also plant in Enterprise and Joseph around the same time

Planting dates for sweet corn in nearby areas

Baker City, OR Jun 1 – Jul 6
Pendleton, OR May 3 – Jun 7
The Dalles, OR Apr 25 – May 30
Hood River, OR Apr 27 – Jun 1
Hermiston, OR May 3 – Jun 7
Ontario, OR Apr 28 – Jun 2

Full planting calendar for Enterprise and Joseph · Sweet corn in every city