Planting corn in Arkansas requires balancing calendar timing with environmental readiness due to the state’s diverse climate. Success depends on avoiding late spring frosts and intense summer heat, making the planting window a careful decision. Understanding regional distinctions and seed needs is fundamental for a healthy harvest.
Optimal Timing Based on Region and Date
The earliest suitable corn planting dates in Arkansas follow a north-to-south gradient, reflecting springtime warming. Planting typically begins in late March in the southernmost areas, where soils warm up sooner. This window shifts northward, with growers in Northern Arkansas generally beginning planting in early April.
The official final planting date for commercial field corn is often cited as April 25th in many Arkansas counties, though some Northeast regions may extend to May 1st. Planting past this date often reduces yield potential, although successful crops have been achieved through mid-May plantings. This later window requires specialized management, including timely irrigation and careful hybrid selection, to mitigate the risk of high summer temperatures.
For home gardeners focused on sweet corn, successive plantings can be made every 10 to 14 days from the initial spring planting until early July. This strategy ensures a continuous supply of fresh corn throughout the summer. However, corn planted in May or later develops more rapidly than an earlier crop, requiring a compressed schedule for fertilization and pest management.
Essential Soil Conditions for Germination
While the calendar guides planting, the true trigger is the physical condition of the soil, especially its temperature. Corn requires a minimum soil temperature of 55°F for successful germination and emergence. A reliable measure is when the soil temperature, taken at a 2-inch depth, reaches 55°F by 9:00 a.m. for three consecutive days.
Planting in cool soil can cause the seed to absorb cold water during the first 24 to 48 hours, leading to a chilling injury that weakens the seedling. Certain super-sweet (sh2) varieties possess lower seed vigor and require warmer conditions, ideally above 60°F, to germinate reliably.
Planting depth must be adjusted according to moisture levels and temperature. In cool, moist spring soil, a shallow depth of 1/2 inch is often sufficient. As the season progresses and soils dry out, kernels should be placed deeper, around 1 to 1 1/2 inches, to ensure they reach adequate moisture. If the topsoil is dry, planting as deep as 3 inches into moist soil is a better strategy than shallow placement relying on uncertain rainfall.
Choosing the Right Corn Variety
Selecting the appropriate corn variety is important for managing the long, hot Arkansas summer. Varieties are classified by their days to maturity, indicating the time from planting to harvest. Choosing a mix of early, mid, and late-maturing varieties (e.g., 70-day, 80-day, and 90-day types) helps stagger the harvest and avoid maturation during peak summer heat.
The main types of sweet corn include standard sugary (su), sugary enhanced (se), and super-sweet (sh2) varieties; standard types germinate best in cooler soils. For those planting later in the season, selecting full-season hybrids, which take longer to mature, can be advantageous over earlier-maturing types.
Heat tolerance is a significant factor in variety selection, as high daytime and nighttime temperatures can reduce yield, especially during silking and pollination. Hybrids bred for higher tolerance to heat and drought stress are available for the Arkansas climate. Choosing a variety with good heat tolerance helps ensure the plant can continue photosynthetic processes even when temperatures briefly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.