State × crop calendar
Winter Wheat planting in North Carolina.
- Primary crop
- Zone 7b
- 205-day season
- Last frost April 5
- Row Crop
- Frost Hardy
Winter Wheat planting in North Carolina is shaped by the state's 7b dominant hardiness zone, last frost date around April 5, and a 205-day growing season. Winter Wheat is widely grown in North Carolina — commercially significant or common in home gardens and food plots.
Planting dates on this page are climatological estimates from USDA frost-date norms and zone-typical planting offsets. Verify against NC State Extension for variety- and county-specific guidance.
Planting calendar — 2026
Frost-anchored windows.
Winter Wheat · North Carolina · planting calendar
Planting windows shift earlier in southern parts of the state and later in northern parts. Use last frost date in your specific county as the reference.
Planting windows
Earliest → ideal → latest.
Fall planting
Winter WheatEarliest
October 9
Ideal start
October 23
Ideal end
November 13
Latest
November 27
Soil-temp trigger
Plant 6-8 weeks before first hard freeze for adequate fall tillering. Hessian fly free dates often dictate exact timing.Harvest window
Typical start
June 20
Typical end
July 20
Harvest timing varies with planting date and seasonal weather — these dates are typical for the ideal planting window.
Growing notes
Winter Wheat grows well in North Carolina's typical climate. North Carolina's 205-day growing season and 7b hardiness zone support reliable production with appropriate variety selection.
Winter Wheat is widely grown in North Carolina — commercially significant or common in home gardens and food plots.
Agronomy reference
Winter Wheat fundamentals.
Soil-temp minimum
40°F
Soil-temp optimum
50–75°F
Days to maturity
240–270
Water (in/wk)
0.5–1"
Soil pH
6–7.5
Nitrogen demand
moderate
Winter wheat requires vernalization (cold exposure) to flower — fall planting is mandatory. Spring wheat is a separate crop.
Common pests to watch
- Hessian fly
- Aphids
- Cereal leaf beetle
Pest pressure varies by region and year. Confirm current outbreaks with NC State Extension.
Common diseases
- Stripe rust
- Fusarium head blight
- Powdery mildew
Resistance varieties shift each year. Check the current variety trial report for your state.
Variety selection
Winter Wheat varieties for North Carolina live with your extension.
Variety selection
Variety performance is micro-regional and changes with each year's trial cycle. We don't republish variety lists — instead, we point directly at the source.
NC State Extension →Search the extension site for “winter wheat variety trial” or “recommended winter wheat varieties” to find the current report.
Yield varies significantly by variety, soil, fertility, and management. Consult your state extension service for variety performance trials in your region.
Winter Wheat timing. Live alerts.
Bield Farm ties weather and soil-temperature stations in your county to crop planting thresholds — get notified the day soil temp clears your target window.
Start free trial →