When to Prune Hydrangeas in Alabama
Prune panicle and smooth hydrangeas in late winter while they’re still dormant, roughly mid-January through late February in most of Alabama, finishing…
Gardening in Alabama
Everything we have worked out for Alabama: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Huntsville, the last spring freeze runs March 19 to April 3 and the first fall freeze runs November 2 to November 16, USDA zones 7a-9a, 5,449 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 13 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Alabama: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
Rose Diseases in Alabama: What the Climate Here Actually Brings
Alabama’s mix of high humidity, warm nights and mild winters favors five rose problems above all others: black spot, powdery mildew, cercospora leaf…
How Much Insulation Does a Home in Alabama Need?
Alabama doesn’t have one insulation answer. The state splits across two IECC climate zones, so the right R-value depends on which of the 67 counties a…
When Can You Turn the Heat Off in Alabama?
April is as close as Alabama gets to a break, and even then the house isn’t asking for nothing.
Will Sweet Corn Ripen in Alabama?
Yes, sweet corn ripens reliably across most of Alabama. The frost-free window here, roughly from the last spring freeze in late March or early April to…
When to Sow Sweet Corn in Alabama
Sweet corn seed needs soil holding steady above 60°F, and in this part of Alabama that point typically arrives a few weeks after the last spring frost…
Will Alabama Soil Hold an Asparagus Bed for Fifteen Years?
Alabama’s soil can carry an asparagus bed through its full 10- to 15-year run, but only if the ground drains.
When to Plant Asparagus Crowns in Alabama
Alabama gardeners get one real planting window for asparagus crowns: early spring, timed to the last frost.
Growing Sweet Corn in Alabama: Will It Ripen?
Yes, sweet corn ripens reliably across most of Alabama. The state’s frost-free window runs roughly seven months, from mid-March or early April to…
Growing Asparagus in Alabama: Fifteen Years in One Spot
Ten to fifteen years in one bed, one requirement that matters more than any other: the ground has to drain.