First and Last Frost Dates in Arkansas
Arkansas’s average last spring frost at 32°F falls somewhere between March 12 and March 28, and the first fall frost at that same threshold arrives…
Gardening in Arkansas
Everything we have worked out for Arkansas: 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 Little Rock, the last spring freeze runs March 12 to March 28 and the first fall freeze runs November 7 to November 20, USDA zones 6b-8a, 5,606 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 Arkansas: 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.
When to Pick Tomatoes in Arkansas, and Ripening the Rest
The short answer: start watching your vines in late October, and have every tomato off the plant before the first fall frost, which arrives statewide…
When to Harvest Garlic in Arkansas, and How to Cure It
Garlic in Arkansas comes out of the ground when the lower third to half of the leaves have browned while the top leaves are still green, usually in late…
When to Pick Apples in Arkansas, and How Long They Keep
Arkansas apple harvest stretches from late July to mid-October, and the exact day depends on the variety hanging on your tree, not a fixed date on the…
Does Insulation Keep a Home in Arkansas Cool?
Yes, insulation keeps an Arkansas home cooler, and here the summer isn’t a footnote to winter.
Does a Wall in Arkansas Need a Vapor Barrier?
Arkansas doesn’t give one answer to this question. The state’s 75 counties split across two IECC climate zones, and the 2021 International Residential…
What Eats Spinach in Arkansas, and When
In Arkansas, the two insects that actually feed on spinach are aphids and whiteflies.
What Eats Pepper in Arkansas, and When
Pepper plants in Arkansas face a short list of insect pests, not the long roster gardeners sometimes worry about.
What Eats Onion in Arkansas, and When
Arkansas gardens face a short list of documented onion pests, and most of what shows up in the yard belongs to other crops.
What Eats Corn in Arkansas, and When
Three insects show up on Arkansas corn often enough that the state’s extension service tracks them: aphids, Japanese beetles, and stink bugs.