What Eats Pumpkin in Arkansas, and When
Seven pests show up on Arkansas pumpkin vines according to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension: aphids, Japanese…
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.
What Eats Potato in Arkansas, and When
Arkansas gardeners growing potatoes deal with a short, defined list of pests: aphids, Japanese beetles, stink bugs, and whiteflies feed on foliage and…
What Eats Parsnip in Arkansas, and When
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension documents seven pests for Arkansas vegetable gardens overall, but only four of them…
What Eats Carrot in Arkansas, and When
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension documents seven pests for the state’s home gardens, but only two of them feed on…
What Eats Beet in Arkansas, and When
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension documents seven insects on Arkansas garden crops, but only four of them have any…
What Eats Asparagus in Arkansas, and When
Five insects show up on Arkansas asparagus with any regularity, and none of them show up before the spears themselves do.
Heating With Pellets in Arkansas: What a Winter Takes
A pellet stove in Arkansas is best planned as supplemental heat rather than a full replacement for a furnace.
What Eats Garlic in Arkansas, and When
Of the seven insects documented for garlic-type crops by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension, only two actually feed…
Squash bug in Arkansas: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Squash bugs are active in Arkansas from late spring right through the end of summer, with no sharp start-and-stop date the way some pests have.
Japanese beetle in Arkansas: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Japanese beetles show up in Arkansas gardens from June through August, with feeding pressure building as roses, grapes, and beans push out tender summer…