When to Dig Up Dahlias, Cannas and Gladiolus in Idaho
In Idaho, dahlias, cannas and gladiolus come out of the ground in the week or two after the first frost blackens their leaves.
Gardening in Idaho
Everything we have worked out for Idaho: 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 Boise, the last spring freeze runs April 23 to May 7 and the first fall freeze runs October 7 to October 21, USDA zones 3b-7b, 3,309 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 26.1 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Idaho: 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.
Hedge Plants for Idaho: What Holds, and What Only Looks Hardy
Six of the twelve hedge species tracked on this site hold across all of Idaho. The other six survive in only part of it, and none fail everywhere.
Growing Roses in Idaho: Planting Dates, Varieties and Local Pests
Roses grow well across most of Idaho, but the calendar and the variety you pick decide whether a plant thrives or spends every spring regrowing from a…
When to Pull Carrots in Idaho, and How to Keep Them
Pull carrots when the shoulders push up out of the soil line looking full and orange, not when a date on the calendar says so.
Growing Hydrangeas in Idaho: Types, Color and Winter
Hydrangeas can absolutely thrive in Idaho, but the state’s dramatic range of elevation and frost timing means the answer changes depending on where you…
Finishing a Basement in Idaho: Permits, Ceiling Height, Egress and Waterproofing
A plain-language look at Idaho’s basement permit, ceiling height, egress window and moisture rules, with the figures a building department will check first.
What Do Homes in Idaho Cool With?
Idaho homes cool mostly with central air conditioning, but not exclusively. Statewide, 81% of homes run some kind of air-conditioning equipment, 64% have…
Roof Snow Load, Wind Speed and Ice Barrier Rules in Idaho
Idaho’s Boise-area design figures for roof snow load, wind speed and ice barrier rules, explained plainly with the code editions and reference city they come from.
When to Start Pepper Seed in Idaho
In Boise and similar low-elevation valleys, start pepper seed indoors from mid-February to mid-March, then move transplants outside after the last frost…
What Eats Pepper in Idaho, and When
Six of the pests Idaho tracks for garden vegetables will actually feed on pepper: aphids, Colorado potato beetle, cutworms, grasshoppers, tomato…