Growing Roses in Maryland: Planting Dates, Varieties and Local Pests
In Maryland, container roses go in the ground once the last spring freeze has passed, which around Baltimore falls between April 3 and April 16.
Maryland
What home and garden advice looks like when it is written for Maryland — southeast seasons, southeast rules, and the numbers that go with them.
Gardening in Maryland
Everything we have worked out for Maryland: 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 Baltimore, the last spring freeze runs April 3 to April 16 and the first fall freeze runs October 26 to November 5, USDA zones 5b-8a, 3,994 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 21.8 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Maryland: 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.
Growing Hydrangeas in Maryland: Types, Colour and Winter
Plant hydrangeas in Maryland in early fall or in spring after the last freeze, which at the Baltimore reference station falls between April 3 and April 16.
When Sweet Corn Is Ready in Maryland, and How Fast It Fades
Sweet corn in Maryland is ready 60 to 90 days after planting, and planting cannot start until the soil reaches 60 F, which happens after the last frost…
What Eats Corn in Maryland, and When
Sweet corn in Maryland is ready to eat on two separate clocks. The first starts when the soil warms, not when the last frost passes, and a crop planted…
What Eats Pumpkin in Maryland, and When
In Maryland, the thing that eats the most pumpkins is the calendar, not an insect.
When to Dethatch a Lawn in Maryland
Most Maryland lawns never need dethatching. Measure the thatch first: under 0.5 inch, leave it alone. Above 0.75 inch, the timing depends on what you grow.
When to Plant Grass Seed in Maryland
Early fall is the best time to sow grass seed in Maryland, provided the seed gets about 45 days of growing weather before the first freeze.
When to Aerate a Lawn in Maryland
For most Maryland lawns, the answer is early fall, while the grass is still growing and well ahead of the first freeze.
What Eats Beet in Maryland, and When
In Maryland, a beet crop is mostly eaten by thirst, heat and a refrigerator set too cold. Thirst in the first six weeks sends plants to flower.
How Late Can You Plant Trees and Shrubs in Fall in Maryland?
In Maryland, the safe target for planting trees and shrubs in fall is September 14 to September 24, six weeks before the first fall frost.