Growing Sweet Corn in Maryland: Will It Ripen?
Yes, sweet corn ripens across most of Maryland, and with real room to spare. The state’s frost-free window runs long enough that even a slower-maturing…
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 Asparagus in Maryland: Fifteen Years in One Spot
An asparagus bed you plant now is one you’ll still be harvesting from more than a decade out, since a well-sited planting keeps producing for 10 to 15…
When to Sow Pumpkins in Maryland
Sow pumpkin seed directly in the garden once soil temperatures hold at 65°F, which in Maryland typically lands in mid-to-late May regardless of what the…
Will Pumpkins Ripen Before Frost in Maryland?
Yes, but the margin is thin. Maryland’s first fall frost typically lands between October 26 and November 5, and a pumpkin needs 45 to 55 days after its…
Will Parsnips Sweeten in Maryland?
Yes, in most of Maryland parsnips will sweeten, not just grow. The state’s coldest month brings a mean daily minimum of 25.4°F, cold enough to deliver…
Growing Spinach in Maryland: When Will It Bolt?
Spinach in Maryland typically starts bolting as May turns into June, sometimes sooner in a warm spring.
Growing Pumpkins in Maryland: Will They Ripen in Time?
The frost window in Maryland runs from late October to early November, and a pumpkin needs 45 to 55 days of growing time after its flower opens, not…
When to Sow Carrots in Maryland: Counting Back From the Last Frost
The direct-seed answer for carrots barely depends on the calendar. Because carrots tolerate light frost and go straight into the ground with no…
Will Carrots Fork in Maryland Soil?
Maryland’s benchmark soil, the Sassafras series, runs sandy and well drained, so carrots grown in ground that matches it typically come out straight, not…
Beet Soil in Maryland: What the Root Will Meet
Maryland’s representative ground, the Sassafras series, is a sandy, acid, well-drained Ultisol that drains fast and holds little organic matter.