Growing Parsnips in Maryland: Will They Sweeten?
Yes, but only if the roots stay in the ground through several real frosty spells first.
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.
Why Peppers Fail to Set Fruit in Maryland
Peppers fail to set fruit in Maryland mainly because the state’s summer heat pushes past the flower’s comfort zone, and because cool nights in spring or…
When to Start Pepper Seed in Maryland
Most Maryland gardeners should start pepper seed indoors somewhere between mid-January and late February, counting back 8 to 10 weeks from transplant day.
Growing Carrots in Maryland: Soil, Sowing and Forked Roots
Maryland’s state-representative soil, the Sassafras series, is sandy and well drained, which is good news for carrots that hate wet feet and forked tips.
Growing Beets in Maryland: Soil, Sowing and Bolting
Maryland’s benchmark soil runs sandy, acid and fast-draining, decent bones for a beet but poor at holding nutrients and moisture without help.
When to Plant Potatoes in Maryland: Counting Back From Your Last Frost
Plant potatoes in Maryland 14 to 21 days before your last spring frost, once soil hits 50°F, according to Utah State University Extension.
Harvesting and Storing Potatoes in Maryland
In most of Maryland, potatoes come out of the ground in the two or three weeks before the state’s first fall frost, then need a home that holds 40-45 F…
Potato Varieties That Suit Maryland
Most of Maryland fits potatoes in the early and mid-season class better than the late-season class, because the state’s soil crosses the 90°F ceiling…
When Does the Heating Season Start in Maryland?
In Maryland, heating season opens in October, the month when the average temperature first drops below the 65°F mark used to calculate heating degree days.
What to Plant in Maryland in September
Direct-sow fall greens, root crops, and second plantings of quick vegetables through September in Maryland.