What Eats Potato in New Hampshire, and When
Nine insects show up often enough in New Hampshire gardens that UNH Cooperative Extension keeps records on them, but only a handful actually target…
Gardening in New Hampshire
Everything we have worked out for New Hampshire: 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 Manchester, the last spring freeze runs April 16 to April 27 and the first fall freeze runs October 13 to October 26, USDA zones 3b-6a, 2,973 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 New Hampshire: 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 Onion in New Hampshire, and When
Only three of the pests New Hampshire’s extension service tracks actually bother onion: Asiatic garden beetle, flea beetles, and tarnished plant bug.
What Eats Parsnip in New Hampshire, and When
Flea beetles are the pest most likely to show up on parsnip in New Hampshire, chewing small holes in seedling leaves within a few weeks of germination.
When to Overseed a Lawn in New Hampshire
Late August through mid-September is the overseeding window for most of New Hampshire, and the deciding factor isn’t the calendar so much as soil…
First and Last Frost Dates in New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, the last spring frost typically falls between April 16 and April 27, and the first fall frost arrives between October 13 and October…
When to Pick Tomatoes in New Hampshire, and Ripening the Rest
The short answer: get every tomato off the vine before the first fall frost hits, which in the Manchester airport reference records lands between October…
When to Harvest Garlic in New Hampshire, and How to Cure It
Garlic in New Hampshire is usually ready to lift when the lower third to half of the leaves have browned, generally in mid to late July.
When to Pick Apples in New Hampshire, and How Long They Keep
Pick apples in New Hampshire based on what the fruit itself is telling you, not the date on the calendar.
Does Insulation Keep a Home in New Hampshire Cool?
Yes, insulation keeps a New Hampshire home cooler, but the honest picture is smaller than in a Sun Belt state.
Does a Wall in New Hampshire Need a Vapor Barrier?
Yes. New Hampshire sits entirely within IECC Climate Zones 5A and 6A, and neither zone appears on the short list where the International Residential Code…