What Eats Asparagus in New Jersey, and When
Nothing in the verified material behind this page names a specific asparagus pest or gives a New Jersey pest calendar, and an invented one would be worse…
New Jersey
For homeowners and renters in New Jersey: the planting calendar, the maintenance schedule and the local programs worth knowing about.
Gardening in New Jersey
Everything we have worked out for New Jersey: 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 Newark, the last spring freeze runs March 29 to April 6 and the first fall freeze runs November 4 to November 16, USDA zones 6a-7b, 3,881 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 New Jersey: 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 Corn in New Jersey, and When
Before any insect shows up, three things can wreck a New Jersey corn crop: seed sown into soil that is still too cold, a variety that runs out of season…
What Eats Pumpkin in New Jersey, and When
In New Jersey, pumpkins get eaten twice. Squash bugs, cucumber beetles and, later, deer, groundhogs and rodents chew on them through the growing season.
When to Dethatch a Lawn in New Jersey
Most New Jersey lawns never need dethatching. The ones that do have a brown, spongy layer thicker than 0.75 inch, and the right window depends on the…
When to Plant Grass Seed in New Jersey
Early fall is the best time to plant grass seed in New Jersey if your lawn is tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass.
When to Aerate a Lawn in New Jersey
Most New Jersey lawns do best with core aeration in early fall, while the grass is still growing and well ahead of the first fall frost window of…
How Late Can You Plant Trees and Shrubs in Fall in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, the safe fall planting deadline for trees and shrubs runs from September 23 to October 5, which is six weeks before the first fall frost…
Hedge Plants for New Jersey: What Holds, and What Only Looks Hardy
Nothing on our list of 12 hedge plants dies of cold anywhere in New Jersey. All 12 hold from the northwest hills to the Shore.
What Eats Pepper in New Jersey, and When
No single roster of “pepper pests” exists for New Jersey in the climate and extension data behind this page.
How High Can a Hedge Be in New Jersey? What the Law Actually Says
New Jersey has no statewide hedge height limit. Nothing in state statute sets a number for how tall a hedge can grow on your property.