How High Can a Hedge Be in New York? What the Law Actually Says
New York has no statewide hedge height limit. There’s no section of state property law or agriculture code that sets a number in feet.
Gardening in New York
Everything we have worked out for New York: 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 New York City, the last spring freeze runs March 23 to April 3 and the first fall freeze runs November 14 to November 27, USDA zones 3b-7b, 3,786 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 17.4 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in New York: 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 Do Homes in New York Cool With?
New York homes lean on individual cooling equipment more than on central systems.
Roof Snow Load, Wind Speed and Ice Barrier Rules in New York
New York’s roof snow load, wind speed and ice barrier requirements explained using the New York City reference figures and the state’s own building code.
What Eats Carrot in New York, and When
New York gardeners searching for a straightforward pest list for carrots run into a real limit: no statewide, source-backed list of carrot-eating insects…
Finishing a Basement in New York: Permits, Ceiling Height, Egress and Waterproofing
A plain-language guide to New York’s basement permit rules, the ceiling height allowed in an existing basement, required egress window dimensions, and moisture control before you finish the walls.
What Eats Potato in New York, and When
Only one insect on Cornell’s regional list actually feeds on potato foliage: the Colorado potato beetle.
What Eats Parsnip in New York, and When
Cornell University CALS Insect Diagnostic Laboratory documents ten garden pests for New York state, but almost none of them touch parsnip.
When to Overseed a Lawn in New York
Late summer through early fall is the window for overseeding in New York, but the exact dates depend on where in the state you’re standing.
First and Last Frost Dates in New York
In New York City, based on Central Park’s official weather station, the last spring frost typically falls between March 23 and April 3, and the first…
When to Pick Tomatoes in New York, and Ripening the Rest
Tomatoes come off the vine in New York when the fruit shows the first blush of color, not when it’s fully red, and the deadline for that decision is the…