Will Parsnips Sweeten in New York?
Yes, but only with help from the calendar, not the map. Parsnips grown in New York get the frost exposure they need to turn starchy roots sweet, thanks…
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.
Growing Spinach in New York: When Will It Bolt?
In New York City, spinach’s spring planting is a short race against two clocks running at once: the length of the day and the climbing heat.
Growing Pumpkins in New York: Will They Ripen in Time?
Yes, but only if the flowers open early enough. New York City’s growing season runs from late March into mid-to-late November, and that gap is usually…
Will Carrots Fork in New York Soil?
Probably, if the ground goes untouched. New York’s representative soil carries more silt and clay than sand, and both of those textures can pinch a…
When to Sow Beets in New York
In most of New York, the safe window to sow beet seed runs from roughly early March to mid-April downstate, sliding into late April or May farther north…
Beet Soil in New York: What the Root Will Meet
New York’s representative soil, the Honeoye series, is a well-drained silt loam sitting at a mildly acid pH of 6.3.
Growing Parsnips in New York: Will They Sweeten?
Yes, in most of New York, parsnips left in the ground through a run of hard frosts will sweeten.
When Does the Heating Season Start in New York?
New York’s heating season opens in October, the month when the average temperature at the reference station first slips below the 65°F line that climate…
Why Peppers Fail to Set Fruit in New York
Peppers stall pollen the moment temperatures swing too far in either direction.
Growing Carrots in New York: Soil, Sowing and Forked Roots
New York’s representative soil, the Honeoye series, sits on the favorable end of the spectrum for carrots: well drained, moderately fertile, and closer…