What Eats Parsnip in Nova Scotia, and When
University of Maine Cooperative Extension documents ten insect pests for this region, and only one of them, seedcorn maggot, has any real business in a…
Gardening in Nova Scotia
Everything we have worked out for Nova Scotia: 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 Halifax, the last spring freeze falls around May 7 and the first fall freeze falls around October 18, 1,659 growing degree days in the year.
That is enough for early varieties, tight for anything late. Garlic does well: 30.4 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Nova Scotia: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from Environment and Climate Change Canada. 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.
When to Overseed a Lawn in Nova Scotia
Late summer to early fall is the answer for Nova Scotia: soil still holds enough warmth to sprout cool-season grass, and there’s just enough runway left…
First and Last Frost Dates in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia’s growing season runs roughly from an average last spring frost of May 7 to an average first fall frost of October 18, based on the Halifax…
When to Pick Tomatoes in Nova Scotia, and Ripening the Rest
Pick tomatoes in Nova Scotia based on frost risk, not the calendar. The mean first fall frost at Halifax Stanfield Int’l A runs October 18, but that’s…
When to Harvest Garlic in Nova Scotia, and How to Cure It
Garlic planted in the fall is lifted the following summer once the lower leaves start browning and roughly five or six leaves up top are still green.
When to Pick Apples in Nova Scotia, and How Long They Keep
Most Nova Scotia apples come off the tree between late August and mid-October, with the exact week set by variety and by how close the tree sits to the…
Does Insulation Keep a Home in Nova Scotia Cool?
Yes, insulation resists summer heat in Nova Scotia the same way it resists winter cold, but the province’s climate barely tests that side of the ledger.
Does a Wall in Nova Scotia Need a Vapour Barrier?
Yes, in Nova Scotia. The National Building Code of Canada requires a vapour barrier in insulated wall assemblies, and unlike the American model code…
Heating With Pellets in Nova Scotia: What a Winter Takes
Halifax Stanfield International Airport logs about 4,263 heating degree days a year below 18°C, a serious number that puts a pellet stove here squarely…
How Much Insulation Does a Home in Nova Scotia Need?
Nova Scotia’s reference weather station, Halifax Stanfield, sits in Natural Resources Canada’s climate zone 6.