What Eats Spinach in Vermont, and When
Not a bug, mostly. What eats a Vermont spinach crop is the calendar: a summer day that peaks at 15 h 22 of daylight, a growth ceiling of 75 F, and a…
Vermont
For homeowners and renters in Vermont: the planting calendar, the maintenance schedule and the local programs worth knowing about.
Gardening in Vermont
Everything we have worked out for Vermont: 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 Burlington, the last spring freeze runs April 30 to May 10 and the first fall freeze runs October 3 to October 13, USDA zones 3b-5b, 2,644 growing degree days in the year.
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 Vermont: 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 Pumpkin in Vermont, and When
In Vermont, the thing that eats the most pumpkins is the calendar. A frost in early October ends the season for any fruit that is still green.
When to Plant Grass Seed in Vermont
Late summer is the best window for a new Vermont lawn. Sow from mid-August to the end of the month in the Champlain Valley, earlier in the hills, and…
When to Dethatch a Lawn in Vermont
Most Vermont lawns never need dethatching. If a spade-cut wedge of yours shows more than 0.75 inch of spongy brown thatch, the best window is late summer…
How High to Mow a Lawn in Vermont
Mow a Vermont lawn at the height that suits the grass growing in it: 3 to 3.5 inches for tall fescue, 2 to 3 inches for fine fescues and Kentucky…
Heat Pump or Gas Furnace in Vermont: Which Costs Less to Run?
On running cost alone, a natural gas furnace beats a heat pump in Vermont: $17.89 per million Btu of delivered heat against $29.57, based on U.S.
When to Dig Up Dahlias, Cannas and Gladiolus in Vermont
Wait for the first frost that blackens the leaves, then lift within a week or two.
How Late Can You Plant Trees and Shrubs in Fall in Vermont?
In Vermont, the safe deadline for planting trees and shrubs in fall is six weeks before the first fall frost.
When to Mulch Strawberries and Perennials for Winter in Vermont
Winter mulch in Vermont goes on after the ground starts to freeze, not before.
When to Winterize Sprinklers and Outdoor Faucets in Vermont
Vermont sprinkler lines and outdoor spigots need to be shut down and drained before the first hard freeze. Around Burlington that points to early October.