Spotted wing drosophila in Vermont: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) shows up in Vermont like clockwork most seasons, with adult flies typically detected in traps by late June…
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.
Garden Pests in Vermont: What Shows Up, When, and How to Stop It
A season-by-season look at the pests UVM Extension flags most for Vermont gardens, with identification tips and what actually controls each.
Vermont Lawn Care: What to Plant and When to Feed It
Burlington’s NOAA climate normals point to cool-season grass for Vermont lawns, with seeding, feeding, mowing, and watering guidance tied to those same figures.
Garlic Varieties That Suit Vermont Winters
NOAA frost data for Burlington and a full list of hardneck and softneck garlic varieties show which ones suit Vermont’s cold winters and when to plant them.
When to Plant Garlic in Vermont: Counting Back From the First Frost
NOAA’s 1991-2020 climate normals set Burlington’s first fall frost at October 3 to 13, giving Vermont gardeners a mid to late September planting window for garlic.
Growing Garlic in Vermont: Planting Dates, Varieties and Winter Cold
Vermont’s cold is more than enough for garlic, so the real decisions are planting date, variety, and getting mulch off in spring.
Tomato Planting Dates in Vermont: Counting Back From Your Frost Window
Vermont’s frost-free season runs from Burlington’s April 30-May 10 last freeze to its October 3-13 first freeze, per NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals.
Tomato Pests in Vermont: Which Ones Actually Show Up Here
A season-by-season rundown of the tomato pests that actually appear in Vermont gardens, from transplant-time cutworms to late-summer fruitworms, and how to identify each.
Tomato Varieties That Ripen in Time in Vermont
See which tomato varieties finish before Vermont’s first fall frost, based on catalogue days to maturity and Burlington’s frost window.
Growing Tomatoes in Vermont: Planting Dates, Varieties and Local Pests
A practical walkthrough of Vermont tomato planting dates, soil prep, disease-resistant varieties, companion planting and pest identification for home gardens.