What to Plant in Vermont in January
Direct answer: almost nothing goes into open Vermont soil in January. The state’s last spring frost runs April 30 to May 10 in the Champlain Valley, and…
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 to Plant in Vermont in February
Across Vermont, February ground is frozen solid and usually buried under snow, so nothing goes into the open garden this month.
What to Plant in Vermont in December
December in Vermont means nothing goes into open ground. Soil is frozen solid from the Champlain Valley to the Northeast Kingdom, and snow cover locks in…
What to Plant in Vermont in August
August in Vermont means racing the calendar in two directions at once: harvesting the peak of summer while sowing the last fast crops that can still beat…
What to Plant in Vermont in April
Vermont’s average last spring frost falls between April 30 and May 10 in the Champlain Valley, and later almost everywhere else in the state, which means…
Growing Potatoes in Vermont: Dates, Varieties and Summer Heat
Vermont’s summers rarely turn hostile to potatoes. Burlington averages just 5.4 days a year at or above 90°F, according to NOAA NCEI Climate Normals, so…
Growing Peppers in Vermont: Fruit Set, Heat and Timing
Vermont peppers face less heat stress than most of the country, but the growing season leaves little room for error.
Pepper Varieties That Ripen in a Vermont Season
Vermont peppers ripen inside a short, cool-leaning window that rewards early starts and close attention to two thresholds, not one.
Watering Through a Dry Spell in Vermont
Vermont’s summers rarely turn into true droughts, but the driest stretches still catch a garden off guard.
Watering Pots and Containers in Vermont
Vermont gardeners get more rain than most of the country during summer, but pots and containers still dry out fast because they hold a fraction of the…