What Do Homes in Virginia Cool With?
Virginia is a central-air state. Ninety-five percent of homes here run some kind of air-conditioning equipment, and the overwhelming majority of that…
Gardening in Virginia
Everything we have worked out for Virginia: 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 Virginia Beach, the last spring freeze runs March 20 to April 3 and the first fall freeze runs November 10 to November 24, USDA zones 5a-8b, 4,864 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 Virginia: 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.
When to Overseed a Lawn in Virginia
In most of Virginia, the answer is late August through early October for cool-season lawns, and the window closes fast because it’s set by the first fall…
First and Last Frost Dates in Virginia
Coastal Virginia typically sees its last spring frost between March 20 and April 3, and its first fall frost between November 10 and November 24, based…
When to Pick Tomatoes in Virginia, and Ripening the Rest
The short answer: pull every tomato off the vine before the first fall frost arrives, whether it’s ripe or still green, because a hard freeze ruins fruit…
When to Harvest Garlic in Virginia, and How to Cure It
Garlic planted in Virginia in the fall comes out of the ground the following summer, usually when the lower leaves have browned and dried back while the…
When to Pick Apples in Virginia, and How Long They Keep
Apples in Virginia don’t ripen on a fixed date. They ripen when the tree says so, and that moment shifts by variety, by elevation, and by how far you are…
Does Insulation Keep a Home in Virginia Cool?
Yes, insulation keeps a Virginia home cooler, and it matters for a real slice of the year, not just a few sweaty afternoons.
Does a Wall in Virginia Need a Vapor Barrier?
Yes. Virginia sits mostly in Climate Zone 4A, with 19 counties in Zone 3A and 5 in Zone 5A carved out as exceptions, and none of those three zones…
Heating With Pellets in Virginia: What a Winter Takes
A pellet stove in Virginia is answering to about 3,424 heating degree days a year and a heating season that runs roughly seven months, from October…
Thrips in Virginia: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Thrips show up in Virginia gardens as soon as spring nights stay above the low 50s, usually working through several overlapping generations from May into…