Will Parsnips Sweeten in Virginia?
Coastal Virginia won’t hand parsnips a deep freeze. The mean minimum in the coldest month sits at 31.6°F here, according to NOAA NCEI Climate Normals for…
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.
Will Virginia Soil Hold an Asparagus Bed for Fifteen Years?
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When to Plant Asparagus Crowns in Virginia
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When Does the Heating Season Start in Virginia?
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Growing Sweet Corn in Virginia: Will It Ripen?
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Growing Asparagus in Virginia: Fifteen Years in One Spot
Yes, asparagus grows well across Virginia, but the real question isn’t whether it grows here.
When to Sow Pumpkins in Virginia
In most of Virginia, pumpkin seed goes into the ground somewhere between mid-May and early June, once soil has warmed well past the last frost.
Growing Parsnips in Virginia: Will They Sweeten?
For coastal Virginia, the answer leans toward “grow” more than “sweeten.” The mean minimum temperature in the coldest month sits at 31.6°F, a bare few…
Growing Spinach in Virginia: When Will It Bolt?
Spinach in Virginia bolts for two reasons at once: the region’s long summer days flip the flowering switch, and the heat that rides along with those long…
Growing Pumpkins in Virginia: Will They Ripen in Time?
In coastal Virginia, a pumpkin flower needs to open somewhere between mid-September and early-to-mid October to have a real shot at turning orange before…