What Eats Onion in West Virginia, and When
Onion pests in West Virginia follow the onion’s own calendar. Cutworms and onion maggots go after seedlings and young transplants in spring.
Gardening in West Virginia
Everything we have worked out for West 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 Charleston, the last spring freeze runs April 9 to April 23 and the first fall freeze runs October 18 to November 1, USDA zones 5a-7a, 4,159 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 21.8 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in West 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.
What Eats Potato in West Virginia, and When
WVU Extension documents a dozen garden insects and slugs for West Virginia, but only about half of them actually eat potato.
How High Can a Hedge Be in West Virginia? What the Law Actually Says
West Virginia has no statewide hedge height limit. Nothing in the state code sets a number of feet for how tall a hedge can grow on residential property.
What Eats Parsnip in West Virginia, and When
West Virginia gardeners growing parsnip mostly deal with four pest groups documented by WVU Extension: aphids and whiteflies, flea beetles, slugs, and…
Finishing a Basement in West Virginia: Permits, Ceiling Height, Egress and Waterproofing
Explains how West Virginia’s local adoption of the state building code affects basement permits, ceiling height, egress windows and waterproofing decisions for homeowners.
When to Overseed a Lawn in West Virginia
The safe window to overseed a West Virginia lawn runs from late August through mid-September, and the exact cutoff depends on where you live, not a…
First and Last Frost Dates in West Virginia
In Charleston, the last spring frost typically falls between April 9 and April 23, and the first fall frost arrives between October 18 and November 1…
When to Pick Tomatoes in West Virginia, and Ripening the Rest
Pick tomatoes as they color up all season long, but the calendar that matters most is the one counting down to first frost.
When to Harvest Garlic in West Virginia, and How to Cure It
Garlic in West Virginia usually comes out of the ground between late June and mid-July, once the bottom third to half of the leaves have browned off and…
When to Pick Apples in West Virginia, and How Long They Keep
West Virginia’s apple harvest runs roughly from mid-August through late October, depending on variety and elevation, with early apples ready weeks before…