When to Sow Sweet Corn in West Virginia
In West Virginia’s lower valleys, sweet corn seed should go into the ground once soil temperature holds reliably above 60°F, a threshold that lands well…
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.
When to Sow Autumn Spinach in West Virginia
West Virginia gardeners get two narrow windows for spinach: a spring sowing roughly three weeks before the last frost (April 9 to April 23 in the…
Will Spinach Bolt Early in West Virginia?
Yes. West Virginia’s spinach will bolt early once the calendar rolls into late spring, and it isn’t the heat doing most of the damage.
When to Sow Parsnips in West Virginia
Late March through early April is the sweet spot for sowing parsnips in West Virginia, timed two to three weeks ahead of the last spring frost.
Will Parsnips Sweeten in West Virginia?
Yes, West Virginia grows parsnips that get properly sweet, not just parsnips that get big.
Will West Virginia Soil Hold an Asparagus Bed for Fifteen Years?
Yes, in most cases: a fifteen-year asparagus bed can work in West Virginia, but the deciding factor is drainage, not fertility or frost.
When to Plant Asparagus Crowns in West Virginia
Plant asparagus crowns in West Virginia in early spring, timed to the state’s last-frost window of April 9 to April 23.
When Does the Heating Season Start in West Virginia?
October is the month when West Virginia’s heating season opens, at least by the numbers that matter: the statewide reference station in Charleston shows…
Growing Sweet Corn in West Virginia: Will It Ripen?
Sweet corn ripens in most of West Virginia’s valley gardens, though the calendar that decides it isn’t the one gardeners usually check.
Growing Asparagus in West Virginia: Fifteen Years in One Spot
An asparagus bed in West Virginia can produce for a decade or more, but only if the ground it sits in drains reasonably well from day one.