Guides

Category: Guides

When to Plant Cucumbers Outside: Soil, Frost, Timing

A green cucumber hanging from a vine that climbs a wooden trellis in a garden

Plant cucumbers after the last frost, once soil hits 70°F. See what three extension guides say, a worked date example, and when seed beats transplants.

Nov 5, 2026 · 8 min read Guides

When to Plant Green Beans Outside: Soil, Frost, Timing

Green bean plants with leaves and pods growing in a home vegetable garden

Plant green beans after the last frost once soil hits 60°F. See what five extension sources say about seed rot, spacing, succession and fall cutoffs.

Nov 5, 2026 · 10 min read Guides

When to Plant Peppers Outside: Nights, Soil, Frost

Young sweet pepper seedlings growing in a nursery

Plant peppers once frost is past and nights stay above 50°F. See what four extension guides say about soil, night lows and timing, with a go/no-go check.

Nov 5, 2026 · 8 min read Guides

Garden Microclimates: Why Frost Hits Some Spots First

Close-up of leaves and twigs coated in white frost crystals

Learn how low spots, walls and pavement change frost in your yard, how to find your cold spots with a thermometer, and what to do about them.

Nov 1, 2026 · 10 min read Guides

When to Plant a Fall Garden: Count Back From First Frost

Kale leaves in a community garden covered in white frost

Count back from your first fall frost to find each crop's last planting day. See extension formulas, a worked example, and what to do if you are late.

Oct 30, 2026 · 9 min read Guides

When to Plant Garlic: Count From Your First Frost

Rows of green garlic plants growing in a field under a clear sky

Plant garlic after the first frost and before the ground freezes. See six extension timing rules, a worked example, and what to do if you are late.

Oct 30, 2026 · 9 min read Guides

When to Plant Tomatoes Outside: Soil, Nights, Frost

Plant tomato transplants after the last frost, once soil is near 60°F and nights stay above 50°F. See what extension sources say and a worked example.

Nov 3, 2026 · 10 min read Guides

Frost Date vs Hardiness Zone: Which One Do You Need?

Hardiness zones show which perennials survive winter; frost dates show when to plant. See the difference, with Illinois and Colorado examples.

Nov 1, 2026 · 9 min read Guides

Frost vs Freeze: What Each One Does to Your Plants

Frost is surface ice; a freeze is air at 32°F or lower. See NWS alert wording, hard-freeze lines, which crops die at which temperature, and what to cover.

Oct 29, 2026 · 11 min read Guides

Plan Indoor Seed Starting Backward from Transplanting

Build a realistic seed-starting schedule using the crop's instructions, your intended transplant window, and time to acclimate seedlings.

Oct 23, 2026 · 3 min read