What to plant this week in Buffalo, NY
With the average last frost date for Buffalo passing on April 21, gardeners are officially in the late spring swing where warm-weather crops begin their push toward harvest. While nights can still dip near -5°F deep into winter history, current soil warmth allows you to finally pull your first basil and zucchini from the garden beds.
The next 7 days
Buffalo, NYGrowing in Buffalo right now
- Buffalo's heavy clay soils retain moisture well but require extra compost to ensure good drainage for tender transplants like edamame and sweet corn.
- The city's lake-effect rain showers often dump quickly; check your mulch coverage on gourd vines and cucumbers to prevent root rot during these intense downpours.
- Despite being in Zone 6b, the short growing window means you must prioritize early-maturing varieties of summer squash and beans to finish before the October 24 frost.
- Wind off Lake Erie can scorch delicate flowers like cosmos and zinnia; consider staking taller plants or using row covers during gusty afternoons.
Sow this week
No direct sowing windows open this week.
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
41 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Potato
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans and cucumbers every two weeks for continuous harvests through August.
- Mulch heavily around young transplants and newly planted garlic to retain moisture as daytime temperatures rise.
- Pinch back the tips of bush beans and zucchini plants once they reach 6 inches to encourage branching and heavier fruit production.
Pest & disease watch
- Spider mites often appear on basil and French marigolds when dry, hot spells hit in mid-summer near the city center.
- Cucumber beetles frequently target early plantings of cucumbers and melons, so inspect leaves daily for yellowing spots or holes.
- Aphids may cluster on new growth of sunflowers and nasturtiums following rain-heavy weeks.
Watering this week
Water deeply at the base of plants early in the morning to reduce evaporation and prevent fungal diseases.
Harvest zucchini and summer squash frequently when they are small (6 inches) to signal the plant to keep producing fruit.
Buffalo gardening questions
3When should I start my basil indoors before it's safe to transplant in Buffalo?
Basil is sensitive to cold, so sow seeds inside 6–8 weeks before your last frost date around April 21. Transplant them only after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures have warmed up.
How do I handle the clay soil when planting sweet potatoes or okra?
Amend heavy Buffalo clay with generous amounts of organic matter like leaf mold or compost to improve aeration for these heat-loving crops. Ensure drainage is excellent, as wet feet will rot the tubers and roots quickly.
My zucchini plants are blooming but not setting fruit—what's wrong?
This often happens when bees aren't visiting due to cool weather or wind common in Buffalo neighborhoods; hand-pollinate by transferring pollen from male to female flowers. Also, ensure you have enough nitrogen fertilizer since rapid growth depletes soil nutrients fast.
Other cities in zone 6b
12See the full zone 6b guide → · Plan your Buffalo garden in SproutGuide →