What to plant this week in Jersey City, NJ
Jersey City gardeners are in the final countdown for garlic planting as air temperatures hover near our historic 5°F minimum. With the average last frost still lingering until March 28, now is your absolute last chance to sow hardy garlic cloves before the ground freezes solid.
The next 7 days
Jersey City, NJGrowing in Jersey City right now
- Our Jersey Harbor flats and inland terraces can freeze quickly despite the urban heat island effect, so mulch newly planted rows heavily to protect against sudden dips below zero.
- The silty clay soil common in Hudson County drains slowly; add generous amounts of compost or coarse sand when sowing garlic to prevent waterlogging during wet spells.
- Expect a late spring flush of rain following this dry autumn week, so avoid over-watering your transplants if you decide to move any cool-weather crops later this month.
Sow this week
1 crops- Garlic
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
2 crops- Daikon Radish
- Garlic
Seasonal tips
- Finish harvesting cool-season crops like Daikon radish before temperatures drop too low.
- Plant cover crops or winter rye now to protect soil structure during the dormant season.
- Apply a thick layer of mulch around garlic plants to insulate bulbs from freezing ground.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for onion maggot flies beginning to emerge in the cooler soil as they seek out fresh garlic roots.
- Leaf miners may start laying eggs on late-planted leafy greens if temperatures warm up unexpectedly next week.
- Monitor for early signs of black rot on any remaining brassicas, which thrive in our damp autumn air.
Watering this week
Water garlic lightly and only when the soil is dry, avoiding wetting the bulbs directly to prevent rot.
Store your freshly harvested Daikon radishes in a cool, humid place like a crisper drawer or sand-filled bin.
Jersey City gardening questions
3Can I still plant regular onions now that the frost is coming?
No, you must wait until after the last average frost date of March 28 to transplant standard onion sets. Only garlic and hardy root crops like Daikon Radish are currently ready for harvest or planting.
My garlic bulbs look small; should I eat them now instead of harvesting?
If your Daikon radishes or garlic are mature, you can harvest immediately, but let smaller garlic bulbs stay in the ground a few more weeks to develop larger cloves before the Nov 15 first frost.
How deep should I plant garlic in Jersey City's clay soil?
Plant garlic cloves about 2 inches deep and pointy-side up, ensuring you work your spade deeply first to break up the compacted silty clay typical of Hudson County gardens.
Other cities in zone 7b
12See the full zone 7b guide → · Plan your Jersey City garden in SproutGuide →