What to plant this week in Jersey City, NJ
Jersey City gardeners are in the thick of late summer peak production as average lows dip toward 5°F, signaling that frost is still weeks away but the season's window for warm-weather crops is closing fast. With your last frost historically around March 28 and first frost hitting mid-November, now is the critical time to maximize harvests before temperatures drop below tolerance.
The next 7 days
Jersey City, NJGrowing in Jersey City right now
- Leverage Jersey City's dense urban heat island effect by keeping water-intensive crops like okra and summer squash well-hydrated during our typical humid afternoons.
- Take advantage of the city's sandy, often compacted soils in neighborhoods like Hoboken and Downtown by mixing compost to improve drainage for late-planted bush beans and cucumbers.
- Plan your transition indoors now; while no hardening-off is needed this week, start planning your fall garlic planting schedule which arrives right after our first frost date.
- Monitor local rainfall patterns carefully as the city often sees heavy downpours that can leach nutrients from our shallow urban topsoil.
Sow this week
27 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Lima Bean
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
48 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Brussels Sprouts
- 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)
- Habanero Pepper
- Honeydew Melon
- Leek
- Lima Bean
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsnip
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Potato
- Thai Basil
- Tomatillo
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans and pole beans every two weeks to extend your summer bean harvest.
- Apply a light mulch around newly transplanted squash and watermelons to retain soil moisture as temperatures rise.
- Pinch back the tops of basil plants regularly now that they are established to encourage bushier growth.
- Prepare for a second planting of fast-maturing crops like radishes or lettuce if you missed an earlier window.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for spider mites on your Zinnias and Cleome (Spider Flower) as humidity fluctuations create stress points for these common Jersey City ornamentals.
- Scout leafhoppers on Sweet Corn and Pole Beans, which thrive in our coastal microclimate but are vulnerable to sudden wind-driven damage from nearby piers.
- Check Brussels Sprouts and Kale for aphid colonies early this week before they multiply rapidly during the mild November weather.
Watering this week
Water deeply at the base of plants each morning to encourage deep roots while preventing fungal diseases on foliage.
Harvest your okra early in the morning when pods are tender, as they become tough and stringy later in the day.
Jersey City gardening questions
3Can I still transplant warm-season vegetables like Basil or Beans into my Jersey City garden this week?
No, you should not introduce new transplants now because our average first frost date is Nov 15 and soil temperatures will soon become too cold for establishment. Instead, focus on harvesting your existing crops from the 'harvest_soon' list to maximize yield before the chill sets in.
My Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash are getting bolty; should I stop picking them now?
You must continue picking frequently every two days to prevent the plant from shutting down production entirely as our summer heat wanes. Regular harvesting signals the vine to keep flowering, which is crucial for extending your harvest window before the mid-November freeze.
Is it safe to sow Cold Hardy crops like Brussels Sprouts or Leeks now in Jersey City?
While you can start seeds indoors right now, direct sowing outdoors is risky as our average last frost date was March 28 and we may see unpredictable snaps toward our 5°F minimum. For the best results, wait until late summer to transplant seedlings once they are hardened off in August.
Other cities in zone 7b
12See the full zone 7b guide → · Plan your Jersey City garden in SproutGuide →