What to plant this week in Rochester, NY
Rochester gardeners are currently in a late-season harvest window where the air is cooling toward our typical -5°F winter lows, but the soil warmth still supports a final sprint of beans and squashes before our Oct 24 frost date. With no new transplants to start this week, your focus shifts entirely to maximizing yields from the established crops listed for immediate picking.
The next 7 days
Rochester, NYGrowing in Rochester right now
- The high clay content in many Rochester backyards retains moisture well now that summer rains taper off, but ensure drainage around squash and okra to prevent root rot as temperatures drop.
- Protect tender harvests like basil, tomato, and cucumber from our typical early autumn frosts using row covers or by bringing movable containers indoors immediately after the first chill.
- Cut back on heavy nitrogen fertilizers this week; instead, add a layer of straw mulch around your potato and carrot beds to conserve heat for root maturation before ground freeze.
- Take advantage of the mild window to pull and store early carrots and parsnips while the soil is workable, as freezing makes harvesting much more difficult.
Sow this week
17 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cucumber
- French Marigold
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Summer Savory
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
58 crops- Anaheim (New Mexico) Pepper
- Banana Pepper
- Basil
- Beefsteak Tomato
- Beet
- Bell Pepper
- Borage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Carrot
- Cayenne Pepper
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Eggplant
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Geranium (Zonal)
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Honeydew Melon
- Jalapeño
- Lantana
- Lima Bean
- Malabar Spinach
- Marconi Pepper
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsley
- Parsnip
- Petunia
- Poblano Pepper
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Roma Tomato
- Rutabaga
- Scallion (Bunching Onion)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Serrano Pepper
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Snapdragon
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Tomatillo
- Tomato
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans and pole beans every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout the summer.
- Mulch around young tomato and pepper plants to retain soil moisture as temperatures rise above 80°F.
- Thin carrot and beet seedlings now to prevent overcrowding and ensure sturdy root development.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for late-season aphid colonies on pole beans and zinnias seeking out remaining tender growth in our humid autumn air.
- Monitor squash vine borers on yellow summer squash and zucchini; check stems weekly for sawdust-like frass that indicates entry points before the plant dies back completely.
- Scout tomato plants for late blight spots, which thrive in the cool, moist conditions common to Rochester's fall weather.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the early morning to encourage deep root growth and reduce evaporation losses during this hot season.
Harvest sweet corn when the kernels are milky and firm, not yet hard or fully browned, for peak sweetness.
Rochester gardening questions
3When is the absolute last day I can harvest tomatoes and peppers before frost hits here?
With our average first frost on Oct 24, you should plan to pull all sensitive fruiting crops like Beefsteak tomatoes and jalapeños by mid-October. If a cold snap arrives earlier than usual, use frost cloth over the plants in the evening to salvage any unripe peppers or late-set tomatoes.
How do I store my homegrown carrots and parsnips to keep them fresh through winter?
Rochester growers often brush off excess soil, trim the tops, and pack these root vegetables in damp sand or peat moss inside a cool root cellar or basement. Keep the temperature around 32-40°F with high humidity to prevent shriveling before our deep freezes set in.
Are there any specific pests I should watch for on my zinnias and cosmos right now?
Late-season thrips and spider mites can still damage foliage as temperatures drop, especially if the weather stays dry. Check leaf undersides regularly and apply a strong jet of water or insecticidal soap to keep these insects from weakening your cut flowers.
Other cities in zone 6b
12See the full zone 6b guide → · Plan your Rochester garden in SproutGuide →