r/Zone6Gardening

Hey everyone,

In Zone 6, maximizing sun early in the spring and late in the fall is so important for stretching our growing season, but shadow lines change drastically between April and August.

I built a free browser tool where you type in your address, and it instantly generates a 3D model of your property and surrounding buildings. I recently added a "Sunlight Heatmap" feature that simulates the sun's path and calculates exactly how many hours of direct light hit different parts of your yard across the whole year.

I originally made it to calculate solar panel yields, but I am wondering—would this actually help you map out your veggie beds or find the warmest microclimates in your yard to cheat the frost dates? It is free and runs right in the browser. I would love your honest feedback!

Dammit. We are in for two potential mornings of near freezing temps on Sunday and Monday. It’s otherwise been pretty warm and today is rainy.

Do I need to temporarily cover these mophead hydrangeas in burlap?

I did so in late winter when they were just sprouting leaves, then took the burlap off and we got hit with a freeze and they lost all of their leaves. This is their second effort in growing leaves.

Unsure if they would instantly freeze/wilt in 34* temps. But if I’m guaranteed to lose these leaves, I’ll wrap them in burlap again.

Ugh!

Hi! These are randomly growing! I can’t figure out if they’re hyacinths or lupine? Something else? I didn’t plant them. I’ve had the house for two years but I don’t think any recent previous owners had a garden in this spot. I know lupine can spread but all my other lupine are just sprouts right now. I don’t live close enough to any neighbors so it doesn’t seem possible these would hop on over. I love these but am confused. (Western MA)

Just put down fresh compost and straw mulch. Bulbs planted in 2024 are starting to bloom again, including some tulip belle epoque and palmyra bulbs that I thought would be a one time only bloomer!

Garlic is also growing nicely. This is my first year trying to grow garlic.

Just planted out winter sown bok choy and other Asian greens. My first time winter sowing. It's very easy but the seedlings are still very small so I'm looking forward to seeing how they actually do now that they have been planted out. Nights are still 30-40s but I think the greens will be cold hardy enough.

First spring at my house and I've been pulling landscaping fabric out piece by piece. The spirea had really almost surface level roots above the fabric. I pruned them in the fall as well. I feel like I really damaged the already struggling roots. Will they come back? How long into the season should I wait for them?

I think it’s go time!

I just started these seeds maybe like two weeks ago now.. I know it’s too cold for them outside but when should I transplant them into a bigger pot?

I got a little greenhouse house for my birthday. I’ve never used one. What’s the best way to put it to use in mid April? I have tomatoes and peppers in milk jugs, should I move them to this?