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The WVU Extension Garden Calendar is produced and distributed each year as a service to West Virginia’s many home gardeners and agricultural producers. The annual calendar is just one of many meaningful projects, programs and outreach efforts provided by WVU Extension throughout West Virginia’s 55 counties.
If you have gardening questions or want more information, please contact your county’s WVU Extension office. Be sure to check out information for controlling garden pests year-round as well as related coloring pages and learning activities for even more opportunities.
Enjoy this year’s Garden Calendar!
Download the 2026 Garden Calendar Get a Garden Calendar at Your Local County OfficeWVU Extension is committed to providing reasonable accommodations upon request.
Note: To print as many Garden Calendars as existing funds allow, WVU Extension may not be able to honor web or email requests for mailed calendars. Please contact your nearest county office to get a calendar. Your understanding is sincerely appreciated.
Fresh from the Garden Calendar
Cosmos
If you’re looking to add color, charm, and pollinator appeal to your garden, cosmos might be the perfect fit. These bright flowers bloom throughout summer and into fall, thriving in full sun and less-than-perfect soil. Best of all? They’re easy to grow from seed, making them ideal for both beginner and seasoned gardeners.
Cosmos come in a variety of colors, such as pink, white, orange, yellow, and burgundy—and can reach heights of 1 to 6 feet, depending on the variety. Common species include Cosmos bipinnatus, which have tall, feathery foliage, and Cosmos sulphureus, which are more compact and heat-tolerant. Their light, airy texture adds movement and a wildflower aesthetic to garden beds, borders, and pollinator plots.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are a colorful garden addition. These vibrant, fast-growing flowers can be food sources for people, wildlife, and pollinators. Sunflowers come in various shapes, sizes, and bloom colors.
Heights vary from 2 to 15 feet. Blooms start from 70 to 120 days after planting.
Zinnias
Zinnias are popular flowers for annual gardens as they are easy and quick to grow both from seeds and transplants. Known for their bold colors and long flowering season, zinnias are a member of the aster family and native to Mexico and Central America and will bring beauty to any garden.
As prolific bloomers all season long, they perform well in garden beds, preferring full sun and well-drained soil. After the first frost, zinnias can be planted in ¼ inch deep soil, and later seedlings should be thinned to 6 to 12 inches apart to promote air flow and prevent mildew. Mulching helps maintain moisture and dead heading spent blooms encourages continued flowering throughout the season. Zinnias tolerate drier soil better than overly wet soil.
Wildflowers
An established wildflower meadow can produce bouquets for the table, all while serving as the perfect haven for insects and wildlife. Adding these plots of wispy flowers transforms a manicured lawn into a magical getaway and can reduce time spent on the lawn mower!
The long-term success of a wildflower plot involves careful site selection and preparation. Most wildflower species need at least 6 hours of sunlight each day Ideally, wildflowers should be close to a water source so the planting can be watered until germination, as well as periodically in dry seasons. If possible, avoid soggy soils and areas with difficult-to-eradicate perennial weeds.
Marigolds
A favorite for many, the marigold is a versatile annual flower. There are multiple uses for marigolds. From cut flowers, borders, and companion plants, the options are nearly endless. In fact, there are a few different common types of marigolds that you can select to best fit your gardening needs.
The African marigold (often called giant marigold) has long, sturdy stems and is a great option if you want to grow marigolds for cut flowers. These marigolds are often 3 feet tall. African marigolds have large blooms in a multitude of colors.
Peonies
No matter how you pronounce it, peonies make a stunning addition to any landscape. These hardy perennials feature large, vibrant blooms in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, with a lovely fragrance to match.
Tulips
The tulip can be found everywhere from farms, fields, and forests in Appalachia. While native to Central Asia and Turkey, they were planted in West Virginia for their flowers in spring.
Tulips are a perennial bulbus flower that grow in a temperate climate, they range from zones 3 to 8. It is a cold hardy flower that can take frost and snow.
Roses
Throughout history, roses have been welcoming us with a great display of their fragrant, delicate, and beautiful flowers in every color imaginable.
Botanically speaking, they belong to the genus Rosa, a member of the Rosaceae family. They are close relatives to most of the fruits we consume every day, like apples, pears, plums, almonds, peaches, strawberries, brambles, and several others.
Perfect Timing: When to Harvest
Have you ever entered your garden to find a zucchini that went from a petite vegetable to a 2-foot-long giant that could outweigh a small child? If so, you are not alone! Although you might be able to have bragging rights for the largest produce at a county fair, the eating experience is less than desirable. Produce like summer squash and zucchini are best when harvested at about 6 to 8 inches long.
Some people like fried green tomatoes early in the summer. But what if you want your tomatoes to be ripe when you harvest? Tomatoes are the most flavorful if allowed to ripen on the vine; however, if a tomato is picked prior to being fully ripe, it will finish ripening on your kitchen counter.
Read about Perfect Timing: When to Harvest
Understanding Insect Control
Insect control can be challenging to gardeners because insect pests have the potential to damage ornamentals, fruits and vegetables. The identification of the insect is the first step in determining whether it should be controlled and the recommended control measures.
Less than 3% of insects are considered pests. Therefore, encountering non-pest insects is highly probable. Misidentifying or treating a non-pest organism as a pest may cause a loss of time and money and increase unnecessary exposure to pesticides.
Read about Understanding Insect Control
Effective Weed Control Methods
Weeds can compete with vegetables, reducing yield or affecting crop quality, and can serve as alternate hosts for diseases. Weed management is easiest to accomplish and most critical when the crop is young and actively growing.
Weeds emerge from seeds present in the soil. Preventing deposits of seeds is key to managing weeds long-term. Sanitize areas adjacent to the garden and ensure that materials, such as manure, composts, mulch and equipment, are free of weed seeds. Keeping the soil covered using a cover crop or mulch material also can help.
Read about Effective Weed Control Methods
The Magic of Mulching
Mulch is any material used to cover, protect and enhance the soil around growing plants. Having a good layer of mulch on the garden provides a multitude of benefits for growing vegetation.
Mulching reduces watering needs by preventing evaporation of water from the soil surface. It saves time by providing a weed-preventing barrier, and it can even reduce disease pressure by stopping bacteria in the soil from splashing up on lower leaves during rain or watering.
Read about The Magic of Mulching
Request a Garden Calendar
Visit your local county office to get a copy of WVU Extension's free Garden Calendar.