Gardening in Annapolis, Maryland

Folks often seem surprised to learn that I am an avid gardener.

Annapolis is located in the U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Hardiness Zone 8a 5–10° Fahrenheit. Annapolitans currently experience our last frost around April 20th and our first frost around October 20th.

I enjoy beinsource:cscgc,g involved in the Cape St. Claire Garden Club, CSCGC, which I followed for a number of years before finally joining in 2021.

Plants in Our Annapolis Garden

Gardening Journal

To Do List

2026

planted 20260307 red lion amaryllis bulb kid from karlene 2025 christmas degroot
direct sow peas 20260308


soon/winter sow
crimson red clover sow half a bag front yard soon keep damp
23 little bluestem square planters 20260314
22 celosia hot pink glenn 20260314
19 bsprinkled around also numbered in two containers echinops bannaticus blue glow globe  20260314
21 foxgllove 20260314 direct sow now 20260314
Sprinkled around gardens in key areas cleomes need light 20260314
sprinkled in northeast corner black eyed susans rudbeckia hirta 20260314


indoor
08 serrano 2025 started germination 20260307
10 ksh peper datil??? started germination 20260307
09 jalapeno 2025 started germination 20260307
12 cherokee 25? started germination 20260307
11 2025 scotch bonnet pepper reaper? started germination 20260307
basil genovese burpee 
13 tomato cherokee purple heirloom ferry-morse organic started germination 20260308 
14 pepper california wonder sweet pepper heirloom Burpee
15 tomato yellow pear heirloom ferry-morse organic started germination 20260308 giant cage!
16 pepper jalapeno early hot pepper heirloom Burpee
17 tomato roma vf heirloom Burpee started germination 20260308 compact determinate for paste sauce etc
18 tomato brandywine pink heirloom ferry-morse organic started germination 20260308



Require stratification/winter sow started strat 20260307
03 red aster asters need light 
01 false indigo scarify the hard seed coat with sandpaper or soak in hot water for 24 hours, then cold-stratify in the refrigerator for 6-12 weeks
06 not sure aster 2025 Grow asters from seed by sowing them 1/8-inch deep indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost or directly outdoors in spring. They require light to germinate, take 7–21 days to sprout at and need full sun with well-drained soil
05 rattlesnake master stacy star native Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) seeds require a 30 to 60-day cold, moist stratification period to break dormancy. Sow seeds in late fall/winter for spring germination, or refrigerate seeds in damp sand/peat for 1–2 months before planting. Seeds need light and should not be covered, just pressed into moist soil. 
07 2025 blackberry lilly seeds from monticello from Andie Youngk Blackberry lily (Iris domestica) is easy to grow from seed, often blooming in its first year if started indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost. Seeds require 30–60 days of cold stratification for best germination, or can be winter-sown outdoors. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, blooming in summer. 
04 Carex muskingumensis ‘Oehme’ (Oehme Muskingum sedge) just guessing with this
02 maypop


imm After frost or just before
cucumber green dragon hybrid ferry-morse
acorn squash
sweet dumpking squash


Direct sow mid-spring a few weeks after danger of frost when soil has warmed to 60–70
sweet corn
hyacinth bean
sunflowers
wildflower mix
zinnias deans 2024/2023
malcolms small sunflower from 2025 saved seed
pumpkin halloween blend
pumpkin med
pumpkin small
pumpkin random

later
crimson red clover sow in Crimson clover is best sown in the fall, specifically 6–8 weeks before the first killing frost (typically late August to early October) to allow for establishment. It is a winter annual that thrives in USDA zones 6-8, establishing in fall for spring. leave heads till dry and brittle
radish cover crop


2025

rear bed
Garden, east to west, north to south
boxcar willie tomoto from 2024
serrano pepper from 2024
better boy tomato from 2024
middle bed
Cherokee from 2024
jalepeno from 2024
(pole)
boxcar willie tomoto from 2024
datil from 2024
front bed
beef master tomato 2024
big cherry from 2024
Installed drainage system.

2024

2024 grew lupine urssels hybrid mixed som eon south fence near deck Lupine https://www.littlefarmhouseflowers.com/blog/2017/1/21/starting-lupine-seeds
2024 planted champion radish raphanus satuvus
2024 planted coriander silatro coriandrum sativum

Started indoor on 20240311
1 2023 saved big cherry lots of fruit on either side of each branch. not sure.
2 2023 beefmaster?
3 2023 small yellow
4 2023 yellow boulbous catface
5 2023 better boy? LOTS
6 capsicum annuum pepper from sue tice karlene fb msg
7 2023 rutgers?
8 CHARD
9 ferrymorse brandywine heirloom successful saved
10 ferry cherokee purple
11 capsicum annuum pepper jalapeno Burpee
12 fm box car willie
13 burp california wonder
14 fm krim
burpee siwss chard saved burpee rhubarbd chard 2024

2023

Pulled first tomatoes from the vegetable garden. Very late this year due to seedling issues.
20230724
Digitizing seed sowing notes:
 1. solanum lycopersicum tomato beefsteak (saved 2022 seed)
 2. solanum lycopersicum tomato red zebra (saved 2022 seed)
 3. solanum lycopersicum tomato red cherry (saved 2022 seed)
 4. solanum lycopersicum tomato yellow pear (saved 2022 seed)
 5. solanum lycopersicum tomato cherokee purple x2 (saved 2022 seed)
 6. solanum lycopersicum tomato german queen? (saved 2022 seed)
 7. solanum lycopersicum tomato cherokee purple (new 2022 seed)
 8. solanum lycopersicum tomato black krim (new 2023 seed)
 9. solanum lycopersicum tomato yellow brandywine (new 2024 seed)
10. solanum lycopersicum tomato beefsteak (new 2022 seed)
11. solanum lycopersicum tomato red cherry large fruited (new 2023 seed)
12. capsicum annuum pepper caribbean habanero red hot (new 2022 seed)
13. capsicum annuum pepper banana sweet (new 2022 seed)
14. capsicum annuum pepper yellow mini bell (new 2022 seed)
15. capsicum annuum pepper california wonder burpee x2 (new seed 2023) 
16. capsicum annuum pepper big jim hot (new 2022 seed)
17. capsicum annuum pepper jalapeno medium hot (new 2022 seed)
18. capsicum annuum pepper yolo wonder sweet (new 2022 seed)
19. capsicum annuum pepper big red sweet (new 2022 seed)
20. capsicum annuum pepper cayenne golden hot (new 2022 seed)
21. dill (saved)
22. flowers from KSH
23. canna (saved 2022 seed) – one plant grew out of many seeds
24. cleome (saved seed from 2022) from Carol C.
25. celocasia (saved 2022 seed)
26. helborus orientalis (saved 2022 seed, failed)
27. chives dolores burpee (new 2023 seed)
28. summer savory baker creek
29. plant from quiet waters park (saved 2022 seed)
30. larkspur (saved 2022 seed)
31. sneezeweed? thing with little balls blue, failed
32. swiss chard ferry morse – failed
33. blue ball things (saved 2022 seed, failed)
35. foxgloves (saved 2022 seed)
36. ?
37. artichoke green glove ferry-morse – failed
38. ricinus (saved 2022 seed) – great success
39. basil genovese burpee (new 2023 seed)
40. ocimum basilicum basil sweet thai johnnys
41. hibiscus from Warren K.
42. pepper california wonder organic
43. pepper jalepeno early organic



North to south, east to west which year?
Bed 1
solanum lycopersicum tomato supersweet 100
solanum lycopersicum tomato rutgers
capsicum annuum pepper salsa (line of 3) gifted
solanum lycopersicum tomato Large Red Cherry 14

Bed 2
saved garlic
solanum lycopersicum tomato beefmaster
solanum lycopersicum tomato rutgers
solanum lycopersicum tomato supersweet 100 hybrid
solanum lycopersicum tomato mr. stripey
solanum lycopersicum tomato better boy
yellow squash from Deans (saved some for 2023)

Bed 3
capsicum annuum pepper Banana Sweet 6
capsicum annuum pepper Big Jim Hot 8 New Mexico chile cultivar with Scoville rating of mild
capsicum annuum pepper Big Red Pepper sweet 5
capsicum annuum pepper Caribbean Red Habanero pepper 2
capsicum annuum pepper Golden Cayenne Pepper hot 7
capsicum annuum pepper Jalapeno M medium hot 1
capsicum annuum pepper Miniature Yellow Bell sweet Pepper 4
capsicum annuum pepper Yolo Wonder L Sweet Pepper 3
solanum lycopersicum tomato Beefsteak tomato 9
solanum lycopersicum tomato cherokee purple 11
solanum lycopersicum tomato Red Zebra tomato 13
solanum lycopersicum tomato Yellow Brandywine 12
solanum lycopersicum tomato yellow pear 10

Plant Wish List

Vegetable Garden – From northwest, clockwise
  Path 1: 3'
  Bed 1: 3'x12-14'
  Path 2: 2'
  Bed 2: 3'x12-14'
  Path 3: 2'
  Bed 3: 3'x12-14'
  Path 4: 2'6"
  Center path
  Bed 4: 3'x6'
  Path 3
  Bed 5: 3'x6'
  Path 2
  Bed 6: 3'x6'
  Path 1

Seed Resources

  • High Mowing Organic Seeds
  • Seed Savers Exchange

    Plant Propagation