Planting Guides
Planting Guides
When to Plant Grass Seed in New Jersey — The Soil Temperature Method
Air temperature will lie to you. New Jersey's spring swings between 72°F days and 38°F nights, and the calendar tells you nothing useful about what's happening six inches down where germination actually begins. Here's the soil-temperature approach that actually works.
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Homesteading
The Homesteader's Guide to Soil Temperature: Timing Every Crop Without Guessing
Most planting calendars are built around air temperature averages and regional frost dates. They're a starting point — not a planting plan. Here's how to use real soil temperature data to know exactly when each crop in your garden is truly ready for seeds.
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Planting Guides
When to Plant Tomatoes: A Soil Temperature Guide for Every Region
Tomatoes are the most planted vegetable in America — and the most commonly ruined by planting them too early. The problem isn't your soil or your seed. It's that you're watching the air, not the ground. Regional planting windows for every US region, with exact soil temperature thresholds.
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Lawn Care
Fall Lawn Overseeding: The Complete Soil Temperature Playbook
Get fall overseeding right and your grass comes back in spring thicker, deeper-rooted, and more drought-resistant than ever. Overseed when soil hits 50–65°F — not when fall feels like fall. Regional windows for every US region with a step-by-step guide.
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App Deep Dive
The Best Soil Temperature App for Gardeners in 2026
Most soil temperature tools show one depth, right now, with no context. Here's what separates a real soil intelligence tool from a weather widget — and a full breakdown of what SoilIQ gives you free vs. Pro.
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App Deep Dive
What Is SoilIQ? The Soil Temperature App Built for Growers Who Watch the Ground
Real-time soil temperature at four depths, Soil Health Score, widgets, and Watch app — free. Pro unlocks PlantAI for 133 crops, 14-day forecast, Field Journal, and more. Complete breakdown of every feature and who it's built for.
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Technical Deep Dive
How SoilIQ Works: The Technical Architecture
ERA5-Land NWP data sourcing, soil thermal amplitude correction via SoilGrids v2.0, precipitation cooling models, NWP artifact guards, GDD computation, probe calibration, and the full caching architecture — documented for engineers and agronomists.
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Planting Guides
When to Plant Peppers: The Soil Temperature Guide Every Grower Needs
Peppers need 65°F soil at 4-inch depth before transplanting — warmer than tomatoes and far less forgiving of cold. Soil temp thresholds by variety (bell to Carolina Reaper), regional planting windows, and what cold soil actually does to your pepper plants.
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Reference
Soil Temperature Germination Guide: Every Crop, Every Grass, Every Herb
The authoritative germination temperature reference for serious growers. Seven data tables covering 50+ crops — vegetables, herbs, grasses, flowers, and cover crops — with minimum, optimal, and maximum soil temperatures for each.
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Lawn Care
When to Plant Grass Seed in Texas: The Complete Soil Temperature Guide
Texas spans four climate zones and 800 miles. Bermuda needs 65°F soil, St. Augustine needs 70°F, and tall fescue in North Texas goes in fall at 55–70°F. Complete regional timing guide covering DFW, Austin, Houston, the Hill Country, Rio Grande Valley, and West Texas.
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Lawn Care
When to Plant Grass Seed in Florida: The Complete Soil Temperature Guide
St. Augustine dominates Florida but can't be seeded — ever. Bahiagrass and bermuda can. The timing depends on your region: year-round in Miami, April–May in Jacksonville, late April in Pensacola. Complete guide covering all grass types and all four Florida climate zones.
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Planting Guides
When to Plant Cucumbers: The Soil Temperature Guide for Every Region
Cucumbers need 60°F soil minimum — but 70°F is where they explode. Cold soil at planting time doesn't just slow germination: it causes the bitter cucumbers that ruin a whole season's harvest. Regional planting windows, variety guide, and succession planting strategy.
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Planting Guides
When to Plant Squash and Zucchini: The Soil Temperature Guide
Summer squash matures in 50 days; butternut needs 100. Both need 60°F soil minimum. Get the timing right for every type — zucchini, yellow squash, acorn, butternut, spaghetti squash — plus the squash vine borer strategy that saves your whole crop.
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Lawn Care
When to Plant Grass Seed in Georgia: The Complete Soil Temperature Guide
Georgia spans mountains to coast — three climate zones with different planting windows. Bermuda needs 65°F soil, centipede needs 70°F, and tall fescue in North Georgia goes in fall. Complete guide for every region and every grass type, including the beloved centipede.
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Planting Guides
When to Plant Corn: The Soil Temperature Guide for Every Growing Region
Corn planted in 50°F soil takes 3 weeks to emerge. Corn planted in 65°F soil emerges in 5 days. That extra two weeks in cold soil means rot, disease, and a poor stand. Regional planting windows, GDD accumulation, supersweet variety tips, and succession planting strategy.
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Lawn Care
When Does Zoysia Wake Up? The Spring Green-Up Soil Temperature Guide
Zoysia lags Bermuda by 2–4 weeks every spring — and that's by design. Pre-emergent at 50°F, scalp at 60–65°F, fertilize at 65°F+. The complete spring care timeline, plus why your brown lawn is almost certainly not dead, and the Bermuda vs. Zoysia comparison every switcher needs to read.
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Lawn Care
When Does Bermuda Grass Wake Up? The Spring Green-Up Soil Temperature Guide
Bermuda breaks dormancy at 65°F soil — not when spring feels like spring. Pre-emergent at 50°F, scalp at 60–65°F, main fertilizer at 65°F+. The complete step-by-step spring care timeline, plus how to tell if your brown lawn is dormant or actually dead.
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Lawn Care
The Cool-Season Lawn Care Playbook: A Soil Temperature Guide to Every Decision You'll Make This Year
Pre-emergent at 51°F. Main feeding at 60°F. Stop fertilizing above 75°F. Aerate and overseed when soil drops below 75°F cooling. The complete annual playbook for fescue, bluegrass, and ryegrass — every decision keyed to the one number that actually matters.
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Planting Guides
When to Plant Beans: The Soil Temperature Guide for Every Variety
Bush beans need 60°F soil, lima beans need 65°F, and fava beans prefer cold soil that would kill the others. The complete guide to planting every bean type — snap, pole, lima, runner, fava — with regional windows and succession planting strategy for continuous harvest.
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Reference
The Complete Soil Temperature Chart for Every Vegetable
Minimum, ideal, and maximum soil temperature thresholds for 35+ vegetables — spinach to watermelon, peas to okra — plus regional planting windows, direct-sow vs. transplant guidance, pre-warming techniques, and the biology behind why these numbers matter.
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Planting Guides
When to Plant Garlic (And Why Most People Get It Wrong)
Garlic goes in fall, not spring — and the cold winter that follows is what triggers bulb formation. Plant when soil hits 50°F cooling. Hardneck vs. softneck by climate zone, regional windows from the Northeast to California, and the grocery store garlic myth explained.
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Know before you plant.
SoilIQ reads live soil temperature at four depths, forecasts 14 days out, and tells you exactly which crops are ready — down to the day.