Growing Seasons Are Getting Longer. What Does That Mean for Garden Pests?

Every gardener has a familiar nemesis. Maybe it’s squash vine borers in the zucchini patch, Japanese beetles on the roses, or stink bugs showing up just as tomatoes begin to ripen. And if it feels like those pests are showing up earlier and sticking around longer than they used to, you may be onto something.

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Map of the United States showing changes in growing season length by state from 1895–2015, with the largest increases in the West and shorter growing seasons in parts of the Southeast.
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Illustration: The Old Farmer's Almanac

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Today is Day 198 of 2026

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Long-range weather forecast map of the United States by regionRegion 1 - NortheastRegion 2 - Atlantic CorridorRegion 3 - AppalachiansRegion 4 - SoutheastRegion 5 - FloridaRegion 6 - Lower LakesRegion 7 - Ohio ValleyRegion 8 - Deep SouthRegion 9 - Upper MidwestRegion 10 - HeartlandRegion 11 - Texas-OklahomaRegion 12 - High PlainsRegion 13 - IntermountainRegion 14 - Desert SouthwestRegion 15 - Pacific NorthwestRegion 16 - Pacific SouthwestRegion 17 - AlaskaRegion 18 - Hawaii123456789101112131415161718
  1. Northeast
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  3. Appalachians
  4. Southeast
  5. Florida
  6. Lower Lakes
  7. Ohio Valley
  8. Deep South
  9. Upper Midwest
  10. Heartland
  11. Texas-Oklahoma
  12. High Plains
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  14. Desert Southwest
  15. Pacific Northwest
  16. Pacific Southwest
  17. Alaska
  18. Hawaii

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14% of Full • 3 days old
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