Summer is one of the best months for growing summer vegetables. Frost is no longer a threat, and the soil temperatures become consistently warm so you can plant numerous plants, which range from perennials to vegetable seeds and blooming annuals.
Okra
If your garden is in a region that reaches sixty degrees or higher, okra may be planted as early as April. This plant requires complete access to the sun and must be planted about ten inches apart. They also require about an inch worth of water each week, and should be fed using plant food with continuous release mechanism.
Beans
Summer is ideal for planting bush beans and poles. The bush beans should be sown an inch deep within the soil and 2 inches apart. Pole beans will require stalking or the trellis so their growth can be supported. Both will need complete sunlight and you’ll want to sow your seeds every 2 weeks or so, as it will ensure an excellent harvest throughout summer.
Onion
Onions can be transplanted or sown directly. However, it is important to select the type based on the climate. Long day type onions are ideal for cooler climates whereas shorter day onions work best for climates which are warm. To achieve the best results, it is highly recommended to sow your seeds within complete sunlight once the soil is around forty five degrees Fahrenheit.
Carrots
If your carrot seeds are sown in April, they will generate a summer crop early. The seeds should germinate within the soil at a temperature of fifty degrees Fahrenheit, but the most optimal temperature for germination is about seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Carrots need complete sun, but will also thrive within soil that is cooler so long that it has constant moisture (which translates into 1 inch worth of water each week).
Rosemary
Flowering shrubs like rosemary, which generate little purple or blue flowers that can be eaten, can be planted before summer. They are drought tolerant which means they will also thrive during the summer months but they will need 6 hours of complete sunlight at minimum.
Melons
Melon plants may be initially grown indoors then transplanted outdoors once 6 to 8 weeks has passed. When melon is directly sown outside, you’ll need to ensure the frost threat has passed. Don’t forget that melons were originally tropical natives, so they don’t respond well to low temperatures. When planted they should be exposed to complete sun, an inch deep with about eighteen inches of space between them in rows which are raised to allow drainage.
Asparagus
This plant is perennial, and once established it will generate spears which are edible on a yearly basis. The key to successfully growing it is not performing the harvest for the initial two seasons. Instead you’ll want to wait, because if you do the asparagus beds might stay productive for an incredible twenty years, and perhaps even longer. The asparagus crowns may be planted early within a season, once the soil temperatures reach fifty degrees Fahrenheit. They should be planted within partial sunlight for the best results.
