Happy summer solstice! We are now officially into the first week of summer. While many of us already have our summer crops planted, don’t lose hope if you haven’t done that yet.
Selecting seeds that have a shorter length to maturity or harvest will guarantee that you can still enjoy your favorite summer vegetables. Of course, buying starts and planting those will most likely guarantee success. Just be sure to water them well and shade them for the first week or so. Plants can get sunburned, just like we do.
There are also lots of choices for seeds that have been developed for different temperatures. Normally, we think of some crops as being for cool weather or hot weather. However, seed growers over the years have recognized that regions have very different climates. They have developed a wider variety of seeds to meet a range of temperature, humidity and moisture. For example, there’s a lettuce variety that is more resistant to bolting and can be grown through the summer with a bit of shade provided.
With careful planning and a moderate amount of protection, we can grow many plants all year round. Visiting a seed company’s website can be a great source of information and provide more details than the back of a seed packet.
A summer favorite that we have only been able to grow well in the last seven to eight years is tomatoes. There are definitely a few tricks to growing them and everyone has their secrets. Basically, they really do prefer warmer temperatures, but not overly hot (or dry). Consistently moist soil (try top dressing with compost to retain moisture) will help prevent tough skins. If you get blossom-end rot, place a few antacids around the plant to increase the calcium content of the soil.
If you still have those summer bulbs or dahlia tubers that you haven’t yet planted, there is still time – but don’t wait. You may find the bed you wanted to plant in is dry, so be sure to moisten it before planting corms, tubers or bulbs. Planting in the spring, when we are still getting rain, eliminates the need to water before planting. Make sure to top dress with compost or some other mulching materials to trap moisture, or the bed will dry out before the plants get started. Dahlias will bloom about 45 days from planting and continue to bloom until the first frost, so they are great for cut flowers.
I avoid planting new trees or bushes during the summer, if possible. It’s hard to keep them watered enough to get well established. Though, it is a great time to pick up good deals on stock that the nursery doesn’t want to water all summer.
Keep your eyes open for plant sales. It can be helpful to keep a list of plants you are looking for in your phone to keep you from buying plants that are a great price but you don’t need. Pests are also something to pay attention to during summer gardening. Most can be controlled by spraying with a dish soap solution or just a water jet (adjust to only knock the bugs off and not damage your plants).
Slugs remain active even as we are heading into drier weather. I like to make a slug trap by placing pieces of cardboard on the soil near my plants. Turning over the cardboard in the morning will reveal slugs hiding from the day’s sunshine. You can drop them into a cup of regular, 5 percent vinegar, sprinkle salt on them, or whatever your favorite method of dispatch is (chickens love them).
Remember, usually we get pests when our plants are not thriving. Look at your garden’s environment and make sure that you are meeting all of the growing requirements, such as water, air, sunlight and fertilizer (follow instructions and remember more is not better).
Now is a great time if you have been thinking about adding raised beds to your garden. You don’t need to dig up the lawn, just lay five to six layers of cardboard (be sure to remove the tape). I like to make mine slightly bigger than the bed I am installing so that no weeds will be tempted to grow inside the bed. Position the bed on top of the cardboard and fill it with soil. My preferred blend of one part compost, three parts loam and one part sand will give you plenty of friability. I highly recommend the galvanized metal beds because they are reasonably priced and will last longer than wood ones.
Happy gardening and Fourth of July.
Kelle Rankin-Sunter is founder of Blaine CORE, which holds free home and gardening classes at Blaine Public Library. Rankin-Sunter can be reached at fruit@Blaine-CORE.com.
