40910thumbIf there are any cool season vegetables left in the garden, they should probably be harvested pretty soon. If left too much longer, they will be ruined by warming weather. Cabbage will bolt (start to bloom) once it realizes that it is spring. Cauliflower and broccoli, which are juvenile flowers, will become bitter as the flowers mature and try to bloom. Besides, they all need to get out of the way.

Warm season vegetables need the space. Tomato, pepper, eggplant, zucchini and other squash plants are ready to disperse their roots and get to growing. They are usually planted as seedlings because only a few of each are needed. A few seedlings of each type are more reliable, but not much more expensive than a packet of seeds; and they do not need to take the time to germinate.

However, because they are so easy to grow, seed for zucchini and other squash, as well as melon, are popularly sown directly where plants are desired. There was no need to sow them indoors earlier to plant in the garden as seedlings now. Onions can be grown from seed for late harvest, or they can be grown from juvenile onions known as ‘sets’ for earlier harvest or for green onions.

There are two main reasons why cucumbers, beans and corn should be grown from seed, although cucumber seedlings can be practical if only a few are desired. Otherwise, so many individual plants are needed that it would be relatively expensive to purchase enough seedlings. The main reason for sowing seed directly is that their seedlings are sensitive to the stress of transplanting.

Tomato, zucchini and beans are likely the most popular of warm season vegetables because they are so productive and reliable, even in limited space. Pole beans can be grown on trellises against fences or walls in very tight spots. Corn is less popular because it needs so much space, and needs to be watered so regularly. Too few plants may not be adequate for cross pollination. Pepper and eggplant, as well as okra, are not too demanding, but appreciate rich soil, regular watering and warm exposure.

19 thoughts on “Summer Vegetables Enjoy Warming Weather”

    1. Various salad greens grow throughout the years here. Some are better in autumn and spring. Some survive through winter. The funny thing is that summer is about as meager as winter is for them because the air is dry. There are a few that do not mind, but not the selection that we have right now or in autumn. I suppose humidity like yours keeps many varieties going all summer.

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  3. That tomato is beautiful. It almost tempts me toward the thought of trying some on my balcony again, but there just aren’t enough hours of sunlight. I’ll content myself with patronizing a local family whose gardens ran amok, and who now have a thriving business selling to the community in season.

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    1. That tomato was quite good, but the wrinkling is an indication of nutrient deficiency. I don’t care. It was just as good as the smooth ones. It does happen to like the exposure and warmth.

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  4. What an amazing tomato! I have just about given up growing them because of fruit fly, and also when my back is turned (when we go away for a short time) they become rampant and uncontrollable.

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    1. How funny. I just mentioned to someone else that although the tomatoes were quite good, the wrinkling is caused by nutrient deficiency. They might be better if happier. I am certainly not complaining.

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  5. I will be getting my seeds going in the next few days. There is too little variety offered in the prestarted seedlings for my taste. My cool weather veggies are just about at the end of their usefulness, so it works out perfectly!

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  6. The picture of that gorgeous tomato makes me want to get started, but I have to wait. About 2 more weeks till I’ll start some seeds in the house, then out into my little hoop house once they germinate. 🙂

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    1. You are the third to comment on that tomato. It certainly was good, but the wrinkles were caused by nutrient deficiency. I am not complaining. Like I say, it was plenty good. Ours tomato plants are already blooming.

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      1. My tomato plants are seeds in the freezer, lol. But I got the pots out yesterday, ready to start them in the house in about 2 weeks. I’ll pick up onion sets today at the old hardware store. Spring will be springing in Pennsylvania. 🙂

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    1. Goodness! No I lost count of how many people said that. They really were as yummy as they look, but the wrinkles were caused by nutrient deficiency. I almost did not use this picture because I thought that someone would point that out. But, like I say, they were as yummy as they look.

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  8. I have two things I would like to add to this – from the point of view of someone living farther north – where the whole cabbage family (broccoli, kale, mustard, collards, cabbage, etc.) start budding out wayyyy before it’s time to plant warm season crops – and that is that the TOPS of these plants – with buds and small fresh leaves make truly wonderful eating! I look forward to them at the end of winter! Arugula buds and tops too I just discovered. In fact doing this will increase the numbers of bud stalks and keep the plant going much longer.
    I have also discovered that if a few really nice plants (kale, broccoli, etc.) are still going strong in a bed I need for tomatoes or beans – they transplant easily to a more convenient spot! That way I can maintain my best plants until they are finished the process and have seed I can save…
    And as a side note — I have also noticed how much the bees love those flowers so it’s worth leaving as many to flower for as long as you can – for all the food they offer to our pollinators… 🙂

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    1. Thank you for the information. Those small greens, even from the cole crops, are becoming more popular, although we do not grow much here because of the climate. Moving such plants is not as effective here because of the warm weather. Even though moving them is only slightly stressful, it is just enough to put them over the edge and get them to bolt, which is fine if flowers are important, but not so good for the vegetative parts. When the plants get pulled out, it is amazing how comact and contained the fibrous root systems are!

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