7 Vegetables To Grow In Your Garden This Summer
Planting a garden is hard, especially in New England. The summer here is crazy, and you never know how hot it’s going to be until that day. So finding plants for your garden that are adaptable is important. Also, the soil in New England is really acidic, so plants don’t like growing in the soil here. To fix that problem, squirt some lime juice into the soil two weeks before you decide to plant your vegetables. You will need about seven pounds for every one hundred feet. This will allow your vegetables to grow properly.
1. Asparagus
It takes a few years for asparagus plants to start producing edible vegetables, so get started on your asparagus as soon as possible. Asparagus cannot grow if there is another plant in the same area. This means there can’t be any weeds or even grass growing in the same bed as your asparagus. They don’t like competition and will die quickly if there are other plants taking their nutrients.
To grow in your garden, plant the asparagus seeds 6-12 inches deep in the soil. The seeds need to be placed 18 inches apart with a shovel of compost and a cup of all-purpose, organic fertilizer. Rock phosphate, a natural mineral powder, is a good idea to help the roots get strong. Mix the compost and soil into a little mound and then place the asparagus seed on top of it. Drape the roots around the sides of the mound, the top of the seed should be about 6 inches below the soil surface. Cover the seed with soil and make sure to water it daily. It will take a while to start showing signs of growth, but it is growing.
2. Cabbage
Cabbage likes the cool weather, so your best bet is to start growing it in the early spring so it harvests before the summer heat, or start growing it in late summer so it harvests in late fall, when it’s cooler out. Cabbage likes acidic soil, so don’t put limes in the soil where you’ll be growing cabbage. They also like soil that is rich in organic matter to help it grow better.
To grow in your garden, start growing the cabbage seeds inside first. Start growing 4-6 weeks before the last frost in spring. Plant the cabbage seeds in the ground about 3 to 4 inches apart, as early as 3-4 weeks after the last frost of the spring. Before you plant the seeds in the ground, cover the planting bed with 2 to 3 inches of aged compost or commercial organic planting mix, and turning it under twelve inches deep. Add plenty of well-aged compost to planting beds before planting. Add a moderate amount of nitrogen-rich blood meal or cottonseed meal to the soil ahead of planting to enhance the growth.
3. Corn
Plant corn seeds outside about 2 weeks after the last frost of the spring. Corn requires a fairly long growing period in warm weather, so plant corn as soon as possible. If it is too cold in your area, put a black tarp with holes in it over your planting site. A couple of weeks after planting the first round of corn seeds, plant another round to extend the harvest period.
To grow in your garden, do not start the plants inside. You will not be able to transfer them without hurting the corn. Plant the seeds one and a half to two inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. Rows of corn should be spaced 30 to 36 inches apart to allow for room to grow. It is recommended to fertilize when you plant the seeds. Corn is meant to grow quickly, and it will grow quicker if you fertilize. You can skip the fertilizing, though, if you are confident that the soil is adequate enough to support the corn. Water well while they are growing. When the plants are 3-4 inches tall, thin them so they are 8-12 inches apart.
4. Eggplant
Eggplant does best when the soil temperature is above 50 degrees and there is no chance of anymore frost. Improve native soil by adding in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, using a soaker hose is your best option. Keep your plants fed by feeding them regularly with continuous-release plant food.
To grow in your garden, space the eggplant 24-36 inches apart and stake them once established to prevent them from falling over. Choose an area with abundant sunlight and fertile, well-drained soil. Apply a layer of mulch made from organic matter, such as finely ground leaves or bark, once plants reach six inches tall. Harvest eggplant when fruits stop growing and their skin becomes glossy. Remove ripe fruit with gardening shears, leaving a small portion of the stem attached. Eggplants benefit from a generous mulch of hay beneath plants to keep the soil relatively cool and to hold moisture.
5. Okra
Okra does best in warm weather when the night temperature is in the 60s or higher. Choose the sunniest spot you have in your yard to make sure your okra plants have the sunlight they need to grow. Start planting the okra seeds in late June so the weather is the warmest it can be. They like more acidic soil, so don’t worry about putting limes in the soil.
To grow in your garden, space okra plants ten inches apart in a very sunny area that has fertile, well-drained soil. To improve native soil, mix in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter. Okra loves the heat and can withstand a dry spell, but do your best to give plants an inch of water every week. Promote a more abundant harvest by regularly feeding with a continuous release of plant food. Harvest okra pods when they are two to four inches long. It should take about two months to get to that point. Okra seedlings have fragile roots. Damaging them might damage the whole plant, so be careful.
6. Peas
Peas are the perfect vegetable to grow in your garden. They produce nitrogen in their roots, which is used by other plants to help them grow. Peas also don’t require a lot of extra attention with the soil it grows in. Peas have a very short window to grow in, though, and an even shorter eating period. They get planted in the early spring so they’re done growing by the summertime.
To grow in your garden, soak the peas overnight right before you plant them. This will improve the productivity of the peas and the nitrogen they produce. Plant the seeds one inch deep, going deeper if the soil dries out quickly. Plant the seeds about two inches apart. They need to be planted in rows about twelve to twenty-four inches apart. Poke any seeds that get washed away back into the soil using your finger or a chopstick. Peas will climb a fence or a trellis for anywhere from two to eight feet. Prepare supports ahead so your peas don’t get damaged during the germination period.
7. Tomatoes
Tomato plants will need at least six hours of sunlight daily, though eight to ten hours are preferred. It can take anywhere from sixty to over one hundred days to grow tomatoes. They cannot grow in frost, so make sure you plant them when there is no chance of frost on the ground. You can start to grow them inside so they are already growing when you plant them.
To grow in your garden, plant the tomatoes transplant when the soil is above sixty degrees. Place tomato stakes or cages in the ground when you plant the transplant. Staking and caging help to keep the fallen fruit off the ground and it helps keep the plant upright when the plant develops further. When you transplant the tomatoes, add a handful of organic tomato fertilizer or bone meal to the planting hole. Do not apply high nitrogen fertilizers to the tomatoes. That makes the leaves look pretty, but it hurts the fruit and it delays fruit production. Water well to reduce shock to the roots.
