The summer season is the most thriving time for gardens. But instead of focusing only on a classic lawn and beautiful blooming flowers, we want to invite you to create a veggie garden, too! If you are ready to cultivate summer vegetables in your garden this season, the experts from Professional Gardening Services will help you with a few suggestions and ideas.
The summer garden
Summer is the season with the warmest and most inviting weather. People want to spend more time quality time outside, with their friends and family. If you have a garden, spending time outdoors is easier, because you do not even have to leave your property to enjoy a summery backyard.
In general, when it comes to summer gardens, most people think about blooming flowers and well-maintained lawns. But we know how amazing it is to have a veggie and herb garden on-site that you can visit all summer to get fresh ingredients for your culinary adventures.
Barely a few things in gardening compare to the satisfaction of harvesting the delicious homegrown vegetables that you have carefully selected and grown yourself. It is like that extra care and attention pay off.
6 vegetables to grow in a summer garden
Beans
If you are looking for an easy-to-plant and easy-to-grow vegetable, then beans are the best choice for your summer garden. Beans thrive in hot weather and warm nutrient-rich soil and need direct sun exposure between eight and ten hours per day. Plant them up until mid-July to have them produce within the next month up with daily bounty until the winter frost. Late planting helps avoid harmful pests that love young bean plants.
Carrots
Carrots are the ultimate summer vegetable! Plant them in early to mid-July in loose, fertile, stone-free, and well-drained soil, and make sure the plants have access to direct sunlight. To ensure ultimate growth, avoid sowing carrots in shallow areas with shade or spots with clay or stony soil.
Cabbage
If you like fresh salads and European dishes, planting cabbage in your summer veggie garden is certainly something to consider. As a basic rule of thumb, mid-August is the best time to plant your cabbages. The best place would be a warm garden spot with full sun exposure for a minimum of six hours per day. These summer vegetables prefer fertile and moist soil rich in organic matter, with good drainage properties.
Kale
Feel free to plant kale in August. It grows extremely fast and is a super healthy addition to any summer diet. Kale loves warm temperatures and fertile soil, but it is not too picky when it comes to sunlight. Typically, to develop to its full potential, the leafy vegetable needs at least six hours of sun, but a shade is also tolerable.
Spinach
If you want to grow spinach in your summer veg garden, you need to plant it in an area that receives full sunlight all day. As for the soil preferences, spinach loves moist and nitrogen-rich soil – you can amend it with compost or aged manure. August is a good time to start planting this quick-growing crop.
Endive
Endive is another green veggie that is an excellent addition to summer gardens. Start sowing it until late August in a full-sun spot in your backyard. The veg grows best in well-drained, loose, and moist soil. Unlike the other veggies on this list, endive is not a fast grower but will surely be around for a few seasons.