5 Last Minute Additions for Your Summer Vegetable Garden

Starting your vegetable garden is delicious, rewarding, and magical when you watch tiny seeds turn into a bountiful harvest. If the beautiful summer garden you planned to start in winter is still bare ground in summer, don't give up hope. It's never too late to start your garden. There are plenty of nutritious vegetable options you can grow right now in your summer garden. These vegetables will give you an amazing harvest this hot season. Growing your vegetable garden now ensures the freshest, most nutritious produce on your plate all season.

Let's look at the five last-minute additions to plant in your summer garden for a bountiful harvest.

1. Cucumbers

Cucumbers are perfect for sunny and barren places in your yard, as they love heat and love to sprawl. You can grow them in containers or garden beds. You can harvest cucumbers when they reach a suitable size for their intended purpose, ranging from 1.5 inches for pickling to around 8 inches for slicing. Cucumbers grow quickly, so check vines daily as the fruit develops. Frequent harvesting every two to three days is best to maintain crop quality. The more you harvest, the more vines produce fruit. So, plant it now, and they'll be ready to harvest in less than two months.

Enjoy them fresh, dried, or pickled. When picking cucumbers, avoid pulling them from the vine, as it can damage the vine. Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut the stem above the fruit.

Some fast-growing cucumber varieties include Diamont, Burpee Beauty, Raider, Dasher II, and Slice Master. Excellent cucumber pickling varieties include Regal, National Pickling, and County Fair.

2. Beans

Beans come in various types, and some varieties are ready for harvest within two months. Snap beans are heat-loving, prolific growers. The more you harvest, the more they produce. Bush beans grow very quickly, but there are also some fast-growing pole beans. Pole beans need a lot of space and support to climb, and bush beans grow in compact form, so they can be grown in containers.

This is another high-yielding vegetable, with at least one pound of beans per plant. Plant fast-growing bean cultivars like Provider, Tendercrop, Blue Lake, Emerite, Topcrop, and Purple Crop.

Once the beans start bearing fruit, pick every other day to ensure that they reach their full potential. When bush bean plants are healthy, they frequently rebloom and produce a second and third flush of beans. Beans are easily stored by freezing, drying, or canning.

Learn how to grow green beans.

3. Tomatoes and peppers

For most people, a summer garden is incomplete without tomatoes and peppers. Grow these veggies from well-developed transplants to enjoy the harvest before the first frost. You can find transplants online and at local nurseries or garden centers. Determinate tomato varieties produce fruit quickly and grow about 3-4 feet tall.

Compact tomato varieties, like cherry or patio tomatoes can thrive in small spaces such as containers. Cherry tomatoes are great for beginners. They produce many bite-sized tomatoes that are ideal for salads or snacking.

When looking for peppers, choose smaller varieties like bell or chili peppers. These colorful veggies flourish in containers or raised beds. You can fit about two plants in each square.

Learn how to grow tomatoes and bell peppers.

4. Squash

Squash is an easy-to-grow summer vegetable that will yield tons of produce to share with your friends. Summer squash comes in a range of sizes and types, but it is primarily grown on vines that need some space to spread.

Summer squashes usually have a shorter seed-to-harvest time. These veggies love summer heat. However, pick them before they get too big, or they will become seedy. Look for pattypan, zucchini, and crookneck squash for fast harvests.

Learn how to grow zucchini and squash.

5.Herbs

Another excellent option is to convert your space into an herb garden. Most herbs are fast-growing and heat-loving annuals. They are also drought-tolerant, so they'll need less watering. You can grow fresh herbs even if you have a small balcony. It is so fun to cut a few leaves daily for your meal, and it is far cheaper than buying pricey ones from the store.

Herbs grow well in both garden beds and containers. It is best to purchase them as transplants. Parsley, mint, basil, and cilantro are great choices for small spaces. These beautiful, aromatic herbs enhance the flavor of your dishes and are super easy to grow. They also attract pollinators and beneficial insects.

Summer Vegetable Planting Tips

These warm-season plants love heat, but they still need some TLC. Here are some tips for successful summer crops:

Consistent Deep Watering

Regular watering is essential for successful summer gardening since the days are long and hot. Water your plants early in the morning so they can stay hydrated throughout the long, scorching days.

The best way to water your summer garden is long, deep, and slow. Deep watering every few days is better than several shallow sips daily. The most efficient way to water your plants consistently and slowly is by setting up a drip irrigation system.

Mulch

Apply mulch to your garden once it has started growing well. Bare soil dries out quickly in summer. Mulch prevents the soil from drying too much, keeps the soil moist, inhibits weed growth, protects against pests, and prevents moisture loss.

Net Protection

Netting will protect your vegetable garden from birds, rabbits, and garden pests.

Provide Shade

Cover your hot-season vegetables with shade cloth to protect them from direct sunlight and temperatures exceeding 85°F. This garden cover screens out sunlight to decrease the temperature and keep the soil several degrees cooler.

Observe Your Garden and Enjoy the Harvest

Once your garden is planted, spend time there daily, and enjoy watching it grow until the veggies are ready to pick. Inspect your plants daily, remove weeds, clean the garden regularly, keep an eye on pests, and regularly harvest. Regular picking will help plants produce more fruit. When they are loaded with ripe fruit for too long, they get stressed.

The Bottom Line

Other options for your summer vegetable garden include eggplant, melons, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes. We suggest planting transplants of these vegetables for earlier harvests. So, just because the hot season has arrived does not mean you can't achieve your dream summer vegetable garden. Grow these heat-loving veggies to fill your garden with colors, beauty, and a delicious harvest. Put on your garden gloves, bring out your gardening tools, and get planting these crops right now.