Gardens across the Pacific Northwest are producing all sorts of fruit and veggies--including zucchini, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, raspberries, and more! Did you miss out on starting your garden earlier this spring? Or are you hoping to keep harvesting throughout the fall?
Either way, we have good news for you! There are plenty of vegetables that thrive in the heat and into fall!
Beans can be planted in succession throughout various points in the spring and summer, making them a perfect veggie to sow during the hottest months. Most varieties are most fruitful once trellised, but bush beans grow well on their own.
Peas prefer to be planted in full sun, about 6 - 8 weeks before the first frost. They produce their first harvest earlier, but as long as the cold weather stays at bay, a second harvest should be fruitful as well. Be careful that the peas have excellent drainage so that roots don't rot. Of course, any second harvest is likely to be less plentiful than the first, so prepare accordingly.
Beets thrive in colder weather, so at the end of summer, sow seeds in the soil near taller plants (to provide shade). As the heat dissipates, beets will flourish.
Similarly, radishes grow well under the care of mature crops. They are usually ready to harvest within one month!
Turnips can be sown latest of all--even into early fall depending on your climate! All of these root veggies are ready once the fruits' tips begin poking out of the ground.
Carrots can also reap a second harvest if planted in early September. Ensure that the soil is about 12 inches deep, though, and keep it moist (but not drenched) for best results.
A second harvest of spinach is attainable in the PNW if planted by the end of July. A hardy plant, spinach likes its leaves cut frequently for long-term production.
Lettuce prefers cooler weather, so late summer sowing and loose, damp soil are optimal! Harvest young leaves that are full but not yet mature for the best taste!
The great thing about a garden is that it requires little effort, and most of these crops are hardy enough to survive in any pots or raised beds. Ensure you check the soil and water regularly, and within no time, you should produce a bountiful crop!
Considering a large garden or raised bed area for your landscape?