I had high hopes for our garden this year. My plans included building a new raised bed, creating a tree guild around our new plum tree, a new front flower bed, an arching trellis for my many luffa plants, and more. While some of these things have been accomplished, like most years I did not get everything planted that I hoped to. Much of this is due to having an infant this spring, but since this tends to happen every year, I can’t blame it entirely on that. I recently saw a post that said we can plant pumpkin seeds now to have pumpkins in the fall, which got me wondering what else I could plant now, in the summer heat. If, like me, you are looking for things to add to your garden or maybe to start a garden for the first time and you missed the optimal springtime planting, here are plants you can still start in your backyard garden.
Basil – Best if you can find seedlings at this time of year. I did plant basil from seed this spring and it’s doing really well. It’s been easy to grow and is so fragrant and nice to add to things like homemade pasta sauces. Read about how to grow and enjoy basil throughout the summer here.
Beans – These germinate easily in hot weather and can be planted by seed. Read about how to grow beans all summer long here.
Beets – Need plenty of moisture to germinate but can be planted by seed. Find tips on how to grow and harvest beets year-round here.
Carrots – These can be more difficult in hot weather but it can be done! Find tips for growing carrots here.
Cilantro – Plant by seed, needs some shade. Learn how to grow cilantro from seed in the summer here.
Cucumbers – You can plant these by seed or seedling. They need a trellis or something to climb. Learn more here.
Dill – Plant by seed. Swallowtail caterpillars love dill! Read about how to use succcession planting to grow dill here.
Kale – Plant seeds or seedlings. Learn more about growing kale here.
Summer Squash – Can plant seeds or seedlings, these are easy to germinate. Learn how to grow successful summer squash here.
Pumpkins – Plant by seed. They need lots of room! Read this to grow your own pumpkins in time for fall!
What’s growing in your garden this year? What will you plant this summer? Share with us!
