It’s Time to Plant that Summer Garden
How is your garden growing? Have you been eating fresh peas and filling your salad bowls with gorgeous greens? Once spring warmed up here in Ohio, we’ve had super-hot or incessantly rainy weather, but not much in between. So, if you’re like me, you might not have gotten everything planted that you had planned to plant. Did you know that there is still time to get seeds in the ground and reap a bountiful harvest this Fall?
Now, not all types of seeds can still go in the ground. Some seeds need a long growing time or cool weather for sprouting or growing. Plants such as melons or pumpkins take quite a while to grow, fill out the fruits and ripen, so those seeds may just have to wait until next Spring at this point. But there are quite a few seeds that you can plant this summer yet and still have time to fill your fridge, freezer or canning shelf with amazing homegrown produce!
What types can still be planted?
You might be surprised at just how many veggies you can still start from seed right now in your garden. Some of your veggies have probably already bolted in the hot sun. Anybody have lettuce or spinach that is bitter or flowered? How about those herbs you planted in the early spring? Are they completely overgrown and too far past their prime to last until the tomatoes are ready to make salsa or pasta sauce? Well, guess what? You have time to start them over again!
Successive planting 
Successive planting is a great way to keep your produce coming all season long. Lettuce, kale, greens and herbs are perfect crops to plant successively.
If you want to have lettuce for beautiful summer salads throughout the summer, you will need to plant additional seeds every 2 or 3 weeks. This will ensure that you will have the best tasting leaves on your plate. As the summer heats up, you may want to think about planting those lettuces and greens where they get plenty of sun, but also a little bit of shade during the hottest part of the day. Do you have cucumbers or squash growing on a trellis? You can plant your salad greens in the shade of your trellises so they last just a little longer before going to seed.
Green beans, beets, carrots, kohlrabi, radishes, summer squash and turnips are other crops that you still have plenty of time to plant in your garden. Most of these crops take 1 to 2 months to reach maturity from seed, so you will be able to harvest in August or the beginning of September.
Give your seeds the best start
One way to get your seeds growing with the best possible outcome is to make a row as you normally would and then pour Dairy Doo Seed Starter down the row. Plant your seeds directly in the seed starter which will give them just the boost they need as they start out. I love to use Dairy Doo Seed Starter in this way. I never plant seeds directly in my garden without first laying down some seed starter. It helps to make the seedlings robust and hardy!
Another perk of planting a little later in the season
Another reason to plant later in the summer is that you might miss peak pest season! According to gardenseason.com, some pests such as cucumber beetles and squash bugs follow a specific life cycle and by planting later, you may avoid the worst of them. I have noticed before that my later crops of green beans are often healthier than the ones I get out earlier in spring. Also, some predator insects such as ladybugs become more active later in the season and can help you keep your plants free of harmful bugs!
Garden spacing Issues 
Spacing is still another reason to plant later. Do you have some crops that are slowing down or completely finished at this point (I’m looking at you, peas!)? Maybe your first crop of radishes and spinach are done. Rip them out and start over with something else! You will get to use the space twice in the same season thereby increasing your yields. This is a great way to extend the use of your space, especially if you have a small bed for all of your growing things.
Keeping them Watered
Keeping up on watering may be one of the hardest parts of planting later in the season. Rain usually slows down as we move through July and August. So, you may have to water more or at least keep a closer eye on those new veggie plants. In order to conserve water as much as possible, consider getting a drip hose and watering early in the morning so there is not as much evaporation due to heat and sunlight.
Scorching Sunlight
The sun also becomes hotter and more direct as we move through the summer, of course. So, you may need to invest in a few stakes and some shade cloth depending on what you planted. Remember that you can also plant your new seedlings in the shade of your trellised plants if that works in your space. Another consideration would be to plant your veggies on the east side of your home where they would get morning sun, but be a little shielded from the hot, penetrating afternoon rays.
Do a little research
Remember to consult your local extension office or research online for your planting zone. Each area has a different growing season, and you will basically need to make sure that any seeds you plant have time to germinate, sprout and grow to maturity before the end of your growing season. This will be different in every part of the country but generally, the season gets shorter the further north you are.
Determining growing time for plants
The back of your seed packets will give you all of the growing time information you need. The back of High Mowing seed packets tells you approximately how long it will take for that particular plant to reach maturity, and the growing conditions needed. Check out those dates and then start mapping it out on a calendar. I bet you will find that you have plenty of time to plant a full garden that you can enjoy throughout the summer and into the fall!
