In 2009, the Marion County Master Gardeners' 600 square-foot demonstration garden — planted in mid-July — grew about 400 pounds of food. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
People always think that if you don’t get your vegetable garden planted by May, it’s too late. It’s not and the Hoosier Gardener talks about planting a vegetable garden mid-season and offers tips June 30 on Indianapolis’ Fox 59 Morning News.
First, the only thing that could make it too late is the lack of availability of transplants. By July, the pickin’s are slim at garden centers.
However, many crops, such as green beans, corn and squash, can be planted by seed in succession, with a few sown every week to 10 days until about the end of July. Late July also is the time to sow seeds for some late crops, like cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage. In August you can begin to sow seeds for lettuces and peas every couple of weeks for a late harvest.
In 2009, the Marion County Extension Office and Master Gardeners started a demonstration garden at Intech Park on Indianapolis’ northwest side. Since the garden was not planted until mid-July, the Hoosier Gardener talked to Steve Mayer, an extension educator in horticulture and the head gardener at the demo plot.
Last year the garden plot produced more than 400 pounds of food that was donated to area food banks, soup kitchens or church pantries.
Here’s the Q&A:
H.G. — What is late?
S.M. — Anytime after the prime planting time. This may be different for different vegetables. It is too late and too early for many cool season crops now.
H.G. — Is July 1 late?
S.M. — Yes, late, but not too late for many things. However, it may also be a bit too early for some of the cool season crops for fall harvest.
H.G. — Is it ‘too late’ for summer crops, such as tomatoes and peppers?
S.M. — Part of this answer may depend on whether people are willing to cover warm season vegetable plants in the fall to protect them from frost. That may lengthen the harvest period considerably. We transplanted warm season crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, summer squash, acorn squash), in mid-July last year and had excellent success. We covered plants a number of times for frost protection.
We seeded many cool season crops on Aug. 5 through 7 last year and were successful. We seeded collards on Aug. 6 and had good results.
H. G. — I will mention that beans and corn can be sown successively, so they may not be an issue. I don’t think squash (summer squash would be a problem either, since they produce so quickly. Also late squash should still be all right, too.
S. M. — Look at the days to harvest (on the seed packet or plant tag) and add a little extra time for the cool fall weather and harvest period. People can also use a cold frame to extend harvest in the fall for cool season crops.
I also seeded lettuce and spinach in November under the row cover. The plants germinated but did not grow to harvest. However, the mild winter (1 degree above zero) and cold frame allowed them to survive the winter under the cold frame so the plants could grow and be harvested early this year.
H.G. — Should people buy the biggest tomatoes and peppers they can find or are they ok w/the four-packs or 3- to 4-inch individual size? I know when I plant four-pack size and 3- to 4-inch individual size tomatoes, they all seem to be about the same size in a few weeks.
Pick the healthiest tomatoes you can find at garden centers. (Plants provided by Sullivan Hardware & Garden). (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
S.M. — The priority should be to buy healthy transplants whether large or small. Some of the transplants now in garden centers are stressed by nutrient deficiencies or infected by disease.
H.G. — I will mention fall crops to extend the growing season if you get a late start. When should we sow seeds for cool season crops or should we buy transplants?
S.M. — It’s easier to start with transplants, especially for novice gardeners. We put in small transplants of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower on Aug. 6 last year and had superb results. If transplants won’t be available at the garden center, go with seeds sown in early July.
Watering can be tricky to keep the soil moist to get the seeds to germinate in the hot weather — especially in raised beds. Make sure the seeds don’t get too dry once they start to germinate.
Here’s more info on specific late planting dates from Purdue University.