julieann_grow,

Just because you grow organically doesn't mean you should expect your plants to not do well.

If your tomatoes are looking that bad, then investigate the reason. Most tomatoes produce until it gets too cold and day temperatures get to 70 or below or night temps reach 60 or lower. You shouldn't have to add transplants.

What kind of squash are you growing? There are heat lovers. There is an Italian variety called "Serpent of Sicily" (also known as Cuccuzi). It is by far the most pest resistant, disease resistant, and heat resistant squash I've ever seen grow. We had temps at 108F degrees last year and it didn't stop them for a second.

Most vegetable plants including peppers go dormant when temperatures reach 96F degrees. If it get's that hot on a regular basis, you need to provide shade cloth which can lower temperatures up to 15 degrees (enough to prevent them from going completely dormant). Or plant them in an area where they'll get a bit of afternoon shade for relief.

Are you planting the appropriate varieties for your climate by finding varieties of vegetables that are more acclimated to your local weather conditions? These plants will survive longer, be more hardy, and produce a higher yield.

Most beans commonly found in American home gardens don't have a long life span and don't like it hot. Get your beans in as soon as temps permit. They're usually good for three rounds of harvest before they're spent.

If it's that hot, try bean varieties that do well with heat such as Asian yard long beans along with your regular beans. You won't be disappointed, they'll kick in after your regular beans are done and keep going until it gets cold.

Make sure your growing medium/soil is in great shape. Add proper compost which is the best fertilizer you can use. You can't have too much of it and it will never burn your plants. Start off with healthy plants to begin with so they are stronger to withstand pests and disease.

If you mulch with organic materials with a thickness of at least two inches, this will keep water in the soil from evaporating and keep the soil temperature lower and more stable.

Succession plant things like beets, chard, corn, kohlrabi, turnips, radishes, etc. for a continuous harvest.

There are many sources to find the best varieties for your area:

1) The best is to ask friends, neighbors, family, co-workers, etc if they know any local vegetable gardeners that successfully grow what you would like to see in your own garden. If they save their own seed from year to year, ask if they'll share seeds with you (many are more than happy to support other gardeners in their area).

2) Use the GardenWeb Seed Exchange Forum and be specific about your location. I am positive you'll receive a wonderful selection.

3) See if there are any garden clubs or organizations. This is a great way to befriend gardeners in your area.

4) Check with your state's Extension Service. Each county should have it's own Cooperative Extension Office which provides free publications and information for the asking. They will have valuable vegetable/gardening tables available specifically for your area determined by universities, and horticultural research scientists have collected data from growing those crops in your state.

See how detailed these examples are:

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Vegetable Planting and Planning Calendar for Missouri (download the pdf) complete with spring and fall planting dates (underneath the spring planting dates for appropriate crops), how much to plant per person, etc. They can also tell you the average last frost date for your area and ideal planting times for specific crops and varieties in your area.

Here is an excerpt:
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Thanks Violet.

julieann_grow,

Are you now continuously harvesting?

Actually, I learned a few things. Here's what is happening.
1-It is hot here and we've had tons of rain. I garden organically and PM and other fungus diseases have hit every plant, although the controls I use have been pretty effective.
2-my pole beans are still producing, albeit very slowly. They are 16 weeks old. The yard long beans still have the most flowers and probably will continue a bit more in the heat-they were the most affected by Rust. The Romano beans had the most disease. The Fortex had the least.
3-cukes died-all 5 varieties. I assume old age did them in. The Asian cukes and Homemade did the best. (so did the lemon cukes, but I found them too bland.)
4-lost all summer squash to disease after they produced for about 2 months.
5-Costata zucchini are still producing. The zukes are small and will not grow to full size if left on the vine. The vines have split and grown to a huge size. As they grow and the leaves die, I dump dirt on the main vine. It keeps growing ahead of the dirt.
6-potatoes produced but a very small crop. Not sure about that.
7-eggplants and Sungold tomatoes still going strong and will for awhile. Creole tomatoes ripening on vine, but no new flowers.

Lessons learned:

**I had planned to put a second crop (cukes,beans,squash) in about 1 month after the first so that by this time, the healthier and younger second crop could produce a bit more in the heat. I think this is the way to go, but I had planned to put it right next to the other ones and left a bit of ground for them. I forgot that my plants look like something from the Island of Dr Moreau and there was no room. Next time, I'll plan enough room for the second crop.
**Have squash transplants (big ones) ready to stick in the ground when the squash are gone.
**Have transplants ready to put in ground around Aug 15 for fall crop of squash, beans and cukes.
**Know that in August, I will only have eggplants, okra (which I don't like) or not sure of anything else that would produce in the South Louisiana heat in August. But, I'm pretty sure I can get a fast start on growing to harvest in Sept.

If you are middle Georgia or further south, you can have a continuous supply of vegetables virtually year round. But you have to pretty much forgo the Yankee Vegetables in July and August. That is the time for southern peas, butter beans (Lima's,)melons (cantaloupes, honeydews, Spanish melons and watermelons), and okra all of which love the heat. The northern type of vegetables can be grown in the spring and again in the fall. Some of them do well in the winter

We are 'experimenting' w continuous harvest. Here is what is working; 1st you must plan ahead but to make that easier; 1. have enough garden space, we have upwards of 4,000sf, & dont plant all at once. 2. In Spring, Plant your main crop. 3. Plant a plot, every week or 2. I use about enough of a block, 8x3ft section, to plant corn, so will get a harvest all season & I throw some 'salad' seed mix in with the corn but too much shade so planting the salad at the ends of the corn block next time. You have to have your compost, fert. ready so when you remove the old squash etc. you can mix a little into the top couple inches before you replant that spot. Anywhere a place becomes available put some seeds in. This way you are continuously planting & should get a countinuous harvest. Also this way you will also be able to start planting your Fall crops a little ahead of time in case weather turns favorable, if not you will still be planting Fall crops & it wont matter if the 1st ones are too hot. This method allowed me to have my main crops planted here (by seed)directly in the ground in March when we had a warm spell because I had everything ready to go. The best thing is you dont really have to plan ahead this way once you get started because you are planting so often. & removeing old plants & prepping the soil. I dont till either since I double-dug beds initially & dont walk on them. I can also tell you about growing all your own fert. & mulch. I think you have to have the room available for this. I have it so thats why I grow the corn Otherwise without corn could modify & use a lot less space. When corn is done I strip leaves & plant pole beans or etc. Beans will fert. the ground for next crop. Even with all the garden planted I only have a small surplus & dont fret about having to pick 300# of squash everyday. Have 2nd crop crookneck sprouting now. The best thing is There is long term storage food out there, winter squash, potatoes, dry beans I dont have to worry about picking right now but will use all winter. If something dies or 'dont do right' who cares got more coming, No Stress. Throw the old stuff in the paths & walk om it to break it dow or run mower over it & throw it in the compost. This Fall planting the paths, available spaces, in clover etc. to grow own mulch right in the garden. How much space do you have available?

I continually harvest from the end of May until mid-November. However the product I am harvesting changes over the season as you would expect. As soon as one crop is done we tear it up and plant something else there.

The biggest variety and quantity of harvest around here is during August. But there are fall crops too. A lot of it comes with experience, knowing that to plant when.

Kabuti, that is just the type of thinking I've finally gotten to. Thanks for spelling it out.

Yes, one issue I have is too little garden space to make that work easily. But, I putting in 2 more beds and will a bit of planning, I can make that work.

Sounds like you direct seed everything? I like what you said about the first ones being too--so what. I've been obsessing a bit too much about things coming to flower in Aug. So what? Especially if they are the young plants.

That's what I love about gardening-always a learning experience.

I really believe that the important thing in having a continious harvest is as someone else mentioned ...planning and being prepared...know what you plan to put in a bed as soon as the plants reach a certain point...I just emptied a bed of all my beans in there...they still had a few beans and I could have gotten another little flush, but I have others going at the moment, I wanted that bed and I was ready to be done with those beans because my plan was to use it for squash by the end of July...It's a bit earlier than my plan but I'm ready to get the squash going...Planning is the key...

I really with knowing what veggies do well in your area and growing those...I just returned from a trip to FL and gathered some seed while there because my climate is similar and I wanted some tried and true seeds to grow...My plan is to concentrate on what growes well here and grow those veggies...

If you knew me you would laugh if someone said I was organized or a planner. The way I plan ahead is #1.to have the garden beds ready, which, they are always ready after you get going since, once one thing is through, you remove it fertilize & replant. 2.have all the seed you want on hand. I do transplant some pepper plants that take a while to germ. Dont yank the old plants cut-off & leave the roots in the groung esp. the legumes this will add compost & fertilize also, I do the same with the weeds cut-off at ground I only yank the knozxious grassy weeds & bindweeds, of course I dont till anymore either, just mix compost & organic fertilizer ( alfalfa meal-pig feed) into the top couple inches depending on what I plant if it is to be a legume you dont need to add anything except compost or compost mulch. I learned not to plant lettuce among the corn (too much shade) so now trying it at the ends of the corn rows.