I want to plant veggies NOW

16 years ago

Hello all,

My raised beds are done. And I know it is best to wait to plant most veggie crops.. BUT. I want to plant something now. Any ideas?

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Comments (7)

naplesgardener
16 years ago
Beans-beans-beans.
Lima beans and other southern varieties.
Sunflowers! It's a flower and a food group!
Okra (no I don't grow it because I don't eat it)
A cover crop of clover to improve the soil even more.

I'm using my empty tomato beds (my major veggie crop) to warehouse my flower seedlings. It gets them out of their pots so I don't have to water so often.
Good luck.

Denise
an_ill-mannered_ache
16 years ago
i'll add:
sweet potatoes
peanuts (why not?)
tomatillos
yard-long beans
it's not at all too late for cherry tomatoes (try Matt's Wild or Yellow Currant, both from Tomato Growers' Supply)
basil
chayote (never grown it)

Maccubin's book recommends calabaza, though other sources advise an August-March schedule.
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Awesome! I am in zone 5b as well, my recommendation would be and others please chime in, would be to do any cole crops now and perennial herbs. Cole crops like broccoli, kale, collards, cabbage, beets, swiss chard, spinach,onions, anything that likes cool weather to start. Tomatoes do surprisingly well with this method, I had some I sowed in December and March. The March ones sprouted a month earlier for me. Just when I thought the December ones didn't I discovered a new sprout. My tomato plants were small when planted, but quickly caught up during the summer. They plants were still fruiting into the fall. I pulled them when the first signs of frost came, but probably could have kept going. Perennial herbs like sage, thyme, oregano, marjoram, chives can be started now. The warmer weather ones like basil could be started later. Last year I sowed them late in containers, I think it was May and they did well - the spring we had was cold so I didn't worry too much. Experiment and have fun with it, and document what you can.
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junkyardgirl
16 years ago
Give chayote lots of room...tends to take over any space it's in. Eggplant is another thing that does well in the summer. Use starter plants. Too hot to start seeds.
shelrose
16 years ago
i've been enjoying watching my cowpeas turn into a tangled jungle, so i would suggest some sorts of beans. as to peanuts-- i'd seen the neatest groundcover that was a peanut plant. it had yellow blossoms. it might be good for the soil since it's a legume.

you might also consider some herbs, and if you can find a hot pepper plant, i've had luck with one in the heat for some reason.

--shelbey
gcmastiffs
16 years ago
Malabar Spinach. It laughs at the heat.

Lisa
an_ill-mannered_ache
16 years ago
lisa,
i've tried and tried to start malabar... i'm not great at germination, but i don't suck at it either. any advice?

oh -- i'm having great luck with quail grass aka nigerian spinach. prolific and very pretty plant. mild, low in oxalic... you should give it a shot, austin1227.

Here is a link that might be useful: nigerian spinach
treefrog_fl
16 years ago
Quail Grass looks a lot like amaranth. Are they the same?

Have you tried soaking the malabar spinach seed first?
You could also try the damp paper towel in a baggie method to actually witness germination. Then you could pot up the good ones.
Mine simply drop seeds and they pop right up there.
Maybe seed viability doesn't last long?
Not really sure, but it's one summer plant I wouldn't be without.

Aji Dulce chile is a small sweet habanero like pepper without all the heat. There's a little spice in the seeds, but very nice. Grows fantastically here. Hundreds after hundreds of pretty peppers. Got the original seeds from a Cuban woman who calls 'em Cachuchas.

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I want to plant veggies NOW

Comments (7)

naplesgardener

an_ill-mannered_ache

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