NoDa Arts District: How To Successfully Grow Vegetables In Summer (In Whatever Size Space You Have!)

Press release from the NoDa Arts District:

Erin Hostetler

June 2, 2021

First, let us talk about the things you can plant. Here in Charlotte, there is something new you can plant or seed every month of the year – we are so lucky! This month, you can plant ALL the summer things, from tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, melon, summer squash, and zucchini to okra, sweet potatoes, winter squash (like butternut or spaghetti), peanuts, beans, peppers, and eggplant. Now is the time to get it all in the soil.

Vegetable plants start off so small and they grow…SO BIG. It is important to make sure you give them as much space as you can to spread out. Most summer vegetables need two to three feet of space between each plant. This makes the space you have get taken up quickly! Remember, too, that your summer vegetables (and fruit) are prolific producers. So, even if you only have a few plants, your harvests should be bountiful, especially if your plants stay healthy. The main reason we need to give our plants so much space is to improve ventilation. The more airflow that is around your plants, the less likely a bug or fungus spore will be to take residence under your leaves.

One more tip for successful summer growing is to feed your plants. Using an all-natural, organic plant food helps to provide your summer plants with the continued nutrition they need to thrive all season long. Most of our vegetable plants are re-seeding annuals, meaning they grow for a short period of time, usually only three to four months. This makes them grow very intensely and have higher needs than say, a house plant or a landscaping shrub.

That should be enough to get you started. If you want to dig in more to growing food, give me a shout. I am always here, and love talking about plants.

www.thepatiofarmer.com

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thepatiofarmer@gmail.com

This press release was produced by the NoDa Arts District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.