A second summer frequently occurs here on the North Coast during late September and October. This means now is a very good time to start more summer vegetable plantings. Green beans, summer squash, peppers and root crops like carrots, beets and turnips grow quickly during the next few weeks and become ready for harvest by fall. Basil loves summer weather and should be planted every couple of weeks. Now is also a good time to prepare soil for planting garlic in the fall.
Prepping the soil for a midsummer garden requires a bit more work, especially if you have already pulled spent garden debris from earlier planting. Conditioning the soil with extra compost, worm castings and fertilizer will beef up the soil. In addition, soils are especially dry this time of year compared to spring. Prior to adding in fertilizers and amendments, it is a good idea to thoroughly soak the soil to a depth of eight to 12 inches. Don’t plant vegetable starts or sow seed in dry soil.
Compared to spring planting, pests like slugs and snails are not much of a threat during the summer. It is too warm and dry for them. However, the green cucumber beetle and the flea beetle can really mess up bean and squash plantings. Covering young starts with row cover is a great help in deterring these pests.
These days, local nurseries are still stocking a nice variety of herb and vegetable starts. So, chop up the moldy squash vines, pull the weeds and grow some more.
Terry Kramer is the site manager for the Humboldt Botanical Garden and a trained horticulturist and journalist. She has been writing a garden column for the Times-Standard since 1982. Contact her at terrykramer90@gmail.com.
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July 23, 2020 at 04:15PM
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North Coast Gardening: There’s still time to grow summer vegetables - Eureka Times-Standard
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