Imagine, it's your Fourth of July garden party, the weather is beautiful, all your best friends are there, the table is set with vibrant summer blooms, and you serve the salad with fresh spinach, beets and carrots … all fresh from your vegetable garden. A friend asks, “when did you start preparing for this?” And you respond, “Oh … in May.”
Yes! Finally, now is the time. We are planning get-togethers with friends, and last week was officially beyond “last frost” for our region of Kentuckiana. So … now is the time to plant those long-blooming summer perennials and summer vegetables, and then your summer parties can feature centerpieces, salads and grilled veggies … fresh from your garden!
There is seemingly endless variety in the colors and sizes of blooms you can choose for Summer perennials! How to decide? Try thinking about those centerpieces, when you cut some fresh blooms for your dinner parties, and then arrange them together, or creatively place a different bloom in a recycled bottle in front of each guest’s plate! What would you like those colors to be? Bring your ideas to us at Walnut Ridge, along with details of your sun and shade areas, and when you go home with your summer perennials to plant, you’re halfway there to being ready for an amazing, home-grown dinner party!
Begonia
Dahlia
Daylily
Gladiolus
Hydrangea
Iris
Shasta Daisy
Black-Eyed Susans
Russian Sage
Since “warm-season vegetables” should be planted after the last frost date, that is this week for Kentucky and Southern Indiana. This is the estimated time when the threat of freezing has passed. The soil is now warm enough for seeds to germinate (if planting seeds) or for roots to grow (if you’re planting plants).
These squash need full sun. Let them ripen on the vine before harvesting.
Bush Beans are easy to grow from seed, and they don’t require staking. They are shallow rooted, so be careful when digging around them. Plant them every three weeks for continuous harvesting.
Cucumbers need full sun and lots of water (at least an inch per week), plus rich soil. Picking the cucumber regularly allows the vines to continue producing. The vines will need to be supported, ideally by a trellis.
Eggplant require lots of sun and should be planted by seed about three weeks after the last frost. They like moist soil, so mulch the ground with straw and keep it moist, but not soaked.
Okra loves hot weather and full sun. It should be direct sown in the garden several weeks after the last spring frost. Pick pods when they become 3 to 4 inches long. If you let them over-mature, the plant will stop producing. Okra is a great, natural thickener for your Fall chili, instead of using flour!
Spinach is fast-growing, and now is the time to plant those seeds, when the weather is turning from cool to warm. Space them about 12 inches apart in well-drained soil, add compost or other organic matter, and a soaker hose is ideal for keeping the soil moist. Harvest the outer-most leaves first, and serve the salad!
You can sow your squash directly into your garden. Prepare with plenty compost. Gather squash when they are young and tender, which will lead to more flowers and fruit.
Seeds are started indoors, earlier than the last frost, so plants are planted in the garden when the soil has warmed and night temperatures stay above 50 degrees F. They need to be planted deep, burying at least two-thirds of the plant’s stem. Have those stakes or trellises ready for the fast growers!
Happy Gardening, and enjoy your blooms, veggies and parties with friends and family. At Walnut Ridge, we are certainly happy to be getting together again, and seeing you again at the Garden Center! Call us at (812) 288-6691 with any questions about what's in stock, and for tips on planting and landscaping.
