10 Organic Produce You Can Grow in your Garden this Summer
The benefits of eating organic produce are well studied and creating your very own organic vegetable garden merely amplifies their effect, especially in younger children who may be just starting out in the garden! Although it seems like a lot of hard work is needed to pull off a perfect organic garden, it is actually the opposite. When seeds are planted during ideal conditions, your vegetables will begin growing practically overnight. Also, when they start to sprout and you maintain them, you will know that they will be the freshest and most organic available.
Given the recent spike in popularity of organic foods, we’ve listed 10 of the most common vegetables seen in every garden that you too can grow this year.
1. Sweet Potatoes
Having a bunch of sweet potatoes growing in the summer can easily provide you with a nice abundance within 3 months. Having weather that is hot is always better for sweet potatoes, as they will yield the most. Remember though, once the vines start spreading, they will need to be cultivated a bit.
2. Southern Peas
Many varieties of peas exist that can be grown during the summer months, so take your pick. With many providing a sweetness of being freshly picked, is something that can’t be found anywhere else. Peas also do not take much effort to provide a nice bounty, which is why many gardeners choose them. The only tool that is required is a sturdy trellis and a deep pot of at least a 10-inch size. That said, they do require direct light each, especially in the morning.
With a variety like cowpeas, they are jam-packed with versatility. You can enjoy them the same way as a snap bean, prior to maturing. Or you can deshell them and enjoy them on salads. Once mature you can dry and save them to cook at a later time.
3. The Green Bean
Growing the green bean has one single condition that must be followed and this is to not be early with planting them. This is because if a frost occurs, then they will not survive it and rotting of the seeds will begin. The green bean will also cease to grow during mid-summer, unless you provide water during this time. They will then begin to grow again shortly after. As far as time consuming is concerned, harvesting them takes the cake. As you pick more of them, your plant will produce even more growth. Just make sure not to leave them for too long or they will be stringy.
4. Cucumbers
The cucumber is always seen as part of a summer garden vegetable. As long as the soil moisture is plenty and well fertilized, you will instantly see an abundance of cucumbers ready for pickling or other food options. With trellis growing your cucumbers will obtain a good amount of air flow, allow for easy picking, and prevent spotting on the leaves.
5. Tomatoes
The tomato is freshest when grown at home and is one of the purposes of gardening for many gardeners. Although they may seem like a hassle, the tomato plant can be grown perfectly if you know what to watch out for. For the best results, tomatoes enjoy a hot condition so if you have a greenhouse garden, then you can expect excellent results. This is also good to keep them hot in case of any sudden frost or cold weather that may occur. It is a good idea to start seedlings indoors and then around May you can move the seedlings to the greenhouse.
6. All Peppers
No matter which variety of pepper you prefer, having conditions that resemble tropical locations is perfect. Peppers are easy to manage too once they have made their spot home in the ground. Be aware that the cold affects them so make sure the last frost has passed. During the cold months you can bring the peppers inside as a nice plant until they begin to grow again.
7. Delicious Beets
You will love the fact that when you harvest beets you get to have more than just one vegetable because of the fact that the greens can also be eaten. With the roots, it is better to have harvesting completed while they are not fully developed. Being small in size allows them to remain tenderly sweet. If the beets are allowed to mature, then they tend to be less desirable in terms of flavor. Container beets need their pot to be a minimum of 12 inches. Due to the seeds being a group of beet seeds, they need to be thinned out shortly after breaking dirt.
8. Leaf Amaranth
This green is considered to be rare. It prefers the heat of the midsummer and becomes more prominent once others like lettuce are bolting. The leaf amaranth’s flavor is both tangy and sweet and mixes well with many other foods. To grow it, you just need to spread each seed in a designated area of the garden and provide water. Then, you just have to pick off the leaves you want to use as soon as they reach a minimum of two inches tall.
9. Carrots
Although carrots prefer a cooler climate, there are some varieties that can withstand the heat. Outside of a temperate climate, you also need to provide plenty of water and ensure the soil is loose. Once they have become set up, you need to check that the top of them has mulch that will prevent moisture from evaporating. Harvesting is ready once the top begins to show through the topsoil, but not always. Depending on the type of carrot they may be harvested in as little as 3 months after first being planted.
10. Zucchini Squash
With squash, the winter and summer varieties grow very well when it is hot. If your garden area sees a lot of pests, then you can set them up inside and then transfer the stars no later than July. Make sure to keep them protected at least to the start of blooms. You can also keep the stems protected by using soil to prevent damage from squash vine borer.