Food for Thought: Summer is Here - Plant Your Veggies Now

Doug Reynics

Winter is long past and the return of warm days means it’s a perfect time to plant your summer crops. As we navigate our way through the post-COVID world, I find that there is something healing in planting and harvesting my own produce. I’d like to share some ideas of crops to plant (even if you don’t have much space).

If you have six or more hours of daily sun, the sky’s the limit for planting produce. If space is a concern, there are many things you can do in containers. Remember, it’s not always about how much you harvest. Just taking a bit of time to put your hands in the soil is healing. It reminds us that, with all that happens around us, planting and harvesting our own fresh produce is something we can control.

For limited space, consider planting herbs. There’s not much you can’t plant together that won’t grow well. I like basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage in the same pot. It not only fills out the planter but looks good throughout the season. You are only clipping parts of it over time, so the overall look stays pretty. Another container planting is tomatoes with an underplanting of marigolds. There are many tomatoes suitable for container planting. You can ask an assistant for patio- or container-specific varieties that will thrive. Just be sure to buy a sturdy staking system to keep the tomato upright. The marigold is a great companion plant that the tomato wants to have close to it! If you have a larger container (30” or larger), consider planting any variety of peppers. Hot peppers thrive with this type of container planting. Keep the hot peppers and sweet pepper varieties apart so they don’t cross pollinate and you get sweet hot peppers. Another idea is to plant potatoes - sweet or regular red or white potatoes. You can buy the starters at a garden center. Once planted, there’s very little to do to keep them happy and healthy. I add one tablespoon of Epson salt to the base of each plant once per month and water in well. As for soil, I use Miracle Gro bagged soil with water grabber and fertilizer built in. I find it decreases my frequency of watering by one time weekly. Keep the containers well-watered during the hot spells.

If you have space in the yard, you have more choices. For very large areas, fruits like watermelon or pumpkins are a fun, family-friendly planting. Either fruit can grow 20-30’ long so it’s best for larger areas. I plant in raised 4’x8’ beds in the Smoke Rise Community Garden. You can look into community gardens if you do not have the light or the space to plant. If you do plant at home, be sure to amend the area well with new soil, cow manure and a little fertilizer. Keep the plantings well-watered. Things that grow well at home in the ground include tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, beans (bush or pole) or herbs. My favorite herbs are basil and rosemary. Rosemary stays throughout the year and can be clipped into a pretty tree. Basil is planted in the spring and enjoyed until the freeze in the late fall.

I hope you’ll consider planting your own crops - I welcome your questions, and hope you’ll send me photos of your plantings later in the season. Happy Planting!

Doug Reynics is a longtime Tucker resident and self-described “foodie.” Many know him as “Doug the Driver,” who provides rides to and from both the domestic and international airport terminals. (To date, his service has provided 1,450 airport rides!) If you have a food story or question you would like to see him write about, email him at dougthedriver1@gmail.com.