5 Best Vegetables to Plant This Summer
With California’s unique weather, you can grow most vegetables throughout the year. Unlike many vegetables that are grown as annuals, many vegetables can be grown here as perennial. With the warm season upon us and days are long and hot, you can produce quite a variety of warm-weather vegetables.
1. Tomatoes
Homegrown tomatoes taste so much better when they are grown in the backyard. With over 10,000 varieties to choose from, you can select one depending on your needs. Bush tomatoes bear all their fruit at once and are used for preservation or sauce making. On the other hand, vine tomatoes bear their fruit over time and make them ideal for summer salads and dishes. Lastly, hybrid tomatoes, a combination of a bush and a vine, can be great addition depending on your growing space.
2. Eggplant
Eggplants have become a staple in Southern California gardens. Their love for warm weather and well-drained soil make them easy to grow in any garden. Its beautiful dark purple color will give your garden a pop. Growing from 3-5 feet tall, eggplants need plenty of space to grow and flourish in your garden. Harvest fruit when the skin is dark and glossy. Waiting too long can make it spongy and bitter.
3. Peppers
Peppers love the heat of Southern California. With such wide varieties to choose from, from sweet to hot, you should plant according to what you eat. When grown right, peppers can offer more than just color to your garden and flavor to your food.
4. Summer Squash
Summer squash loves the warm Southern California climate and is known for being one of the best vegetables to grow. Popular summer squash varieties are zucchini, yellow crookneck, and patty pan squash. Once we hit our peek hot weather, watch out your squash will take off. Make sure to check daily as overgrown squash loses its flavor when they grow too large.
5. Sweet Corn
Sweet corn can be a fun addition to any garden. It thrives in our warm Southern California climate and comes in many different varieties. Sweet corn needs room to grow and be planted in multiple small rows, so the wind does its job and pollinates it. Look for the silk to turn brown before harvesting.
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