The Ultimate Summer Garden Guide - Kings Seeds

Gardening during the summer season can be both rewarding and challenging. With longer days and warmer temperatures, summer presents the opportunity to create a vibrant garden filled with delicious vegetables, fruit and aromatic herbs. This ultimate summer garden guide will help you navigate everything from planting to maintenance, ensuring fresh, crunchy and juicy summer harvests.

 

What to Grow in Summer

Summer is the peak gardening season and with careful planning, you can maximise your harvest. The key to a successful summer garden is selecting the right vegetables and herbs that thrive in warm weather. It can be helpful to plant crops that mature quickly, allowing you to enjoy multiple harvests throughout the season, or giving catch cropping and intercropping a go. It is also beneficial to plant some flowers such as calendula, alyssum, cosmos and zinnia so the pollinators can be attracted into your garden. 

 

Perfect Summer Vegetables

These vegetables embody the essence of summer. When planted in late spring or early summer, you'll enjoy harvests that can extend from January into autumn. 

1. Tomatoes - A summer staple, tomatoes love warm temperatures and can be harvested from early summer into late-autumn. Tip: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, and mulch around the plants to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.

2. Zucchini - This fast-growing vegetable produces abundant harvests. Plant every few weeks to enjoy a continuous healthy fruiting. Tip: Pick zucchinis regularly to encourage more production and prevent them from becoming oversized and tough.

3. Cucumbers - Fresh and crunchy, cucumbers thrive in summer's warmth, making a refreshing addition to salads and snacks. Tip: Provide plenty of water, especially during hot spells and consider using trellises to save space and improve air circulation.

4. Capsicums - Sweet and colourful capsicums are perfect for adding flavour to summer dishes. Tip: Ensure fruits receive plenty of sunlight for optimal fruit development and ripening.

5. Beans - Whether you choose bush or climbing runner beans, these plants grow quickly and yield plenty of tasty pods. Tip: Monitor bean plants for signs of drought stress. Make sure to water them deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth. Adding a layer of mulch around the base of the plants can help retain moisture and keep the soil temperature consistent, protecting the roots from the heat.

 

Flavourful Summer Herbs 

Herbs are perfect complement to any summer garden, providing flavour and aroma to your meals. Plus, it saves you money compared to store-bought herbs. Here are some varieties to consider growing over the summer:

1. Basil - A classic summer herb, basil thrives in warm temperatures and is perfect for pesto or as a pizza topping.

2. Coriander - Grows best in warm, humid climates. It does not thrive in dry heat but prefers humid warmth, so try growing it in your glasshouse or on your kitchen bench during summer.

3. Oregano - A robust herb, oregano thrives in warm climates and is commonly used in Mediterranean dishes, adding a bold flavour to sauces, soups and pizzas.

4. Thyme - This very versatile herb is drought-resistant and thrives in full sun, attracts pollinators, it makes a great addition to any garden.

How To Maintain a Garden in Summer

To keep your summer garden thriving, proper maintenance and observation is essential. Here are some tips:

 - Watering: The best time to water your garden in summer is ideally early in the morning or late in the afternoon to minimise evaporation. Aim to provide at least 2.5-5cm of water per week.

- Mulching: Apply mulch around your plants to retain soil moisture, suppress weeds and regulate soil temperature.

- Fertilising: Use a balanced fertiliser, such as our seaweed & herb fertiliser, to nourish your plants, especially during their peak growth periods.

- Pest Control: Keep an eye out for common pests like aphids and caterpillars. Use organic pest control methods to protect your plants. Check out our series on pests on our social media channels.

 

Summer Garden Tips

During the summer months, you may find specific challenges such as tip burn or bolting in many leafy greens and herbs.

- Tip Burn: Ensure consistent watering to reduce moisture stress in plants like lettuce and cabbage, which are susceptible to tip burn. Also, fertilise your plants following fertiliser recommendations to ensure nutrients are available for the healthy growth of plant tissue.

- Bolting: To prevent herbs like basil and coriander from bolting (going to seed), regularly harvest the leaves. Consider planting them in partial shade during peak heat.

 

What to Harvest in Summer

As your garden flourishes, know when to harvest your bounty:

 - Leafy Greens - Harvest regularly from the outside in and leave some leaves on the plant to encourage further growth.

- Vegetables & Fruits - Varieties such as zucchini, cucumbers and carrots should be picked when young and tender for the best flavour. Pumpkin, luffa for drying, tomatoes and capsicums should be left to fully ripen to maturity. 

- Flowers - Many flowering plants benefit from picking and deadheading to encourage new growth, so don't be shy with enjoying those flowers such as dahlias, zinnia and cosmos in your flower vase. 

Enjoy Your Thriving Summer Garden 

With the right planning and care, your summer garden can produce an abundance of fresh harvests. Enjoy the fruits of your labour by incorporating them into delicious recipes, sharing them with friends and family or preserving them for the cooler months to come.

 

Summer Garden FAQs

What vegetables grow in summer in NZ?

In New Zealand, summer vegetables like tomatoes, chilli and beans thrive in the warm weather. You'll get plenty of January and February harvests when seeds sown in spring.

What goes in a summer garden?

A summer garden can include a mix of cucumbers, zucchini, passionfruit and herbs like basil and rosemary. Seed sown in spring for transplanting out in late spring/early summer.

What vegetables grow best in hot weather?

Vegetables like sweet corn, pumpkins and eggplants are known for their resilience in hot weather and can flourish during the summer months. Transplant seedling late spring/early summer to ensure your allowing enough time for the plants to mature over summer. 

With this comprehensive guide, you are well-equipped to navigate your summer gardening season. It can be exciting to grow your own fresh ingredients and find a new appreciation for the flavours of summer in your meals! As a gardener, there's always something new to learn and enjoy each season.

Happy gardening!