Traditional Southern Vegetable Garden

Are you looking for a new hobby this spring and summer? Starting your vegetable garden may be perfect for you. Gardening is not only an excellent investment for landscaping but also for inside your house. In addition, when growing your vegetables, you can bolster your dishes with home-grown and fresh items. However, what may be difficult is customizing your garden to fit your climate. Humid, hot weather and dry, nutrient-deficient soil make this process a bit harder but not impossible! Here are a few tips to get your garden flourishing this spring and summer. 

1. Use A Mix of Food and Floral 

There are many benefits to adding flowers to your vegetable garden. Adding flowers to your vegetable garden can help bring in pollinators and helpful insects to stimulate growth. They can also serve as an attractive border for your garden.

2. Use Native or Traditional Plants 

The best way to combat concerns about a plant not thriving in a particular condition is to purchase plants for your garden that are native to the South. You will not have to worry about harsh temperatures, but you’ll also have a better idea of what time of the year the plants will thrive. 

3. Be Sensitive to Temperature 

If you’ve ever done gardening or plant care before, you’ll know that plants are sensitive to temperatures. So if you’re planting for the spring or summer, you’ll want to ensure that the soil is between 55-65 degrees before you begin. Specifically for vegetable gardens, you should know that they will ripen faster at higher temperatures. 

4. Time it Right 

You should always check the best time to plant a specific crop. Here are a few to get you started. 

April: Cantaloupe, Broccoli, Corn

May: Cucumbers, Eggplant, Watermelon

June: Tomatoes

July: Pumpkins, Acorn Squash, Butternut Squash 

August: Beets, Kale, Onions

5. Prep Before You Plant 

As excited as you are to start your garden, prepping the area before planting is essential for growing happy, healthy vegetables. Start by weeding any old or dead plants that are in the space. Next, make sure you add well-fertilized soil since vegetables are heavy feeders and likely will not get enough from the earth already there. You can start this prep work as early as January. 

With all these tips, you should be able to grow the vegetable garden of your dreams this summer. Not only will you see the growth in your yard, but you’ll have fresh produce to add to your summer dishes.