Author’s note: The following survival gardening vegetables are best planted in USDA zones 4, 5, and 6.
Do you have vacant areas in your garden that you would like to fill? Are you wondering if there are vegetables that will do well being planted this late in the summer? If you live in USDA zones 4,5, and 6 you are in luck!
Survival Gardening: Vegetables For The Late Summer
In this article, I’ll cover the vegetables that will be perfect for those vacant areas in your survival garden.
Let’s take a quick glance at the vegetables you can plant in late summer:
- Summer Squash
- Kale
- Root Vegetables
- Lettuce
- Cucumbers
- Green Beans
- Fall Peas
Let’s get started!
Summer Squash (Zucchini, Patty Pan, or Yellow Crookneck)
If you plant summer squash now, you will be able to harvest around mid-late September and quite possibly up until the first frost which is usually around mid-late October. The summer squash may be smaller than usual but, you can still have an abundant harvest.
Kale
A late July to mid August planting of kale will produce a great late fall-early winter harvest. A great time to harvest kale that is planted this time of year is after the fall season has arrived and your area has experienced 2-3 frosts. The frost will help to sweeten the taste! If you want to harvest kale in early fall then you should plant kale as soon as possible.
Root Vegetables
Root vegetables such as beets, radishes, turnips, kohlrabi, and fennel actually do best when planted late in the summer season! They are fully matured around mid-late October. If you live in an area with cool summer nights, carrots will also do well planted this time of year.
Lettuce
Summer varieties of lettuce are perfect for a july/August planting! Their seeds can be planted directly into the soil. Keep the seeds moist until they can germinate and become well established.
Cucumbers
Some varieties of cucumbers can actually be planted and harvested rather quickly – from seed to harvest in 2 months time! Planting cucumbers no later than mid-August is suggested. If you are new to planting cucumbers, it is important to note that cucumbers are grown on a trellis.
Suggested varieties to plant this time of year include:
- Northern Pickling – can be harvested around 48 days after planting
- Sweeter Yet – can be harvested around 50 days after planting
- Straight Eight – can be harvested around 58 days after planting
Green Beans
Green beans have a rather quick growing cycle, especially the bush varieties. The bush varieties can fully mature in as little as 60 days. Planting in early July is recommended but, if your area usually experiences a late frost, then planting in mid August will also produce a great harvest as well.
Fall Peas
Snow peas and shelling peas can be planted around mid July to the beginning of August. You will be able to harvest around mid-late fall. Just keep in mind that the fall harvest will not be as abundant as the harvest in the spring.
Here’s a video by Martha Stewart on tips for planting vegetables in late summer:
What is your favorite vegetable to plant this time of year? Tell us in the comment section below.
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Comments
I usually plant carrots, beets, kale and chard. Some are my spring plantings that continue to produce through fall and winter. This year I’m trying broccoli and Brussels sprouts and lettuce with a hoop cover to protect it from sun right now and frost in the winter. – Margy
I tried the round zucchini and summer squash and also the bush variety of a cucumber and lemon cucumbers,and butternut squash.I live near savannah ga and its been a hot summer and also rained a bit and still does from time to time in the afternoon.Dont know what happened but they spotted real bad and basicly wilted most leaves did dry out and the same thing with my squash.Maybe a combo of the elements tied in with some bugs done those in so i had to take them out.