Crop planting
season for summer vegetable gardens usually lasts one month from the
average frost-free date. "Then there are those of us in May who are only
now getting around to planting a vegetable garden," says LSU AgCenter
horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.
"We must make critical choices that will pay off, because vegetables that
should have been planted earlier are cut off by the heat of summer if
planted in late spring," Koske says,
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Summer squash like zucchini can be planted in May |
| advising, "I would look for
short-term crops that boast of early (short) maturity or resistance
to heat."
The LSU AgCenter horticulturist recommends rotating similar crops
so they don’t grow in the same soil area as back-to-back crops. This
helps with pest control. Be especially watchful for insect pests and
control them early while they are young. Many early spring crops are
now being harvested and coming out to make room for summer- and
fall-growing crops.
Late spring planting may include collards, pole limas and butter
peas, watermelons and vine crops like summer squash (but not
winter/hard-shell squash), pumpkins - but only if you want early
pumpkins - okra and southern peas, various chili peppers, hot or
mild, but not bell peppers.
Koske says late spring and early summer also is a good time to start
seed for fall tomatoes and to transplant summer "heat setting"
tomatoes. He also recommends contacting an extension agent in your
parish LSU AgCenter office to learn more about vegetable gardens. In
addition, look for Gardening and Get It Growing links in the LSU
AgCenter Web site:
www.lsuagcenter.com.
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