You can plant all the first mentioned veggies now, although the kale might mature better when planted in the summer for fall and winter harvest - they don't like it too hot so will poop out come May or so. The lettuce needs all the sun it can get now, but if you want it for summer, you have to give it shade. Leaf lettuces, rather than heading lettuces, seem to do the best for me - I just keep picking the outside leaves, so they never do head, if that's what it is supposed to do.

Tomatoes might slow down when it gets too hot - most varieties don't set fruits above a certain temperature, but pick right up when it cools off a bit. I'm not sure why your friend said they don't do well, although there are any number of diseases that can kill them off, so some years they thrive, and some, mine struggle. I have better luck with cherry tomatoes than with full size ones, but that's my experience. One I whole-heartedly recommend is Matt's Wild Cherry, indeterminate, grows and produces prolificly until frost, and tastes wonderful, despite the small size!!

The same problem CAN arise with cucumber vines, some of mine grow til frost and some poop out after the first few fruits. There are a LOT more diseases and bugs here than you ever met before, and the humidity can be a real problem in keeping mildew, etc., at bay. Plan for good air circulation around your plants.

Bean vines do just fine, although since I grow mostly bush varieties I can't recommend any, but remember that you also need good air circulation around your AC compressor, so trellises or something that stays 18-24" from the machinery would be better than something right on the grids. The AC water is straight water, so should be no problem for whatever plant it waters.

You might give thought to building a sturdy arbor over the compressor and planting grapes to give shade - muscadine, scuppernong and concord varieties do well here, better than most of the "European" varieties. That said, there are enough vineyards in my area doing well with the conventional wine/table grapes that I won't say you can't grow them. Another good shade fruit tree are figs - most varieties do really well, and will grow quite fast, so allow plenty of room, or plan to prune it back from the AC.

Try grape tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes. They produce continuously if given a spot with some filtered sunlight in the hottest part of the afternoon.

Cucumber vines will appreciate the continuous moisture from the ac unit. As far as starting lettuce and spinach now, spinach and most varieties of leaf lettuce should do very well. I notived some lettuce seedlings recently that had sprouted from plants that I let go to seed last summer. I started raised beds with both in the fall here in Raleigh and will be starting more as soon as I can get some fresh seed. On cold nights when frost is forecast, I cover them with row covers (available from Park Seed - Greenwood, SC as Park's Plant Protector). Then if it is going to get really cold I also add thin plastic over the row cover. In addition to lettuce and spinach, I have broccoli that is beginning to bear and snow peas that are ready to bloom. We are also eating several varieties of mild asian mustard and other "greens". You will find that gardening in the winter in the Low Country of South Carolina is a lot easier than in the hot humid summers, which can be brutal for plants and people.

Here is a link that might be useful: Park Seed Co

You need to tell your horticulturist friend that SC produces vast quantities of tomatoes, all along the coast. Beaufort Country, to the South of you, has quite a tomato truck farm and pick-your-own industry....and has had for several generations. You just need to educate yourself on the climate and all of the benefits/problems associated with it! Have FUN!!!!! Your first year will be the most difficult, as you're learning.

you need to try growing tomatoes in containers!!!! there is stuff in the soil that keeps you from doing it in the ground. there is a virus and you will see most commercial growers grow BHN444 or Amelia - both of which I think are lousy tomatoes. I think there is a nemotode problem in the soils here too. I have been successfully growing tomatoes in containers here on the coast above Wilmington since 2004. I recommend Parks Whopper, Big Beef, Red Brandywine (or Bucks County Hybrid from Burpee), Jet Star, or other large red tomatoes w/o cracks....if they don't have a regular form they don't seem to do well. I recommend earth boxes, earthtainers or the Gardners Supply tomato big square self watering container. ....and don't forget that your cages need to be able to survive a hurricane!!! I use 3/4" PVC "Nancysil" style cages!!!

Michael Hewitt
Hampstead, NC

Michael

Can you tell me more about the cages you use. I don't grow in containers but have always had trouble with getting a sturdy cage.

Thanks