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bigoledude

What vegetables produced through summer heat for you

bigoledude
11 years ago

I don't get hardly any production from my "Bell" type peppers when the high temperatures arrive. The Italian type peppers, the ceyennes, and Tabascos and such, do OK in the heat.

The only consistent producer of tomatoes in the middle of summer is my cherry types.

My cucumbers produce well in the heat. The leaves look a little wilted by late afternoon some days. A shot of water and they perk right back up. I am going to grow some cantaloupe and watermelon because I hear they like it hot also. This will be my first year growing edible amaranth and New Zealand Spinach. Anyone have success with these two greens in the heat?

Please let us know what vegetables continues to bear for you in the heat!

Comments (9)

  • jimr36
    11 years ago

    Do you use mulch? I know that can insulate against the high temps, and help keep the moisture in.

    I had good luck last year with zucchini and radishes in the heat.

  • bigoledude
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I could definitely mulch heavier. It just may work. Thought for sure that radishes were a cool-season crop.

    Any other success with vegetables in the heat of summer?

  • natal
    11 years ago

    Radishes ARE a cool season crop.

    I typically pull all of my tomato plants by early-mid July. The only ones I leave in the garden are the cherry.

  • pumpkins4u
    11 years ago

    My lemon boy tomato went right through summer while production dropped with heat it kept producing.

    Eggplant

  • wisner_gw wisner
    11 years ago

    My eggplant bears through most of the summer then revives in the fall to make more. I've planted Gypsy peppers the last couple years and they made all summer. Of coarse okra will bear all summer. You can also make fall plantings of beans,cucumber,squash and other vegetables. My fall tomatoes haven't done too well, it's just been to hot the last couple years. Last year I planted bell peppers plants in the fall and they made until frost.

  • texasjack
    11 years ago

    I grow indeterminate tomatos in containers in downtown Houston. Muching is a necessity to keep water evaporation low and lower the shallow soil temperature. I use plastic with minimum size holes. The trick is to use white or light color plastic to avoid a heat sink effect. The Houston sun and heat can fry my heroic plants.

    I've seen locals use a patch of aluminum foil around the plant. Theory is that sun light and heat are actually reflected upwards reducing soil temperature and also lighting up the underside of the leaves.

    Unless they fry, my indeterminates can continue to set fruit through November.

    Jack

  • wally_1936
    11 years ago

    Okra but then you probably know that already

  • hementia8
    11 years ago

    Had a great year so far
    Southern peas,okra and butterbeans are still bearing heavily
    I got a early start on the pole beans and tomatoes and they produced well before the heatwave
    Charlie

  • clanross
    11 years ago

    I grew pimento type sweet peppers -- the round, tomato-looking ones -- and they did very well. also the "Fooled You" non-hot jalapeno-looking peppers. Hot peppers, I grew cayenne and Thai mostly, take all the heat. My cucumbers -- mostly Suyo Long --did well, but the wilting got bad in August and September. They still produced, but not as beautifully as earlier in the summer. Just keep watered. My basil did well if I kept it watered and trimmed too. Eggplant and smaller types of tomatoes did OK. Squash were done when it got really hot.

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