Vegetables that thrive in hot summer conditions are referred to as summer crops or warm-season crops. Corn, tomatoes, melons, zucchini, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peppers, beans, and pumpkins are all excellent options for your summer garden.

These heat-loving plants can only be cultivated in regions where frost and freezing temperatures are rare.

There is a wide variety of warm-season, summer crops from which to choose. The term “warm-season crops” is used to describe these harvests. Below is a short selection of the most popular summer garden crops:

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the most widely eaten produce grown in American gardens during the summer. Usually, tomatoes are easy to grow and can be found in a wide range of varieties. A Special kind of tomato like the Tiny Tim Tomato can be grown successfully in containers or smaller plots.

Tomatoes can be harvested from many plants all during the warm growing season. Check out how to water tomato plants in your garden.

Melons

Throughout the summer, a large harvest of melons is possible. Cantaloupes are a popular variety of melon. They mature rapidly and are simple to cultivate. Plant melons in sandy loam that has good drainage.

They thrive in warm, sunny locations with consistently moist soil. Water is crucial to their development and fruit production.

Sweet Corn

Growing maize is more challenging than growing other warm-season vegetables. Nonetheless, the benefits can be enjoyed throughout the season. Corn needs a lot of room to grow and accurate pollination to yield a harvest.

Plant this crop in short rows, leaving about a foot between each seedling. This increases the likelihood of successful pollination. Because it has such weak roots, maize needs consistent watering to thrive.

Green Beans

In the United States, beans are the second most widely consumed vegetable. Beans can be grown as either a bush or pole crop. Pole beans are vines that must have something to climb or cling to in order to thrive. When compared to bush beans, they’re simpler to pick.

Bush beans are more compact, grow on bushier plants, and don’t need staking. In temperate regions, the ideal time to grow beans is between April 25 and July 15.

Squash, including Zucchini

Similar to pumpkins, squash is a vining plant. They usually demand a considerable area for development. Certain squashes, such as zucchini and yellow summer squash, come in space-saving bush varieties.

In many temperate regions, the best time to grow squash is between May 10 and June 15.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes, in contrast to normal potatoes, grow well in warm climates and soil. They’re more like tropical plants. Cold temperatures can kill a sweet potato. The optimal time to plant them is one month after the last expected frost of the season.

They thrive over the long, hot, and frost-free summer.

Sweet potatoes are simple to cultivate and reach full maturity in short order in warm weather conditions. As far as you let them, they will expand. They need to be planted in compost-amended, well-drained soil.

Planting them too close to squash can lead to overpopulation and a lower harvest since squash vines spread.

Peppers

Peppers, like tomatoes, are a staple of the summer garden. The bell pepper, often known as the sweet pepper, is the most widely cultivated kind. These peppers aren’t spicy and don’t belong in the “hot” category. Despite their seemingly disparate needs for cultivation, peppers and tomatoes are actually close relatives.

In contrast to tomato plants, peppers grow more slowly, are smaller, and need warmer temperatures to thrive. In many temperate regions, the ideal time to grow peppers is between May 10 and June 15.

Cucumbers

Fruit production is high for cucumber plants. It’s a vining plant, and cucumbers often need a lot of space to thrive. If you don’t want these plants to take over your garden, a trellis is an option.

They need plenty of sunlight and nutrient-dense soil. They will keep producing all summer long if given enough water.