What to plant . . . IN JULY!!!???

Hey, there. I had some serious health challenges this year, so I didn't get much planted. Thinking that I'd be up to gardening, my husband tarped a good-sized area, and tilled it up this weekend.

I either need a good layer of mulch, a cover crop or some veggies. What would you do if you were in zone 6b? It's a loamy clay soil, by the way.

The following come to mind:

Kale
Turnips or radishes maybe, though I haven’t tried them this early—they might get gigantic
Parsnips, though they may  be small
Squash (earlier ripening pepos, or summer squash)
I would still plant potatoes if there are any left. They deteriorate if not planted so a small harvest is better than none.
Garlic (divide and replant)

Why not look around for some perennial and self sowing vegetables too, as a gift to the future? They will help to make bad years a little less so. Maybe sunchokes, yams, perennial spinach, or fruit? Nettles for greens and nourishing medicine? Many perennials would be good to plant at this point, so long as there’s good rain.

I believe that in the olden days, before tomatoes made their way to Europe, many of their sauces and other tomato-uses were from tree fruit and berries. I do admit that a pizza with plums and cheese is a bit strange to imagine…maybe I’ll have to try some time… on the other hand they had less added refined sugar than we tend to today, so perhaps the sweetness was welcome.

(Edit: And, the fruit was generally more flavorful so that is also a difference.)

Last fall/winter/spring was a hard one for so many of us—I hope that your healing continues in a good way!

I would go ahead and plant what I could, and mulch the rest. I can still grow quite a bit in my Zone5 area. You should have more time than I do. Peas, beans, lettuce, carrots, some tomatoes and herbs would still be able to be done. Even some zucchini could probably be done in time.

In my location, at this time of year, I would wait and use the time to spread some compost and mulch and be ready for cooler weather.

I am not sure how July translates from zone 8 to 6 but with the intense sun, heat, humidity, periods of drought, I would really need to babysit any new starts or transplants. I'd probably have to shade them and water regularly until they were established. Having said that, we are busy working with our spring plantings and that type of attention is just not possible.

In your situation, you may have the time to give the attention needed. If you do, you could babysit some bean starts like rattlesnake beans if you are in a hot humid area, cucumbers should make and squash should make with some attention.

Those three would keep you pretty busy.

My thoughts go to planting potatoes for a late fall harvest. Here in southern Illinois I put in  a late crop of potatoes in August …after I Harvest my early crop in July.  The results are sometimes iffy, but when they work well, I have my own seed potatoes for March.

No idea where you live, but i just started a second round of zucchini/cucumber (first round are just about to produce). I also started more lettuce, cauliflower,  and am trying brussel sprouts. Some cabbage might work. Lettuce will be planted out in part shade.

If i had space, i'd start more carrots,  using the board trick to germinate them. I might also consider bush beans or beets.

I started my stuff in plug trays outside in part shade because keeping my garden wet enough to germinate seeds this time of year is a losing battle and not great for disease pressure on my other plants. I'll aim to transplant in a cool or wet or at least cloudy spell if I can.

Josh Hoffman wrote:In my location, at this time of year, I would wait and use the time to spread some compost and mulch and be ready for cooler weather.

I am not sure how July translates from zone 8 to 6 but with the intense sun, heat, humidity, periods of drought, I would really need to babysit any new starts or transplants. I'd probably have to shade them and water regularly until they were established.

Good point. It's been in the 90s for weeks here, so I'd struggle to keep seedlings and even transplants alive!

Constancia Wiweru wrote:

Josh Hoffman wrote:In my location, at this time of year, I would wait and use the time to spread some compost and mulch and be ready for cooler weather.  

Good point. It's been in the 90s for weeks here, so I'd struggle to keep seedlings and even transplants alive!

Do you have a place that's cooler and easier to care for seedlings that could be planted now for transplant when the weather breaks?

Do you know your "average date of first frost"?  Many seed packets/websites will tell you the days to crop for specific varieties.  As an example, in my region, they suggest one start purple sprouting broccoli mid to late June for a fall crop, and transplant it in August. I have some in my south window just starting their first true leaves. I will plant them where the garlic currently is, that should be ready to harvest in the next few weeks.

I also have some bush bean varieties that like the warm weather and produce quickly (in my ecosystem - location is everything! Maxibel filet beans) that I save seed from. Since I always end up with more seeds than I intend to plant, I'm willing to stick them in and not expect a crop. Same with some squashes.

If you have an environment where mulching works, I would make some mounds of dirt, wet the area *very* thoroughly, mulch all around the mounds, and plant beans and squash on the mounds. Some sort of "fake it" olla pot on each mound so you can just water each mound in one spot once they start germinating, might give you a crop without too much work. If the seeds are cheap or free, you have very little to loose.

You can also plant flowers.  If you plant French Marigolds and calendula they will self seed and it's always nice to have them popping up in the vegetable garden to help with nematodes.  Or so I've read, I don't think I've ever had a problem with nematodes needing help, but it's an excuse to incorporate flowers.  I think you can plant cosmos, verbena, sunflowers and zinnias now too- if you don't mind some popping up as weeds in your veggie garden next year.  Deadhead, chop and drop or bring in cut flowers to keep this to a minimum.  It might also be a good time to plant lavender, oregano and rosemary- I think those seeds like getting started in the heat and then you can transplant them to other places next year, or let them intermingle with the veggies where there strong smells and flowers will bring benefits to the veggies.    

I saw another person mentioned nettles, and I would advise against this if you plan to use this spot for a veggie garden for many years.  I did this in my last vegetable garden and regretted it.  The first two years it was great, and then by year three it was a small pain in the butt and by year four I was constantly pulling out nettles.  
Unless maybe you will really use a lot of them and use the roots.  I love nettles and comfrey, but will now keep them a good distance from any place that will be used for growing vegetables.  
If you have the budget for pre-started flowers you can also hit up the local nurseries and find lots of annual flowers to plant and probably rescue some sad tomato, pepper and eggplants.  Bring the peppers and eggplants in for the winter to live as houseplants and you will be set for an early crop next year.  

As a fellow 6b, clay soil, hot weather gardener:

I've planted sunflowers and beans in mid-July (direct-sow) and still got a decent harvest (Average first frost is mid-October). I'm doubtful as to whether cool weather crops could get started in a summer here, though I might try setting up some temp shade for a month and see if beets and peas can grow under that. In the past, I've waited for it to cool down before trying to create a late-fall harvest, and it gets too cold and kills the plants before they produce.

If you are still getting good regular rains I would plant some southern peas...they thrive in the heat and can take some dry weather once established.
Our feed store always has a good selection of purple hull, black eye, whippoorwill.

and tepary beans although you might have to order them.

broom corn, sun hemp, flax, buckwheat...IF you're still getting some rain to germinate...then they can take the heat as cover crops

An alternate thought for late planting -- put things in large pots. Container gardening.

The warmer soil makes things germinate and grow faster, as long as you keep them moist.

Also, you can yoink / slide large pots from shade to sun as needed, and use frost covers in fall if desired. Or put them on a flatdeck trailer and roll them inside a garage at night.

I think the Farmer's Almanac planting calendar by zip code gives a really nice list of vegetables that can be planted in the summer for fall harvest if you are in the U.S.

Here's a link: https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar/zipcode/55417

I also like that they give both direct sow and transplant dates.

If you sow seeds of a variety that has a shorter or longer days to maturity than the average of that plant type, just adjust your sowing date accordingly.

Super helpful thread, thanks all.