The planting recommendations from UF for July actually surprise me as I’ve been told to start tomato seeds on the 4th of July. Otherwise, you can see that there isn’t much gardening happening in July.
I’m not doing anything this month because of my schedule and the heat. I’ve decided not to start seeds this summer, and I have yet to find a local source for Jerusalem Artichoke. It’s good to know that July is the time to plant it.
I’m far enough north in the central region that I could probably get away with transplanting peppers. I’ve never had any luck with eggplant in the summer, but peppers have always been a good summer crop for me, although they don’t always tolerate being transplanted.
If you’re going to do it, transplant them while they are young and in the early morning. They have a hard time recovering once they start to wilt, so keep them watered. A little shade cloth until they get established wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
I had a couple volunteer pepper plants this year that I think were a cross between my cayennes and jalapenos from last year. Aside from using them in chili, they were too hot for most meals for my family.
If my schedule wasn’t so busy, I would have picked and dried them, but I’ve opted to just let them go. If they’re still alive after my schedule settles down, I’ll decide what to do with them.
My sweet potatoes have really taken off and my Seminole peas and Seminole pumpkins are starting to produce. I need to come up with more uses for my Seminole pumpkins. I have squash coming out of my ears.
My kids like snacking on the peas straight out of the garden, but I’ve managed to save a few dried pods for seeds. I want to wait until it’s producing more before I start harvesting a lot of green beans for dinner.
That’s it for now. Stay cool and hydrated.