Is it to late?

[fishhuntwork]

Is it to late to plant a garden for the year? My 4 year old asked me the other day if we could have a garden this year. I asked him what he wanted, he said green beans, water melon, carrots, and pumpkins. I figured if we have on I will add peppers and tomatoes.

[nofishfisherman]

You should still have plenty of time to plant at least some stuff. Haven't done much in the way of melons/pumpkins but green beans, tomatoes, peas, etc should still have plenty of time. You could probably plant carrots but I'm not sure how big they'll get by picking time. Make sure to plant them in a very loose soil to give them the best chance. I add a lot of peat moss to the soil I plant carrots in.

[neptune]

I haven't planted pumpkins before, even though my son and daughter have asked (don't have the space) but we have planted carrots with success. Last year our carrot transplants died and I didn't get seeds planted in the garden until July but we still had fun sized little carrots by harvest that the kids loved. (they are 3 and 5 years old)

[Dotch]

What a great way to get kids involved. Plant something they like with success! Definitely not too late for lots of things. Have planted early green beans July 4th and they were great in September. Very tender, very sweet. Sweet corn works planted until the end of June reliably. Tomatoes and peppers will work. I'm sure zucchini will grow as will cukes. Getting plenty late for most pumpkins, watermelon and winter squash especially if you have to wait a week for ground to dry out. If the weather turns around I may try a few hills of early muskmelon, something in the 70 - 75 day range. There still is a window of opportunity for things like peas, lettuce and radishes planted the last week in July into early August. Been playing with them here now for a couple years and it works when the weather cooperates. When it doesn't you need to be on the stick with the water.

[CANOPY SAM]

Watermelon is kind of a long/hot season grower isn't it? I'm not sure they would make it, but I don't have any experience with them either.

You'd still have a shot at carrots, but as stated above, get em' into light/fluffy soil, and I'd add, keep em' damp/moist until they germinate. If you can get em' to germinate quickly you could still get some nice fresh carrots by end of season...which with carrots can be well into September or even October (they're some tough buggers! ).

With a 4 yr. old you wanna keep gardening fun. They love to dig in the dirt, play with the bugs and worms, and copiously water everything. When our kids were little they always wanted to be in the garden with us. We lovingly referred to each of them as, "Noise, with dirt on it."

[Dotch]

Yup, watermelons are a longer/warm season beast. My luck with them has been mixed, even in good seasons. Last year they were OK but certainly nowhere compared to the cantaloupe. Watermelons like well drained soil and when my rotation puts them in an area of the garden that tends to be wetter, it doesn't work as well. 3 or 4 years ago, they were impressive.

[the squirrel]

I just had to re-plant some cucumber and bean seeds as some did not germinate do to cold and wet they rotted. Looking at early August for picking now.

[Nainoa]

If you plant now you will still get a modest yeild... If we have a warm fall you could get a good yield. The only thing about planting this late is that you won't get a bumper crop.

Stay away from cold weather stuff like Spinach, Onions and lettuce as they will bolt to seed before you can harvest in the warm summer weather to come.

[KEN W]

It is probably still OK to plant watermelons and cantalope.Buy plants only.Go to a greenhouse and look for sugar baby or yellow doll watermelons.Put down some black plastic and then cut holes in to put in the melon plants.Goddess is a great early cantalope if you can find it.

Same for Tomatoes.The late ones like big boy etc may not make it.Look for Early Girl or New girl....something that ripens in 60-65 days or less.

See if you can find pumpkin and squash plants.Also not to late to plant zuchinni,summer squash,or cucumbers.

[Dotch]

After more rain last night, 2 mallards flew out of my garden this morning. More rain forecast today. I may be hosed.