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Garden Advice

Summer Cover Crops

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Cover cropping is an incredibly beneficial practice for anyone who gardens. It helps improve the soil, protect the environment, attract pollinators, and so much more. Unfortunately, most gardeners think of cover cropping as a practice for the off season. However, summer cover crops have a lot of unique benefits and you can work them into your garden without giving up any production. 

Benefits of Summer Cover Crops

Summer cover crops can help improve your soil health and production during the season. They also help protect your garden and the environment in several essential ways.

Reduce erosion. Usually associated with fall and winter storms, erosion isn’t a major focus in summer, but it can happen any time of year. It’s a critical issue in the United States. Scientists estimate that we’ve lost 30% of our topsoil in the past 200 years. 

In summer, all it takes is a strong thunderstorm rolling through to wash away loose soil or drying winds picking up soil particles. You should never leave your soil bare. 

Erosion doesn’t just negatively affect your garden health, it has significant impacts on the ecosystem. Eroded sediment and nutrients end up in streams, rivers, and eventually the ocean, where they can cloud waters and cause toxic algae blooms.

Having cover crops on the soil also allows for better water infiltration and soil structure which can help you create a more drought resistant garden. 

Suppress weeds. Weeds are at their most aggressive in summer, which is why it’s a key time to get ahead of them with cover crops. Quick growing cover crops can crowd out and shade weeds, suppressing them for later vegetable crops. 

Some cover crops like buckwheat and sorghum sudangrass also release chemicals to prevent the germination or growth of weed in a phenomenon called allelopathy.

You can also kill the cover crops through rolling or mulching and leave them on the surface as mulch. Then transplant crops into the mulched bed. The mulch will continue suppressing weeds as it breaks down.

Attract beneficial wildlife and insects. Beneficial animals and insects are some of the gardener’s best allies. Some like hummingbirds, flies, bees, and butterflies pollinate crops. Others like swallows, bluebirds, toads, wasps, lady beetles, lacewings, and wheel bugs feed on common garden pests, keeping their populations low. A few, like earthworms, millipedes, and pill bugs, help break down organic matter, improving soil structure. 

None of these animals or insects thrive in areas with bare soil. Sowing cover crops provides cover and food sources. Some cover crops like buckwheat and hairy vetch also have flowers that may help attract predatory wasps, bees, and other pollinators. 

Fix nitrogen. Certain cover crops are nitrogen fixers. These plants have a symbiotic relationship with specific bacteria. The bacteria colonize the plant’s roots and pull nitrogen out of the atmosphere. The bacteria use the nitrogen and then it becomes available to the plant.

These nitrogen-fixing plants include a few summer cover crops like southern peas, soybeans, buckwheat, sunn hemp, and hairy vetch. 

To make the nitrogen available to your next crop, the cover crop needs to die and decompose. Depending on the crop, you can kill it by cutting it, tilling it under, tarping it, or waiting for frost to kill it in the fall.

Add organic matter. Fast-growing summer cover crops are a great way to add tons of biomass to the soil. As they break down, they add organic matter, which improves soil structure, increases water infiltration, provides nutrients, and increases microbial and beneficial insect activity. 

Impact plant diseases. In some cases, summer cover crops may help disrupt disease cycles in the garden. Some research has shown reductions in blight in no-till, cover crop gardens. Pearl Millet Summer Cover Crop

How to Work Summer Cover Crops into Your Garden Plan

You don’t need to give up production to grow summer cover crops! There are several ways you can squeeze cover crops into the summer garden without sacrificing your vegetables.

Use pathways. If your garden has pathway space, you can take advantage of it by sowing it in a cover crop like white clover which will tolerate some traffic. You can mow the paths and apply it as mulch under other crops.

Interplant. You can also interplant cover crops. Strips of clover, vetch, and other cover crop can have amazing benefits. According to the North Carolina State Extension, “research in Georgia reported high densities of big-eyed bugs, lady bugs, and other beneficial insects in vetches and clovers.” They also found that, “assassin bugs have destroyed Colorado Potato Beetle feeding on eggplant planted into strip-tilled crimson clover.”

You can grow some cover crops in between other crops. Plant soy beans or southern peas beneath tall crops like corn or sunflowers. You can also grow fast-growing cover crops like buckwheat between hills of vining crops like winter squash or melons. Cut the buckwheat as the vine start to sprawl and use it as mulch. 

Pull unproductive crops immediately. If your lettuce has bolted, radishes have gone woody, or beans are slowing down, consider pulling them and sowing a summer cover crop. While letting lettuce flower and beans decompose naturally may provide some minor benefits, using a cover crop is a more productive use of the space. 

Beat the heat. In the Deep South, the hottest days of summer can limit vegetable production. Rather than fighting the heat to eek out more production, you may just want to avoid it. For some crops like brassicas, greens, bush beans, and cucumbers, you can get plenty of production in the early summer and fall.

Take well-earned breaks. If you find your garden is getting away from you and your summer is busier than expected, it may be worth sowing a cover crop rather than another succession. A cover crop will essentially take care of its self while improving your soil for another crop in the fall or next season. Sometimes this is more productive than sowing more beans, squash, or other vegetables you won’t have the time to weed, harvest, and preserve.

Buckwheat spring cover crops in bloom

How to Select a Summer Cover Crop

All summer cover crops have their pros and cons. What cover crop you should choose will be based on a few factors:

  • Time Available
    It’s easiest to choose and appropriate cover crop when you have a good garden plan. Maybe you want a heat tolerant cover crop to grow for 30 days in the middle of summer in between squash plantings. Buckwheat may work in this scenario. Maybe you have an empty bed 80 days before your first frost and want a cover crop that will die back and allow you to plant fall garlic. Sunn Hemp could be a good choice.
  • Frost Tolerance
    Some summer cover crops like buckwheat, are frost sensitive and will die with the first frost in fall. Others, like clover and oats, will continue to grow.
  • Nitrogen Fixation
    If your next crop is a heavy feeder like broccoli, corn, garlic, onions, or tomatoes, choosing a nitrogen fixer like sunn hemp, hairy vetch, clover, soy beans, or southern peas is a great option.
  • Biomass Production
    If adding organic matter to the soil is a priority, you’ll want to choose a cover crop that quickly puts on a lot of biomass. One of the best options is sunn hemp which can reach 6 feet tall in 60 days. Other good options include buckwheat, millet, sorghum sudangrass, vetch, oats, and barley.

Here are a few summer cover crops you may consider. Listed with each are some of their important features. 

Buckwheat

  • Blooms and is ready for incorporation in 30 to 45 days.
  • Fast growing.
  • Frost sensitive.  
  • Flowers attract bees and parasitic wasps. 
  • Tender stems are easy to cut down.
  • Deep root system is adept at mining subsurface minerals.

Pearl Millet

  • Ready for incorporation in 40 to 60 days.
  • Grows well in acidic soil and poor soil.
  • Thrives in warm climates.
  • Drought tolerant.
  • Excellent biomass producer growing 3 to 6 feet.
  • Frost sensitive.

Sunn Hemp

  • Ready for incorporation in 60 to 90 days.
  • Fast growing and excellent producer of organic matter (may reach 6 feet).
  • Nitrogen fixing.
  • Frost sensitive.
  • Suppresses nematodes.
  • Thrives in hot climates.
  • Tolerates drought.
  • Extract nutrients from deep within subsoil. 

Soy Beans

  • Ready for incorporation in 45 to 60 days.
  • Fast growing. 
  • Tolerates hot weather.
  • Nitrogen fixing.

Southern Peas

  • Ready for incorporation in 50 to 60 days.
  • Vigorous.
  • Drought tolerant.
  • Nitrogen fixing.
  • Sprawling vines.

Sorghum Sudangrass

  • Ready for incorporation in 60-70 days.
  • Suppresses weeds.
  • Suppresses nematodes.
  • Loosens subsoil and reduces compaction.
  • Excellent biomass producer growing 5 to 12 feet tall.
  • Provides habitat for beneficial insects like lacewings.
  • Requires a large mower and is tough to cut with hand tools. 

Oats 

  • Ideal for late summer and early fall planting.
  • Grows quickly.
  • Produces plenty of biomass or mulch.
  • Frost hardy.
  • Oats will get winter-killed when temperatures drop below 10°F.
  • In cold climates, it makes an excellent mulch for spring crops and in arm climates you can cut it in spring.

Barley

  • Ideal for late summer and early fall planting.
  • Frost hardy.
  • Drought tolerant. 
  • Barley will get winter-killed when temperatures drop below 17°F.
  • In cold climates, it makes an excellent mulch for spring crops and in warm climates you can cut it in spring.

Hairy Vetch

  • Ideal sowing period from August 1st to November 1st. 
  • Highly efficient as a nitrogen fixer, it’s recommended to wait until at least 50% of the plants have flowered before mowing the crop to maximize nitrogen fixation. 
  • In the spring, after flowering starts, mow the vetch and transplant tomatoes or other large plants directly into it, or till it under.

Clover

  • Cold tolerant perennial.
  • Versatile and may be sown in winter, spring, late summer, or fall.
  • Excellent for suppressing weed growth.
  • Nitrogen fixing. 
  • Attracts beneficial insects.
  • Acts as a living mulch in paths or between rows.

Creating a sustainable, productive garden means that we’re focusing on soil health year round. As you plant and plan your garden this season, think about where you may be able to sneak in a few summer cover crops. 

Garden Advice, Tomatoes

Success with Heirloom Tomatoes

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Heirloom tomatoes are the superstars of the vegetable garden world. They have endearing stories, gorgeous colors, unique shapes, and a flavor beyond compare. Unfortunately, all that flavor and charm comes with a cost. Heirloom tomatoes can be tricky to grow. Many heirlooms lack resistance to fungal and bacterial diseases and have thin skin that splits and cracks easily.

Despite this, we love them and wouldn’t trade them for all the hybrids in the world. They’re too good to resist. That’s why we’ve put together a list of management techniques to help ensure you have success with heirloom tomatoes. 

Protect the Foliage of Heirloom Tomatoes

Many common tomato diseases such as late blight, Alternaria (early blight), Botrytis, and leaf mold, thrive and spread in moist conditions. These fungal diseases produce spores that spread to tomato foliage through wind and water. 

In much of the Southeast, where we have hot, humid summers these diseases are prevalent. Thankfully, there are a few ways to shelter your heirloom tomatoes by protecting their foliage. 

Mulch

One easy way to protect your foliage is with a thick layer of mulch. This prevents soil splash-back onto the tomato’s foliage even during heavy rain. Plus, mulch helps keep the soil moist and prevents weeds.

You don’t need anything fancy. Straw, grass clippings, old leaves, and wood chips all work. For extra weed suppression, place your mulch over a layer of cardboard or newspaper.

In cooler climates, you may need to wait until the soil has fully warmed to apply mulch. Mulching too early can prevent soil warming and reduce early growth. 

Hoophouses

While not available to everyone, hoop houses are one of the best ways to prevent these wind and water-borne diseases. They keep the foliage dry all season and help block wind-borne spores.

Keep in mind that most heirloom varieties are large, indeterminate tomatoes. You’ll need a tall tunnel and a good trellising system.

Two Granny Cantrell’s German Red/ Pink Heirloom Tomatoes on the plant
Granny Cantrell’s German Red/ Pink Heirloom Tomatoes

Use Drip Irrigation, Hand Watering, or Soaker Hoses for Heirloom Tomatoes

Watering methods like drip irrigation or soaker hoses are preferable to overhead watering for heirloom tomatoes. These methods water the base of the plant, keep the foliage dry, and prevent soil splash-back.

If you only have a few plants and these methods aren’t accessible, watering the base of the plant by hand with a hose or watering can is also effective. Avoid using a hard spray which could splash soil onto the leaves.

Space Heirloom Tomatoes Generously

Improving air circulation can greatly reduce disease pressure in tomato plants. While some growers may plant tomatoes as close as one foot, we recommend planting heirlooms at least 2 feet apart in rows 60 inches apart. 

Trellis and Prune Heirloom Tomatoes

Proper pruning and trellising are other key ways to improve airflow and reduce disease pressure. Most heirloom tomatoes are vigorous, indeterminate plants that require sturdy trellises and more frequent pruning. 

Good trellis options include large homemade cages, the Florida weave method, tall stakes, or string systems in hoop houses.

Several common trellising methods are easiest when you prune the plants to a single leader. Pruning to remove suckers also allows more airflow and can encourage good production. 

Learn more about proper pruning here. 

Two Old German Tomatoes on a plate with some slices
Old German Tomatoes

Learn to Identify Common Diseases

Learning to spot common diseases can help you catch problems quickly and take the appropriate steps. If you buy in plants, it may also help you spot signs of disease before you bring it into your garden.

Cornell University has an excellent Tomato Diagnostic Key for identifying diseases. 

If your tomato has a fungal disease like late blight, removing and destroying affected foliage and plants can help slow the spread.

Some growers, particularly commercial growers may also consider using organic fungicides. Like any treatment, they have downsides and should be carefully researched and applied. 

Johnny’s Selected Seeds has a handy chart of organic treatments for pest and disease issues. 

Learn to Spot Nutritional Deficiencies

The issue with nutritional issues is twofold. First many nutrient issues are easy to mistake for disease issues. Before you go spraying fungicide, make sure that the yellowing you’re seeing isn’t just a nutrient deficiency.

The second issue is that nutrient deficiencies stress the plant which can make it more susceptible to disease in the future. Just like you have a stronger immune system when you eat well and get enough sleep, your plant will fight off diseases better when it’s well cared for and nourished. 

Here are common nutrient deficiencies we see in all plants and how to correct them.

Manage Water Carefully

Heirloom tomatoes thrive with consistently moist, but not waterlogged soil. Their thin skin means that large fluctuations in moisture can lead to splitting.

Too little water can also cause issues like blossom end rot. While this disease is caused by a lack of calcium, often the root cause is a lack of water. When the soil is too dry, the plant can’t take up enough calcium, even if it is present in the soil in sufficient quantities.

Overwatering can also dilute the flavor of tomatoes and contribute to disease issues. 

When determining whether you need to water, dig down a couple of inches and feel the soil. It should be moist but not so wet you can squeeze water out of it. 

Purchasing a cheap moisture meter can simplify this process and help remove any doubts about when to water.

Rotate Crops by Family

Many diseases that plague heirloom tomatoes are soil-borne, so proper rotation is critical. We recommend rotating your crops on a four-year cycle. For commercial growers, adding a year in cover crops is also a good idea. 

When rotating crops, do so by family, not just species. For example, don’t rotate just tomatoes. Rotate the nightshade or Solanaceae family including tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos, ground cherries, eggplants, and potatoes.

Abraham Lincoln (Early Abe Lincoln) Heirloom Tomatoes spilling out of a basket
Abraham Lincoln (Early Abe Lincoln) Tomato

Select a Variety Wisely

Each heirloom variety we carry has its own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. A few carry resistance to specific diseases. You’ll find their disease resistance listed in parentheses after the variety name. 

For example, the Abraham Lincoln (Early Abe Lincoln) Tomato has (ab, asc) next to its name. This indicates that it’s resistant to Alternaria (early blight) and Alternaria stem canker. 

See our full key to tomato disease tolerance.

Note that many heirloom tomatoes have not been extensively tested for disease tolerance either in the laboratory or in extensive field trials. The absence of disease resistance information in the variety description does not imply a lack of resistance. 

You can also consider heirloom cherry and paste tomatoes. These usually display more disease resistance than large, slicing tomatoes.

If all else fails, we carry many disease-resistant, open-pollinated varieties. While they may not be considered heirlooms yet, they still have delicious flavor. By saving seed from one of these varieties, you can help create a legacy for one of these newer varieties. 

Garden Advice

Beginner’s Guide to Growing Melons

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Melons are one joy of the summer garden. They’re sweet, juicy, and aromatic, but they can be a little tricky to grow. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to have success growing melons or muskmelons (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus). 

Muskmelons include green-fleshed and orange-fleshed melons and are often confused with cantaloupes. Cantaloupes are muskmelons, but not all muskmelons are cantaloupes. We only carry one true cantaloupe, Noir des Carmes.

We have a separate post on growing watermelons (Citrullus lanatus), which are a different species with slightly different needs.

Choosing a Variety

Melon diseases aren’t a significant issue for many growers, but they can be a problem for some. If your garden has a history of melon diseases like Alternaria leaf spot, rust, powdery mildew, downy mildew, and Fusarium wilt. It’s best to stick with disease-resistant varieties. 

Thankfully, there are many good options. Here are a few of our disease resistant melons and what they’re resistant to:

Preparing the Soil for Growing Melons

A good melon harvest starts with good soil. These tender fruits are picky about their growing conditions.

First, get a soil test and ensure the pH of your soil is about 7, but no lower than 6. Melons will cannot thrive in soil that’s too acidic and won’t produce well.

Loose, warm, well-drained sandy loam is ideal for melons. If you have clay soil, you will need to work in a good deal of organic matter. Melons will fail in peat, muck, or heavy clay. No matter what your soil looks like, it’s best to add nutrient-rich finished compost before planting. 

If your soil isn’t ideal, consider Pike Muskmelon, which was bred for growing in unirrigated clay soil. Pike produces 3 pound fruits on unirrigated clay or 7 pound fruits on good irrigated soil. 

When to Plant Melons?

Muskmelons are extremely sensitive to temperature and have no frost tolerance. Wait to plant melons outdoors until all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures have reached 70°F. When starting seeds indoors, sow your melons about 2 to 4 weeks before your last frost date. 

Timing is key when planting melons. Seedling exposure to cold early in a plant’s life can cause melons to fail to set fruit later in the season.

Depending on your growing season and the variety you select, you may be able to plant multiple successions of melons. For example, growers in most of the Southeast can get multiple successions of a fast-growing melon like Delicious 51 PMR Muskmelon, which matures in just 77 days.

Melon Seedlings
This photo shows a very young melon seedling in the top left and an older melon seedling at right.

Direct Sow or Transplant?

You can direct sow or transplant melons into your garden, but each method has a few benefits and drawbacks. 

No matter which method you choose, you want to water your seeds carefully. While they should remain consistently moist, over-watering can cause melon seeds to rot. 

Direct Sowing Melons

Direct sowing melons is less work and may be easier on the plants. Melons have very sensitive root systems that don’t tolerate disturbance, which makes transplanting challenging. However, direct sown seedlings are more susceptible to slug and other pest pressure. 

As you must wait to sow until the soil is warm, they may also take longer to produce a harvest. However, you can speed the process a bit by sprouting your seeds before sowing. Sprout the seeds in moist towels in plastic bags. Check them each day, keeping the towel damp. Sow them in the garden before the root reaches the length of the seed.

Using row cover over your melon beds until the plants begin to flower can help eliminate pest issues and protect them from wind.

When direct sowing, plant seeds 1/2 to 3/4 inches deep 1 to 2 inches apart in rows 5 to 6 inches apart. Later, when the seedlings have developed true leaves, thin them to 12 to 18 inches apart, selecting week seedlings for thinning. No one enjoys thinning, but crowded melons produce poorly. 

Transplanting Melons

Melons are incredibly delicate to transplant, so for must people we recommend sticking to direct sowing. However, transplanting has the benefit of providing an earlier harvest when done successfully. Transplanting seedlings rather than direct sowing can also help reduce seedling loss from slug and pest pressure. 

As they have sensitive root systems, sow your melons in pots, not in flats. Biodegradable pots like newspaper pots are a good option. Sow two to three seeds per pot about 1/2 inch deep. If all three in a pot come up, use scissors to trim off the weaker two.

Keep the pots warm, using a seedling heat mat if possible. Melon seeds germinate best when the temperature is 85 to 90°F. After germination, maintain your seedlings at 75° F or higher.

Hardening Off

Melons are delicate, so it’s important to harden off your transplants. Start by setting them outdoors in indirect sunlight for just a couple of hours. Gradually increase their sun exposure and time outdoors over a couple of weeks. 

Transplanting Outdoors

Wait for ideal conditions to transplant your melons. They are more likely to suffer from transplant shock on windy or chilly days. Again, the soil temperature should be at least 70°F. Water your seedlings the day before you transplant and again about one hour before transplanting. 

Transplant your melons 12 to 18 inches apart in rows 5 to 6 feet apart. Melons typically have long stems by the time they’re ready for transplanting. To help them grow well, gently bury this delicate stem. This will encourage rooting. 

Keep a few seedlings set aside in pots, to fill in any gaps if some of your transplants fail. Melon growing on a vine

Caring for Melons

Once you’ve successfully transplanted your melons, caring for them is fairly straightforward. However, there are a few key steps you want to take throughout the season to ensure a good harvest. 

Watering

Melons require consistent watering through flowering and early fruit set for good production. Keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged. Generally, melons will need about 1 to 2 inches of water per week, depending on the temperatures, wind conditions, and cloud cover. 

Water your melons in the morning. Use a drip hose, soaker hose, irrigation or water at the base of the vine to avoid splashing water on the leaves which can contribute to disease issues. Water deeply about three times per week, depending on the rain. 

Mulch 

Mulch is great for blocking weeds and adding organic matter to the soil, but it can also keep the soil cool. Wait for hot weather to mulch around melons to ensure the soil is warm. Then mulch heavily, especially under developing fruit. 

Pest and Wildlife Issues

Unfortunately, there are several pests and animals that may go after your melon plants. Thankfully, there are some surefire ways to deal with them. 

Early in the season, slugs will feed on the young seedlings. You can deter slugs by temporarily pulling mulch alway from plants and removing slug hiding places. You can also manage their populations by placing homemade beer traps. Fill shallow containers with beer and place them near your plants. The slugs will get in and drown. 

Cucumber beetles are also a major pest of melons and may introduce bacterial wilt to your crop. Proper crop rotation is key to managing cucumber beetle issues. Row cover can also be a good way to exclude the beetles, but must be removed during flowering to ensure good pollination. Amaranth planted nearby also makes a good trap crop. Check out our full post on managing cucumber beetles. 

Cornell University bred the Trifecta Muskmelon for striped cucumber beetle resistance. 

Mealybugs, whiteflies, and aphids can also attack melon plants, but we mostly see this in greenhouse settings. Use a fairly strong spray setting on your hose to blast these pests off the plants. Some people also have luck with soap sprays. However, some melon foliage is sensitive to soap sprays. Try it on a few leaves, before spraying the entire plant. 

Humans aren’t the only animals attracted to sweet melons. It’s likely that your melons will need some protection from animals like groundhogs, raccoons, deer, and other wildlife, particularly during dry seasons! We’ve even had customers report coyotes eating their melons during a drought. Use secure fencing around your garden and melon patch to keep out unwanted dinner guests. 

Harvesting Melons

Ripe melons usually have a telltale sweet aroma. Depending on the variety, you’ll also notice an ivory-yellow coloring. When fully ripe, most melons easily slip from the vine when you put pressure at the base of the stem with your thumb.

Pile of Edisto 47 Muskmelons with the tops one sliced in half to show an orange center
Edisto 47 Muskmelon

Seed Saving 

If you’re planning to save seed from your favorite melon variety, isolate melons by a minimum of 1/8 mile for home use, or 1/2 to 1 mile for pure seed. While you could save seed from a single plant, we recommend saving from 5 to 10 plants to preserve genetic diversity.

You can harvest seed from fully ripe melons that you’ve harvested for the table. However, to get the highest quantity of viable seeds, leave the melons on the vines until they’re over-ripe, about 20 days past your typical harvest time. 

Cut your melon in half and scoop out the seeds. Viable seeds should be firm and plump. Rinse the seeds in a colander, removing the pulp.

Lay seeds out to dry on a tea towel, paper towel, or old screen. When they’re dry enough for storage, you’ll be able to cleanly snap them in half with your fingers. If seeds bend rather than break, they need to be dried longer.

Move fully dry seeds to airtight containers and store them somewhere cool and dark.