It’s officially July in Columbia. The sun is hot, the Magnolia trees are in full bloom + local farmers markets are ripe for the picking. While you can head out + buy produce any day of the week, there are many benefits to growing your own fruits + veggies – and no, you don’t need a green thumb or a backyard.

In addition to having all of your salad fixings on hand, gardening is actually considered moderate exercise. Don’t believe it? Head over to your local gardening center, load a few 50 lb. bags of topsoil into your trunk, + think of me while you’re wiping the sweat from your brow. 😅 Gardening gets your muscles moving, can be a form of stress relief, helps with hand strength + dexterity, supports immune regulation, and has even been found to have therapeutic benefits + alleviate depression. No wonder Old McDonald always seemed so cheerful.

We want to help you reap these benefits + impress your friends the next time you throw a dinner party. Whether you live in an apartment downtown, a duplex in Melrose Heights or have a backyard in Lexington, we’ve gathered some tips for you to start your late summer garden right at home.

Whether you’re planting in the ground of your backyard, or in pots on your urban balcony, the first thing you want to consider is the first + last frost dates for the year. Why? If you plant too early in the spring, you risk killing your seedlings. If you don’t plant at least 8 weeks before the last frost date, you may end up with a late harvest, or potentially be wiped out by a surprise early frost. (Based on the South Carolina Last & First Frost Dates, the last frost of the year in Cola was on Apr. 6, 2018, while the first frost of last year occurred on Oct. 31, 2017).

Frost dates aside, due to Columbia’s heat, it’s difficult to cultivate your crops in July. But the Midlands is in Zone 8a plant hardiness zone – meaning even if you missed out on the spring blooms, you can get down with the broccoli crowns + start your late summer garden within the next month. Just in time to harvest the veggies in November (right around the time an outdoor dinner party in Cola becomes bearable again).

View the guide below to learn what to plant + when.

*Indicates veggies which are are great plants to grow in pots if you do not have a backyard

🌱 Beets

Start your seeds: Mid-August

Plant seedlings outdoors: Late-September/Early-October

Harvest: Mid-November

🌱 Broccoli

Start your seeds: Early-August

Plant seedlings outdoors: September/October

Harvest: Late-November

🌱 Cabbage*

Start your seeds: Early-August

Plant outdoors: Late-September/Early-October

Harvest: Mid-November

🌱 Carrots

Start your seeds: Mid-August

Plant seedlings outdoors: Late-September/Early-October

Harvest: Mid-November

🌱 Cauliflower

Start your seeds: Mid-August

Plant outdoors: October

Harvest: Late-November

🌱 Herbs (Dill + Cilantro)*

Plant seedlings outdoors: July

🌱 Kale*

Start your seeds: Mid-August

Plant outdoors: October

Harvest: Late-November

🌱 Lettuce*

Start your seeds: Mid-August

Plant outdoors: Late-September/Early-October

Harvest: Mid-November

🌱 Peas*

Start your seeds: Early-September

Plant outdoors: October

Harvest: Mid-November

🌱 Spinach*

Start your seeds: Early-September

Plant outdoors: October

Harvest: Late-November

Alright, new gardeners. A few things to keep in mind:

For most plants, you should start your seeds indoors. You can do this by using small pots or even an empty egg carton with some soil.
Check your hardiness zone to understand which plants will thrive in your specific climate.
Monitor watering and irrigation systems. It’s hot out there for a plant.

Now – need recommendations on where to shop for your seeds + stems? Here are a few of our followers’ suggestions:

🌱 Cayce Farmers Market

🌱 City Roots

🌱 Forest Lake Gardens

🌱 Gardeners Outpost

🌱 Mill Creek Greenhouses

🌱 Reese’s Plants

🌱 Seven Oaks Plant Shop

🌱 Southern Vistas Landscape and Garden Center

🌱 Wingard's Market

🌱 Woodley’s Garden Center

I’m definitely not a master gardener yet and am still very much honing my green thumb. If you have any gardening tips, I would love to hear them. Reply to this email and let me know your favorite late summer + fall crops.

–COLAtoday team