Welp, it’s officially summer. The sun is hot, the days are long, and local farmers markets are ripe for the picking. While you can head out and 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!

Whether you live in an apartment downtown or have a backyard in the suburbs, we have the ways for you to 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 this year was April 12, while the first frost for 2017 was Oct. 28 (which means this year’s last frost date will be within the same few weeks of last years frost.)).

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

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

Vegetables

🌱Beets

Start your seeds: Direct Sow

Plant outdoors: Mid-August

Harvest: Late-October

🌱Broccoli

Start your seeds: Early-July

Plant outdoors: Early-August

Harvest: Mid-November

🌱Cabbage*

Start your seeds: Early July

Plant outdoors: Late-July

Harvest: Late-October

🌱Carrots

Start your seeds: Direct Sow

Plant outdoors: Early-August

Harvest: Late-October

🌱Cauliflower

Start your seeds: Early July

Plant outdoors: Early August

Harvest: Mid-November

🌱Cucumber*

Start your seeds: Direct Sow

Plant outdoors: April

Harvest: Late August

🌱Herbs (Basil, Cilantro, Oregano)*

Start your seeds: June

Plant outdoors: July

Harvest: Until first frost

🌱Kale*

Start your seeds: Direct Sow

Plant outdoors: Early August

Harvest: Mid-November

🌱Lettuce*

Start your seeds: Late July

Plant outdoors: Mid-August

Harvest: Late October

🌱Okra

Start your seeds: Early March

Plant outdoors: Late April

Harvest: Late-June

🌱Peas*

Start your seeds: Direct Sow

Plant outdoors: Late July

Harvest: Mid-November

🌱Peppers*

Start your seeds: Mid-February

Plant outdoors: Late April

Harvest: Late September

🌱Pumpkin

Start your seeds: Direct Sow

Plant outdoors: Mid-June

Harvest: Late October

🌱Spinach*

Start your seeds: Early August

Plant outdoors: Early September

Harvest: Mid-November

🌱Squash*

Start your seeds: Late March

Plant outdoors: Mid-April

Harvest: Mid-October

🌱Tomato*

Start your seeds: Late February

Plant outdoors: Late April

Harvest: Late September

Fruit

Fruit trees that do best in the Upstate are:

🍑 Peach

🍋 Citrus

🍈 Fig

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.

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.

– Karlee + GVLtoday team