Top things you can plant late summer
If you’re thinking about starting a garden this year, it’s not too late to get some things in the ground.
While most vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers will be required to be pre-grown, you can still plant several leafy greens from the seed, according to Rachelle Hofmeister, manager of the tree, shrub, and perennial department at Dutch Growers.
“You would still have enough time to get them in the ground now and still have a harvest,” Hofmeister said, noting that these sorts of plants have a shorter maturity date.
- Radishes
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
These are also perfect for first time gardeners because they are fairly easy to grow, Hofmeister noted.
“They grow fast so it’s easy to have success with those sorts of things and then it helps you build your confidence to try other things,” she said.
Hofmeister said it is also the perfect time to plant perennial flowers, which grow back every season.
She said it is a good idea to mix flowers in with your vegetable garden because they attract pollinators.
Perennial flowers that bees are attracted to include flowers that have a flat landing pad.
- Coneflowers
- Yarrows
- Milkweed
- Shasta daisies
Plants such as marigold or salvia (sage) have the added bonus of keeping bugs out of your garden.
“[This] helps to deter pests because they don’t like the aroma or the fragrance that’s given off by the flower,” she said.
If you have pets, Hofmeister noted that the vast majority of all perennial flowering plants are fine, but tomato plants can be toxic to dogs, as they are in the nightshade family.
If you already have a garden, she recommends using a floating row cover to protect your plants such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbages, from white moths.
“[It] is a really good non-toxic way to protect your plants by not having to spray any chemicals,” she said. “Also really good for keeping flea beetles off of your plants.”
She also recommends keeping up with the soil in your garden.
“It’s really important to work in things like compost, or worm casting or peat moss into the ground, on a regular basis every year or so to help to recharge that soil and help to add organic matter and drainage, it really helps a lot,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.