8 Great Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Summer Vegetable Garden

Summer isn't over yet!

We might be in the final weeks of summer, but that doesn’t mean all the perks of your summer vegetable garden are over. In fact, there are a ton of amazing ways you can prolong the use of your veggie patch—and keep enjoying the literal fruits of your labor—well into autumn. That’s why we turned to Ashley Nussman-Berry, founder of the Black Planters, and a few other amazing members of the Facebook Group, to ask for their advice.

Here are their top tips for getting the most out of your summer vegetable garden, even after the official season has come to a close.

Focus On Your Growing Periods

According to Nussman-Berry, one thing you should be aware of is the growing period of your varieties—she personally opts for short growing periods with fast turnovers.

“I plant, harvest, and then plant another batch,” Nussman-Berry says.

Become a Morning Person

The meditative benefits of gardening are something many home gardeners tout, and Kay Goff, the founder of the gardening education company Elevate Farms, says investing early mornings and later evenings into your garden is a great way to prolong the growing season.

In fact, she says she doesn’t sleep in or head to bed before the sun goes down—instead, she spends that time relaxing in her garden, cultivating the space to maximize its output.

“Early mornings are spent watering to give the plants and roots a chance to absorb the water,” Goff says. “The evenings are spent searching for tomato hornworms and Japanese beetles.”

Protect Your Plants Through Seasonal Changes

Obviously, summer weather patterns can be unpredictable, but Nussman-Berry says it’s important to pay attention and plan ahead. One thing she does with this in mind is use mulch to retain moisture and maintain temperatures.

“I also love garden fabric and row covers when it starts to get colder at night,” she says. “It can really save plants from sudden frost or just let you get a few weeks of extra growing time.”

Peace Hakuna, home and family gardener at Gardening with Peace, agrees. “I add mulch to my beds to preserve warm temperature, watch out for frost, and use my Planket, which you can buy from Home Depot.”

Harvest as Soon as Your Veggies Are Ready

According to our experts, one key to harvesting is picking your veggies as soon as they’re ripe. This will only prolong their life in your kitchen. “I typically start to grab my vegetables (mainly peppers) right when they are ripe,” says Hakuna.

Nussman-Berry agrees, noting that accurate harvesting often is essential.

Focus on Food Preservation

Nussman-Berry says she often freezes her harvests, especially zucchini and other squash, but the exact method matters. “You can just pop it in the freezer and thaw it later, but it will taste and look better if you cut it up and blanche it before freezing,” she says.

Another option that’s popular in the Black Planters Facebook group is canning, as well as food dehydrators, something Goff uses personally.

“Before I started putting food preservation practices into place, I had let so much of my harvest and hard work go to waste,” she says. But after scouring the web for tips on how to pickle and dehydrate, that changed. “Recently, we made an investment in a Harvest Right freeze dryer and I can’t wait to share that journey with my social media gardening community.”

Special Tools Aren't a Must, but They Can Help

Specific tools aren’t required for harvesting your fruits and veggies—Nussman-Berry says she prefers using her hands and Hakuna says claw gardening gloves are his go-to. But if you have any plants that are trickier, there are some options that might help.

“For vegetables that are tougher to get, an anvil pruner is so helpful,” she says, noting that baskets can be a huge help, too. “It feels good to feel the weight of all your hard work. I have a few baskets that I switch out.”

Goff says that for her, sharp pruners are a favorite, especially for harvesting cucumbers, tomatoes, and eggplants. “With the sweet potato harvest coming upon us very soon a broad pitchfork is always my go-to,” she adds. “They’re nothing special, but definitely tools that make the job a little easier.”

Replant for a Fall Harvest

While your summer growing season might be winding down, there are a few things you can replant for a fall harvest. Nussman-Berry lists lettuce, spinach, and kale, as well as root vegetables like beets, radishes, and turnips.

As with your summer varieties, Hakuna points out that leafy vegetables require attention when harvesting. “Make sure you prune these immediately when they are ready,” he says.

“Peas can also be planted in late summer to harvest in fall,” Nussman-Berry adds. “But again, planting vegetable varieties with fast turnarounds is best so you can harvest before it gets too cold––especially if you live in a place that gets really cold like I do.”

If you’re in a warmer climate, enjoy the extra growing season. “I am in the southern states, so I have the opportunity to do a second run of certain varieties of tomatoes and peppers that mature quickly as well as yellow squash, zucchini, and bush beans,” Goff says.

Great Gardening Requires Time

Of course, the best way to prolong the life of your summer vegetable garden is by paying attention and showing your plot love.

“Check on your garden daily, mainly for pests and to make sure they get adequate water,” says Hakuna. “Keep neem oil on deck for pests and black spots.”

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