When I first started gardening I had no idea that there were actually vegetables that prefer to grown in cooler weather. I thought, "Since you grow tomatoes in summer, aren't all the other veggies grown then?"
This year I've learned a lot of vegetable gardening. Gas prices and food costs are so high; I've been trying to save some money by starting a veggie garden. Also, my son just turned 6, and is old enough to have his own garden spot. He thinks it's cool to grow something to eat, even though he won't let any of it near his dinner plate. (I need to get a copy of that cookbook by Jerry Seinfeld's wife-- where is gives recipes that hide veggies in kid-friendly foods, "Deceptively Delicious".)
So in the late winter I made my wish list of veggies to look into growing. Potatoes, spinach, onions, scallions (for this great pad Thai recipe I have!), broccoli (one L or two?), cukes, beans, snap peas, lettuces, etc. What I discovered was that most of list does not like the very hot summer in my Zone 7, mid-Atlantic garden. We are hot (90 degrees) and humid (90%). At those temps, green tomatoes won't even turn red!! Most of the garden goes into a dormant state in such conditions and stops producing. My sugar snap peas did. Consider your fescue-type lawn. When there is little rain and high temps (like July and August), you don't have to mow as often, do you? Your lawn has gone into dormancy. Shut down under the extreme conditions.
So now I get to have two (next year 3) seasons of veggies in my garden. How cool is that? I've got the broccoli, swiss chard and some bush beans in the ground now. Come early September in go the lettuces; butter crunch, mesclun mix, and red leaf.
I found the transplants at the local Southern States. While there prices might be a little higher than others, Southern States has a great selection of plants and gardening supplies. They do a great job of providing organic materials as well! In the local superstore or the local family-owned nursery, organics are still very hard to find! I'm going this weekend -- need some organic fungicide!
Consider cool season veggies. You'll get a few more months of growth in the garden. Save more money, have more fun. Get your hand dirtier for longer! Sounds delish.
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