WV Farm Bureau Magazine August 2016 | Page 18

Grow heat-loving vegetables this summer A s temperatures increase throughout the summer gardening season, gardeners may consider growing plants that can tolerate, or even thrive, in high temperatures. In most regions of West Virginia, the period from August through early October provides sufficient time and heat to grow many heat-tolerant plants. Greens Herbs, such as basil, are heat-loving herbs that can also be established in late summer from transplants and harvested before frost. Legumes Lima beans and Romano beans are extremely productive in warm weather; however, in most regions of West Virginia, August is too late to plant lima beans. Malabar spinach is a new salad green that is being grown by Romano beans, or some West Virginia flat podded beans, gardeners. The spinach can be seeded in can be green- or redearly August for stemmed and thrives harvest in October in high temperature. before frost. If row Batavian lettuce does not get tip burn Although it is not covers are used, or bolt in hot weather. a true spinach, it Romano beans produces dark green can be protected from light frost and and succulent leaves like spinach. harvested in October. With Romano The vegetable is very high in both beans, the pods are edible and do not vitamins A and C. get tough in hot weather. New Zealand spinach is a warmOther heat-loving vegetables season substitute for spinach. Often Okra, eggplants and melons are referred to as perennial spinach, it other heat-loving vegetables that can produces tender leaves in late summer. be established before August. Okra Senposai is a cross between cabbage should be continually harvested while and komatsuna, which is an Asian green the pods are smaller than 4 inches. mustard. Senposai produces a large plant Eggplants can be grown on black plastic with leaves similar to collard greens. mulch to increase the soil temperature. The texture is very similar to cabbage, The plants should be staked when they and it is an excellent cooking green. reach about 18 inches tall. Batavian lettuce, such as ‘Sierra’ and Melons should be grown on black Nevada,’ are excellent heat-tolerant plastic mulch and harvested by the end lettuce varieties for late summer and of September. These popular vegetables early fall. These heading bibb lettuces will continue to bear until frost do not get tip burn or bolt in hot providing nutritious, fresh vegetables weather. for the home garden. ‘Toscano’ or Tuscan kale tolerates For more information, contact WVU warm weather better than most other Extension Specialist Lewis Jett (Lewis. kale varieties. While most kale varieties [email protected]; 304-293-2634). have a strong flavor and flower in warm weather, Tuscan kale stays tender and By Lewis Jett, WVU Extension Specialist – possesses excellent flavor. Commercial Horticulture Summer 2016 WVU Update The West Virginia University Extension Service and the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design are pleased to offer this educational insert to the Farm Bureau NEWS as a service to West Virginians. Check our websites for more news (www.ext. wvu.edu and www. davis.wvu.edu). Lindsay Wiles, Editor Greg Jacobs, Graphic Designer Editorial Planning Committee: Hannah Fincham, Joan Harman, Lewis Jett, John Murray, Kevin Shaffer, Ben Spong, Lindsay Willey and Ronnie Helmondollar Programs and activities offered by the West Virginia University Extension Service are available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, political beliefs, sexual orientation, national origin, and marital or family status. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Director, Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University. Trade or brand names used in this publication are for educational purposes only. The use of such product names does not imply endorsement by the WVU Extension Service to the exclusion of other products that may be equally suitable. The WVU Board of Governors is the governing body of WVU. The Higher Education Policy Commission in West Virginia is responsible for developing, establishing, and overseeing the implementation of a public policy agenda for the state’s four-year colleges and universities. Pages 1 and 4 photo credits: www.flickr. com, creative commons section. AG16-253 Insert provided by WVU Extension Service and Davis College of Ag., Natural Resources, and Design 18 West Virginia Farm Bureau News