Planted in the spring, they will yield fresh garden salads all summer long. Then once your garden is established, enjoy summer's bounty along with the Creamy Lemon Salad Dressing recipe below, for a real taste sensation!
Tomato Gardening Tips
Tomatoes are the superstar of any summer garden and there are tomato varieties that will thrive virtually anywhere—plants only need six hours of full sunlight!
If you choose an indeterminate, vining tomato, it will produce fruit all season long. These plants need to be caged or well staked for sturdy support. Supports help to prevent the vines from breaking in summer storms or high wind and they keep the fruit from resting on the soil where it might rot.
Determinate tomatoes are stocky, bushy, upright plants. They will produce an abundance of tomatoes all at once. These are the perfect choice for small garden spaces and potted patio plantings.
If possible, choose a variety of both type tomato plants. Experiment with large luscious slicing tomatoes such as Beefsteak, bite-sized varieties such as beautiful black cherry or grape tomatoes, and meaty mid-sized Romas.
Lettuce Gardening Tips
What salad would be complete without salad greens? Look for varieties such as Romaine and Rainbow Chard, which, if only the larger outer leaves are harvested, will produce all summer long. Packets of Mesclun mixed lettuce seeds are available too, making it easy to have a variety of colors, flavors and textures to enjoy all at once.
Plant seeds at two-week intervals to keep lettuce ready to harvest at all stages from early spring through late fall.
Gardening Tips for Peppers
There is a variety of peppers to match every palate, from the sweetest bell pepper to the spiciest Scotch Bonnet, or Habanero, and all of the banana peppers and Hungarian Waxes in between.
Like tomatoes, pepper plants should be transplanted into the garden after the soil is warm. A late cold snap can temporarily halt their growth so be sure to wait until all danger of frost is past.
Harvest peppers at any stage, but to enjoy the most vibrant colors and fullest flavors let them fully ripen on the plant.
Herb Gardening
If tomatoes are the superstars of summer gardens, herbs are the best supporting actors—and there is an unlimited variety from which to choose! Lush, fragrant herbs can grow happily alongside ornamental flowers and in sunny window boxes, too.
Some herbs such as oregano, rosemary and thyme are perennial herbs. Plant them once and they will produce for you abundantly year after year.
Basil is an annual herb that marries well with tomatoes and all things Italian. Snip the stems and leaves often to stimulate healthy growth.
Chives and garlic chives will produce for many years in warm climates. They add a dimension of flavor to summer salads you won’t want to miss.
Plant a variety of herbs and try them out one at a time to discover which your favorites are and how their flavors complement one another.
Creamy Lemon Salad Dressing Recipe
Now that you have an abundance of summer salad veggies to relish, create a delicious zesty dressing to bring out all of those fresh garden flavors.
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup dairy sour cream
Instructions
- Combine the lemon zest, juice, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking the ingredients together until thickened.
- Stir in the sour cream until well combined. Refrigerate any unused portion.
Maria Blanco - Writer/Editor, Certified Family Herbalist, Naturopath, Holistic Nutritional Consultant
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