Summertime is my favorite time of the year in Florida. However, the heat and humidity can bring some challenges when growing your Tower Garden outside. Our 10 Summertime Tips will give you the basics, but none of that matters if you’re not growing the right crops to begin with. In no particular order, learn about 10 Summer Tower Garden Crops to grow outside all summer long!
Cucumbers love the summer weather so that makes them a perfect summer Tower Garden crop! Their vines can grow in excess of 10 feet long, so they are not a good choice for growing inside. Cucumbers are heavy feeders, and if you think about it, the cucumber fruit itself is mostly water, so be sure to check your water level often when growing cucumbers (and other large fruiting crops). Look for varieties that are gynoecious. This means they produce only female flowers. Both Diva and Katrina are gynoecious.
Almost all fruiting crops need to be pollinated in order to produce fruit, however, there are some exceptions. Parthenocarpic varieties do not require pollination to produce fruit. If you are growing in a greenhouse, hoop house, inside your home, or where pollinating insects are limited, parthenocarpic varieties are a good choice. At the end of the page there’s a video showing you different ways to pollinate.
You may find aphids, worms, leafminers, or powdery mildew on your cucumbers. 3 Steps to Simply Pest Control will help you deal with these pests.
Squash is another crop that does great in the heat. With so many to choose from there is a variety of squash for everyone to grow! Summer squash varieties tend to have shorter vines (zucchini, yellow crooked neck, patty pan etc), while winter varieties tend to have long vines in excess of 10ft (butternut, spaghetti, acorn, pumpkin etc). Bear that in mind when planning your garden. We recommend no more than 4 large plants as your Tower Garden can get out of control and overwhelming very quickly.
Squash plants have separate male and female flowers and they need to be pollinated in order to produce fruit. If there are no insects to do it for you, you will have to be the bee. Check out the video at the end of the page to learn how to pollinate your squash.
You may find aphids, worms and leafminers on your squash. 3 Steps to Simply Pest Control will help you deal with these. Squash is very prone to powdery mildew so look for varieties that offer some resistance. However, in our experience, in the hot and humid Florida climate, even those that are resistant to powdery mildew still experience powdery mildew.
Basil just loves the heat! In fact, basil will not survive when temperatures are in the 50s and lower. Basil is very prolific. Be ready to harvest it before it goes to seed and make plenty of pesto to freeze!
There are many varieties of basil, including Genovese, lemon, Thai, red, cinnamon, and lime.
Not too many pests bother basil, but you may see downy mildew. Downy mildew is a disease that cannot be treated. Ensure the plant is harvested regularly as this allows the air to circulate. Good circulation is one of the best things you can do to prevent and reduce pests, disease and fungus issues on any crop.
I love to grow green beans! Sauteing with garlic is my favorite way to cook them, but I’ll snack on them while checking over my Tower Garden too. When growing green beans, we recommend 4 or more plants for the average family. They take a little while to get going, but with 4 or more plants, in ideal conditions (adequate sun, water, and nutrients) you’ll be harvesting enough for a side dish one to two times a week.
Unlike squash and some varieties of cucumber and melon, which have separate male and female flowers, Beans have the male and female parts needed for pollination in the same flower. Therefore Beans can be pollinated by insects, a breeze, or a simple shake of the plant. Check out the video at the end of the page to learn how to pollinate your beans.
You’ll mostly find aphids and leafminers bothering green beans. 3 Steps to Simplify Pest Control will help you deal with that. Rust is a fungus that can affect green beans. Remove leaves that are starting to brown. This is a good habit to get into with all crops to be honest.
Believe it or not, you can grow lettuce in the Tower Garden in the Summer. The key is selecting the right varieties. Some of our best heat-tolerant varieties include Muir, Starfighter, Cherokee, Magenta, and Rex. While you may not be growing it to a full head, and you might not harvest from the same head quite as many times as you do in the cooler weather, you’ll still be growing and harvesting your own fresh lettuce!
Lettuce doesn’t need to be pollinated so there’s no need to worry about that!
The most common pests that bother lettuce are aphids, worms, and leafminers, however, they tend to attack other crops first. 3 Steps to Simplify Pest Control will help you spot the signs of these pests and deal with them.
Lettuce can be harvested in three different ways, depending on whether it’s a loose-leaf or head lettuce variety. This video shows you the different ways you can harvest.
This beautifully colored, leafy green does well in the heat too. We like to plant it in the top row as the base of the chard grows very wide and will usually need to be taken out of your Tower Garden before other crops need to come out. By placing it in the top row you simply unscrew the wing nuts, remove the shower cap and take out the net pot. If you had placed it lower in the tower you will need to remove a few growing pots to get to it.
Swiss Chard doesn’t need to be pollinated so there’s no need to worry about that!
The most common pests that bother Swiss Chard are worms and broad mites. 3 Steps to Simplify Pest Control will help you spot the signs of these pests and deal with them.
Harvesting Swiss Chard is really easy. Simply snap or cut the individual leaves you need from around the outside. New growth continues to sprout from the center.
Despite Kale being a cooler weather crop, it grows incredibly well in the summer heat in a Tower Garden. We grow Curly Kale, Toscano Kale (pictured), and Red Russian Kale all summer long.
Kale is a leafy green so there’s no need to worry about pollination!
The most common pests that bother Kale are worms and aphids. 3 Steps to Simplify Pest Control will help you spot the signs of these pests and deal with them.
You harvest Kale just like you harvest Swiss Chard. Simply snap or cut the individual leaves you need from around the outside. New growth continues to sprout from the center.
Peppers are another crop that just thrives in the heat. There are so many varieties of peppers to choose from too. So whether you like bell, snacking, jalapeno, poblano, habanero (pictured), or something else, you’ll be able to grow them in the heat of the summer.
Peppers, like beans, have the male and female parts needed for pollination in the same flower. Therefore peppers can be pollinated by insects, a breeze, or a simple shake of the plant. Check out the video at the end of the page to learn how to pollinate your peppers.
The most common pests that bother Peppers are aphids and broad mites. 3 Steps to Simplify Pest Control will help you spot the signs of these pests and deal with them.
A green pepper is simply an unripe pepper. Peppers can be harvested when they have reached full size for that variety. Or, you can let them ripen and harvest them then. It will take an additional two to three weeks for them to turn red, yellow, or whatever color that variety will be. You’ll usually have to use a pair of scissors or snips to cut the pepper off the stem.
If you like the bite that arugula gives, you’re going to want to grow it in your Tower Garden, and you’ll be pleased to know it does well in the heat too!
As a leafy green, Arugula doesn’t need to be pollinated.
The most common pests that bother Arugula are aphids and broad mites. 3 Steps to Simplify Pest Control will help you spot the signs of these pests and deal with them.
You’ll harvest Arugula just like you harvest leafy lettuces. Cut individual leaves, or cut approximately 2 inches above the rockwool when harvesting a bunch a once.
Pac Choi is an Asian leafy green that you’ll find in many Asian stir fry recipes. It’s easy to grow in the Tower Garden too! You’ll find red and green varieties.
As a leafy green, Pac Choi doesn’t need to be pollinated.
The most common pests that bother Pac Choi are aphids and worms. 3 Steps to Simplify Pest Control will help you spot the signs of these pests and deal with them.
You’ll harvest Pac Choi just like you harvest heads of lettuces. Cut individual leaves, or remove the whole thing at once.
There you have it! 10 crops that grow well in the heat of the summer. How many of these will you try to grow?
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