Planting vegetable ideas for Spring and hot Summer

[erins327]

Hey ya'll! Central Texas here, asking about some ideas on vegetable gardening this spring/summer.

I'm really trying to start everything some seed this year to a) save money and b) get a head start.

I have experience starting from seed, this is my second year doing tomatoes and jalepenos from seed and just set up my first little light/greenhouse area in an extra office room in the house.

I want to get goin' on seeds here pretty soon and am thinking about:

Green beans- (Derby and Red Burgundy worked well last Spring)
Okra- (did a Hill Country variety last summer)
Tomatoes - (Sungold, CHerokee, Black Cherry and Yellow Pear already coming along)
Jalepenos
Eggplant

Anyone got a go-to Okra they love? I've tried Clemson Spineless with mild results and Hill Country Red with not too good results. I don't know if this related to direct sowing in late April, but I've also read that okra does not do well from transplants?

Eggplant- anyone know a variety that will withstand our heat the best? I always get a great looking plant, and then the 95+ heat comes and they just wilt away.

Already getting excited about my Spring planting!

[hendi_alex]

You get much better results from okra if you soak the seeds prior to planting. I've done transplants for the past two years and they did quite well. One thing about okra and early season though, the plants just sit there until the temperature gets quite warm. My transplant did nothing until maybe mid June when they started growing very well, and then gave okra almost until frost both years. I think that the variety was Clemson spineless. I've had very poor results with germination when seeds were not soaked before planting.

[hendi_alex]

Our temperatures are similar. I plant several egg plant on the east of a large oak tree, such that the plants get full sun for half a day. They have produced a bounty each year for several years. As you point out, the plants do not like the heat of the afternoon, so try my method, or perhaps place some shade cloth to the west of the plants and they will thank you with many nice fruit. Several years ago we switched to Japanese type which are extremely productive. We also plant a green variety that is shaped similar to Ichiban.

[imafan26]

The Japanese long and Thai eggplants are very productive. Mine doesn't mind 90 degree weather as long as it gets enough water. It does stop producing during December and January because it actually does not like cold and short days.

[erins327]

This is exactly what I needed to know! Thanks for the replies!