Warm-season crop

Warm-season crops
Summer crops include snap beans, corn, cucumbers, melons, peppers, tomatoes, and squash
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Warm-season crops-Crops that are harmed by frost and do not grow well until average daily temperatures are in the 70s.
Weed-A plant growing where it is not wanted. A plant that grows in a disturbed site.

Certain warm-season crops such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash and melons take all the heat available in this area. Plastic mulch is the answer for them. Clear polyethylene warms soils best, but it also permits weed growth under the plastic.

All peppers are warm-season crops usually handled as annuals. They can live from year to year in frost-free areas of the deep South and sub-tropical West, but often succumb to diseases aggravated by chilly, wet winter weather.

Plant heat-loving, warm-season crops (such as squash, beans, corn, melons, and cucumbers) only after the soil has warmed, about two weeks after the last frost in spring. These crops require soil temperatures between 60° and 70° F.

Plants can be divided into cool-season and warm-season crops. Cool-season seeds germinate in the cool soil of early spring and their seedlings are not much bothered by frosts.

Cool-season crops, such as kale and peas, grow faster and resist disease better at lower soil and air temperatures than warm-season crops, such as tomatoes and eggplants.

Although tomatoes are true warm-season crops and need plenty of sunshine to maximize fruit production, temperatures above 85 degrees may cause them to stop flowering. Without flowers, there won't be any fruit.

Pay attention to the information on the seed packet; you won't get good results from planting cool-season crops (see table above) in June, or planting warm-season crops in February or March.

Tender bulbs, such as caladiums, should be planted only when soil temperatures are warm enough to induce sprouting - cold spring soil can cause the bulbs to rot instead of sprout. The same holds true for many warm-season crops such as corn, okra, ...

By starting seeds indoors before the season starts, and extending the season in the fall with a light covering over plants, it's possible to grow two or three crops in succession. Warm-season crops do well in the summer heat.

See also: Plant, Soil, Growing, Planting, Tomato