It's not too late to start a vegetable garden this month. Warmer soils and more light give good conditions for growing seeds or caring for transplants. Many garden centers and nurseries will have warm-weather plants like tomatoes, peppers, basil, and squash ready to set out now. You may still want to keep these heat-lovers covered at night, especially on any nights when temperatures drop below 50 degrees. One of the delights of summer is picking a sun-warmed tomato, adding a leaf of basil, and munching while the juice runs down your chin.
Tomatoes are one crop that's worth the effort.
Now's the time to plant. Sometimes gardeners will find tall, stretched out tomato plants that have been adding height and more height in warm greenhouses. One way to turn a tall, lanky tomato into a sturdy short plant with a great root system is to plant horizontally. Dig a shallow trench and strip the leaves from any part of the tomato stem you're going to bury. Untangle the roots, lay the plant in the trench, and cover the stem, leaving about one foot of plant exposed to light and air.