Summer is a time for planting and for developing a green thumb. There are some that decide to create a vegetable garden in order to have food that can be stored or just to be more environmentally friendly. If this is you, first decide how much space you have to allow for your garden and what vegetables you want to grow. There are many vegetables you can grow for yourself in a garden, and many will prosper for longer than just the summer. Here are some vegetables that grow well in summer and can be stored to enjoy even after summer is over.
Okra
Okra is a great vegetable that is best to grow in summer. It is easy to take care of and thrives in the heat. This vegetable also grows beautiful flowers, so it will add to your garden’s appeal. Okra is not hard to plant, and it does not need as much space as some other vegetables. It just needs to be watered regularly, and make sure no weeds grow around it. Okra should be planted during stable summer heat and takes about two months to see any product, so it is best to plant this at the beginning of summer. It can be frozen or canned to be stored throughout the winter.
Summer Squash
Summer squash can be grown in your backyard and is great for the summer. Squash does not take long to start to see a product, and it should be directly seeded into the ground. It needs full sun, lots of water, and rich soil to stay alive and fresh. You should start to see a product about a week after planting, and it takes about sixty days to be fully mature. It is recommended that you pick the squash when it is small to get a better flavor and check it every week to see new produce. Squash should be blanched and can be stored up to three months.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a fan favorite to grow, and they are useful in several food categories. These plants love the sun and grow easiest in the summer. The tomato is a vegetable that you can transplant rather than grow in the ground directly. It can take one to two months to start seeing any produce, but it is well worth the wait. They do not require much care, which may be good for you if you have many plants that you are trying to grow. They really just need a lot of sun and some water, and you may need to keep weeds away as well. These are great to plant in abundance, and they will stay juicy fresh for as long as you need them to when stored properly. Tomatoes can be canned, frozen, or dried. They can be stored up to a year with all of these methods.
Onion
A vegetable that is often used to bring more flavor to a meal, onions are easy to grow in the summer. They take about three to four months before they are ready to be harvested, so these should be planted at the beginning of summer. They should be wrapped in paper or mesh as long as they are not sprouting. Wrapping them as soon as you decide to store them is best to ensure they will last long. If they have started sprouting, then it may be best to use them within a couple weeks. You also have the option of freezing your onions as long as you cut them first and put them in freezer bags. This option is best for cooked meals such as soup or pasta as opposed to eating the onions raw on a salad or sandwich. Some onions can be stored for up to five or six months if they are stored properly in cool dry places out of the sun. However, the dry bulb onion, can be stored for ten to twelve months.
Root Vegetables
Root vegetables, including carrots, ginger, radishes, and more, are common favorites to grow and are easy to plant and maintain. It takes around two months to see a harvest. Carrots and other root vegetables need to be planted directly into the ground and watered regularly. They do not take up a lot of space in the ground, so it will help keep the area open enough for other vegetables. The best thing about root vegetables is that they are perennial, so they will stay alive in the fall and winter and be able to sprout again in the spring and summer. These vegetables need to be blanched first, but they can be stored for up to nine months in the freezer.
Green Beans
There are many types of green beans out there, and each type grows a bit differently. Bush beans are the most common green bean to grow yourself, as they do not need a lot of space since they grow slightly upwards. This allows for plenty of space in the garden for other vegetables. They grow somewhat fast, in about fifty days, and do not really need much care. They do not need support like pole beans, making the bush bean a much easier bean to grow. As well, the faster you pick the beans from the sprout, the faster more beans will grow, as this allows for new seeds to start blooming. They can be blanched and frozen, canned or pickled. They can be stored for three to six months if frozen and three to five years if canned.
Blanching
Most of these vegetables will need to be blanched to prepare them to be frozen for long periods of time. This process is meant to help keep the flavor, texture, and vitamins of the vegetable intact. It also helps clean the vegetables of any dirt. They can be water or steam blanched, the former being the most common way to do so and the latter being the longer process. Each vegetable has its own blanch time, but the process is the same for all of them. The process should not take too long, usually around two to five minutes for most vegetables. To blanch a vegetable using water, you first bring the water to a boil and then place the vegetable in for as long as needed for that particular vegetable. Pulling it out after the allotted time and immediately placing it into cold water will quickly stop the cooking process, and they can then be frozen. To blanch a vegetable using steam, place the vegetable into a basket that can be placed in a pot without touching the bottom. Then place a lid on the pot and let the water in the pot come to a boil. Make sure the steam reaches all the vegetables evenly, and remove the vegetables according to the time needed for that particular kind of vegetable.
A great way to be productive this summer is to grow a vegetable garden. Planting and growing will be fun and very rewarding. This list should guide you to which vegetables are easy to grow and keep for months to come. 
Jade Paredes
Home & Yard Magazine
