When is it too late to plant a summer garden?

In the past few weeks, I’ve had several clients frantically contact me about planting their summer garden—

“Is it too late?” they want to know.
I stutter…
“Kind of, but not really.”I walk outside to assess the health of the tomato babies we keep in an irrigated area by my garage, and I worry about the disappointment that might ensue.

It’s not a straightforward answer. When is it too late in middle Tennessee? Well, I think I need several paragraphs to explain, and I’ll start sending this link to the next nervous gardener who asks :)

Because here’s the thing: it’s hard to be truly “too late” in a Middle Tennessee garden. Our spring blurs into summer, which blurs into fall, and sometimes even winter throws us a surprise warm week that makes you itch to dig in the dirt.

That said, timing does matter—especially if you’re aiming for peak harvests or trying to avoid a garden heartbreak (like sowing lettuce seeds in July and wondering why they never sprout). So let’s break it down by month and explore what’s realistic, what’s hopeful, and what’s a lost cause.

An abundant spring harvest, thanks to a well-timed March planting

March & April: The Cool Season Bounty

I know I’m going back in time and you don’t have a Delorean, but this tip is for next year, my friends. March and April are prime time for leafy greens, peas, root veggies, and brassicas. If you missed the boat on kale, cabbage, spinach or carrots in these months, it’s better to wait until fall—those crops don’t like the heat.

Transplants of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant might start hitting some garden stores in late March and April, especially the big box stores that want to sell something to any plant-seeking sucker. But you’ve gotta watch the weather like a hawk until the last frost date at the end of April, and you must be willing to cover those summer plants in case of a cold snap.

My advice: Hold your horses. No tomatoes yet….

Instead of jumping the gun with tomatoes, stay focused on the sweet greens of the cool season

May: Transition Time

In May, the TKG maintenance team has a summer planting blitz, and rapid fire planting is the name of the game. Although it may seem that the large spring crops are crowding the garden, your cabbages, kale, broccoli and lettuce can be harvested and pruned so that the summer crops can find some sunlight.

At this time of year, we plant young tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant transplants. We could plant these crops from seed— there’s plenty of time— but it’s nice to get a 4-6 week head start with transplants. Cucumbers, squash, melons, corn, beans—all of those heat lovers can be sown directly from seed in the garden now. In fact, they prefer it. May is a magical month for summer seeds. The soil is warm and plants grow fast.

I know, I know… May is also the time of graduations, end-of-school vacation, and pool parties, so you’re busy. I get it. If you don’t get around to planting your garden in May, it’s ok, you still have a shot at tomatoes, I promise.

Late May tip: Skip lettuce and spinach. It’s too late now. Save those for the fall garden.

June: Not Too Late, But Be Strategic

Okay, here’s where it gets nuanced. This is where I must introduce basic math to our garden plan: On June 1st, we still have approximately 135 days of warm weather left, since our first frost happens in mid-October.

A cherry tomato takes 60-80 days to produce a crop. A beefsteak tomato, on the other hand, requires 80-100 days. Do the math and you’ll see that you have time to plant BOTH of these varieties for most of June. The only problem is, you may have to search four different nurseries to find the tomato variety that you want. (Nashville seems to be completely out of San Marzanos, let me tell you.)

Cucumbers, squash, and beans? Still a yes. These crops take 45-60 days and will give you a summer harvest even if planted from seed right now. Just keep them watered and mulched—they don’t love to dry out in a heat wave.

July: Welcome to the Jungle

It’s hot. The bugs are relentless. The soil is dry unless you’re irrigating. July is more about maintenance than planting.

That said, there’s still a window for fast crops: cucumbers, bush beans, okra, and southern peas (like black-eyed peas or crowder peas) will thrive in the heat.

It’s also time to start thinking about your fall garden. Yep, already.

Short harvest crops: zucchini and yellow squash take 60 days, but butternut squash take 120 days.

August: Fall Garden Planting Begins

This is when you can sneak in a second round of summer crops like zucchini, cucumbers, and bush beans. Remember, there are still 75 days of summer left and these crops only need 45-60 days to harvest. If you missed the first round, you may actually get better results this time (there are fewer squash vine borers, thank heavens).

You’ll also begin sowing cool-season crops like kale, carrots, turnips, and beets. It feels weird to plant lettuce when it’s 90° out, but a little shade cloth and steady watering can get them going.

Pro tip: Use seedling trays indoors or in a shaded space to start brassicas like broccoli and cabbage this month, and transplant them in September.

September & October: The True Southern Garden Secret

Fall is also an exciting growing season in Tennessee.

Cool nights, fewer pests, and plants that actually thrive in shorter days? Yes, please. And be prepared to have every surface of your kitchen covered in peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants.

If you missed planting in spring, take heart—you can grow an entire garden of greens, roots, and herbs starting in September. This is when Middle Tennessee gardeners really get to show off.

The late September garden. Photo cred: Natalie Metzger.

November to February: The Resting Garden (Sort Of)

While most of the action slows down, this is the time to prep, plan, and dream. Garlic goes in the ground in November. Cold-hardy greens like kale and spinach will survive under row cover or inside a greenhouse. And on those random 70° days in January, you can be out turning compost or harvesting herbs that never gave up.

So, Is It Too Late?

Maybe for some things. But probably not for everything.

Instead of freaking out, take out your calendar and learn about plants. There are even varieties that are bred to produce a harvest quickly so that our poor neighbors up north can still get a crop in their short summers. Use those varieties if you’re getting a late start.

Honestly, the Tennessee garden doesn’t have an off switch. It just keeps flowing—from one season to the next—with opportunities around every corner.

Let’s plant something, shall we?