Toronto’s gardening season is short but sweet. Whether you’re looking forward to homegrown vegetables or just want a fun outdoor activity to keep you busy, these summer garden tips will help you grow something amazing during the sunniest months of the year.

1. Plan for a Short Growth Cycle
It’s not too late to start planting in the summer, but remember that your plants won’t have as long to grow. Determine how long it takes for each of your crops to produce a harvest. Onions, beets, and leafy greens like lettuce or kale are usually ready to harvest in less than 60 days. For other vegetables that take more time, visit a nursery to get one that’s already been started.

2. Know Which Plants Love Heat and Which Love Shade
Summers in Toronto can get extremely hot. Some plants, like tomatoes, do extremely well with direct sun exposure; other plants, like kale, need to be kept in the shade to flourish.

Walk through your garden and determine which areas get the most sun exposure. Organize your plants so that the vegetables that want sunlight get plenty of it.

3. Check Soil Moisture Daily
Once your plants are seeded and taken root, you might not need to water every day. Watering too often can actually wash away important foundational soil and hurt your plants. On the other hand, the summer heat might dry up your water faster than it soaks into the ground.

The solution is to check your soil moisture. Use your finger or a small stick to make sure that the soil holds water at least two inches deep. You want the dirt in your plant beds to be soft and damp, but don’t add so much water that it becomes muddy. You can also invest in a moisture probe to get exact levels.

Remember to water beneath your plants, not on top of them. Spraying water directly on the leaves can lead to rot or other harmful conditions.

4. Take Advantage of the Late Growing Season
In Toronto, the growing season is typically from late May to early October. Most of the summer is too hot to start delicate spring vegetables like sweet peas. But right after school starts in August, the weather is usually cool enough to grow some of these crops. To maximize your growing potential, start your cool-weather vegetables indoors towards the end of July.

5. Experiment with Flowers and Decorative Plants
Summer gardens aren’t just for vegetables. Sunflowers, marigolds, cosmos, and other brilliant blooms do just fine in the summer heat. If you started your garden late or just want to branch out a little, these colorful plants are an attractive and sweet-smelling solution.

No set of garden tips will prepare you for the changing weather of a Toronto summer. Keep a careful eye on your plants; you don’t want them to receive too much or too little sunlight. If you know your schedule and plant wisely, you’ll be able to enjoy a delicious harvest at the end of the season.