Harvesting the Sun: Midsummer Plant Magic is Happening in Your Garden

Last Call to Put In Those Summer Crops!

For all of Earth’s creatures, nothing is so fundamental as the length of the day. After all, the sun is the ultimate source of light and warmth on Earth’s surface and directly related to our food sources. As you have probably noticed, the plants in your garden are growing well now responding to the incredible grow energy available in Hawai’i, especially at this time of year.

For those of you who already planted your summer garden in April or May, you are beginning to reap the rewards that the increase of light has on the plant world here. 

And, for those of you who have not planted yet, the good news is that it’s not too late to plant your summer garden as we are just beginning the Summer Season.

Because Hawai’i is in the subtropics, the length of day and temperature are relatively uniform throughout the year.  Hawaii's longest and shortest days are about 13 1/2 hours and 11 hours respectively, compared with 14 1/2 and 10 hours for Southern California, and 15 1/2 hours and 8 1/2 hours for Maine.  Many of you live in areas of Hawai’i that are in the drier or windier season of year which will call for special considerations.  If you live in Kona, put away those hoses, you won’t need them until the fall. 

Let’s talk about the summer crops for Hawaii’s gardens: corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, peppers, roselle & flowers

CORN:  It's your last opportunity this year to plant corn for 2025!  Popcorn and sweetcorn will grow vigorously at this time of year, as long as you keep it well fed, watered and/or mulched.  Corn loves the sun but also needs water to sprout and mature properly.  If you wait to plant corn in the late summer, you miss the abundant light forces that corn needs to flourish, and it will be stunted with smaller ears. Corn can successfully be planted in Hawai'i from late winter through July. 

I love planting all the corn varieties, because the corn I can get in my supermarket is not very tasty and it’s expensive and no one grows local popcorn! Right now, on the Seed Marketplace, you can still get a pack or two of Jim Brewbaker’s Brittle 9 Sweet Corn. That is the variety I decided to plant this year. I love this variety for a few reasons, the sweetcorn is big, full, and delicious, and it is disease free in my garden. It was developed by Dr. Brewbaker at UH Manoa for Hawai’i and bred with resistance to many of our corn diseases. 

If you’re a popcorn lover, like I am, and you have not yet tried planting popcorn this is a good time to try a small block, which I will talk about in a bit. The Japanese White Hulless Popcorn on the Marketplace is much more tender (hulless) and “corny” than any popcorn you could purchase, even from small farms on the continent who specialize in those things. 

Here is a link to an earlier Blog describing exactly how to plant, care for, and harvest corn varieties.  These instructions are invaluable to read before you begin planting. 

BEANS:  In some areas of Hawai’i, summer can be a rewarding time to grow different varieties of beans, and in other areas it can be the worst time.  I have a hard time growing most bean varieties in summer here in Kona because of pest and disease pressure that I don’t get in the winter.  However, there is one bean that I grow exclusively in the summer because it is so hardy, delicious and easy to grow and that is the Peking Black Vigna Bean or Black Southern Pea.  The Vigna Beans (over 200 varieties) are native to the subtropical parts of India and Southeast Asia and are not bothered by any of the subtropical weather conditions.  They also do well in the drier winter season. They need a trellis, or they could be planted along a fence, or a teepee, or a tall stake for each plant.  They have many good qualities, they have a sturdy pod that insects don’t like, and there are up to 16 beans in each pod.  When the pods are dried, the beans come out easily, a great job for your children.  They also cook up quickly and don’t require the energy that other bean varieties need.

Before I go to bed, I put 2 cups of dried Peking Black beans in a sauce pan covered with water, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover with a lid and wrap in towel overnight.  In the morning, I rinse the beans, add fresh water, bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer.  Usually takes about 15 minutes to cook until tender.  Then I can use them in soups, stews, salads, all my Mexican dishes, etc.  I can freeze excess for another meal.  Black Beans are incredibly nutritious, high in fiber, protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.  Try some this summer!

There are 7 different beans available on the Marketplace right now.  Check them out here!

If you are considering growing corn, beans, and squash this summer…..check out our Blog “Three Sisters in the Hawaiian Garden – Warm Season Abundance”  for ideas.

SQUASH: We have three varieties of squash are available on the Markeplace now.

The first one is the Rainbow x Seminole variety that exhibits diverse genetics resulting from the mixing of the local "kabocha" style squash with Seminole squash, a Florida heirloom, with excellent disease resistance and flavor. Fruit shapes from butternut to flat "kabocha". We find it grows best when has plenty of space to run wild, so plant it on the edge of an area it could easily occupy.

The second is the Aloha Atitlan, a Cucurbita Moschata type that is a cross resulting from the marriage of the local Hawaiian landrace squash (marketed as kabocha) with a unique green-black fleshed landrace from Lago Atitlan in Guatemala. The shape of the squash is variable from short butternut to chubby pear. The flesh has a high amount of dry matter, meaning it stays firm and sticky when cooked. Remember to let your squash sit for a few weeks (or longer!) to sweeten and fully mature. Fruits are ready to harvest when the peduncle (stem connecting fruit to vine) is thoroughly dry.

We also have a Moschata mix of 3 strong lines Filipino, Chinese and Australian with resistance to powdery mildew. The Moschata is a workhouse that incredible lasting power and can store for a minimum of two months.

Squash vines love to run wild, so be sure to plant where there is plenty of space! You can even plant alongside a low woody shrub to support squash and give them something to ramble over.

The Hawai'i Ulu Cooperative has been doing a lot of great research on squash production. Read their informative blog on growing squash in Hawai'i here.

TOMATOES & PEPPERS: Because I’m a Kona gardener, I’m envious at the tomatoes some of you folks can grow in the summer season. I love all tomatoes, but unless they are grown under cover they cannot withstand the summer rainy season on the West side of Hawai’i.  We all have our challenges and our opportunities.  For the rest of Hawai’i this is the season to grow tomatoes and peppers. 

Right now there are 8 varieties of luscious tomatoes available on the Marketplace.  Glenn Teves, Seedman and Breeder from Molokai, wrote this piece for us a few years ago, and it’s invaluable to understanding the different varieties and challenges of growing tomatoes in Hawai’i. 

You can read it here.

If you love sweet or hot peppers check out our selection of unique pepper varieties, all bred for Hawaii’s challenging environment.  One of my favorites is the UH Ka’ala Red Sweeet Pepper. I just harvested a lot of them today and I’m going to roast them and then create a creamy pasta sauce with tomatoes, and some smoky paprika and a bit of hot chili pepper. How was I able to grow them in the rain? I made a small tent for them to live under, not the best solution but it is giving me a lot of peppers. 

Roselle & Hardy Summer Flowers. All gardens need flowers, for beauty, a bouquet for your table, and food for your pollinators.

Roselle Rouge – Hibiscis Tea Plant is one of our most popular seeds on the Marketplace. Not only is this a beautiful plant, but her calyx that surrounds the seeds is used for tea, jam, syrup, and chutney! This is the perfect time of year to start seed, as the plant will begin flowering around the fall Equinox as the days shorten. We also have a new Thai Roselle variety, that is not day length sensitive and will flower anytime of year. Harvest the calyx and dry thoroughly to have an abundant supply of this wonderful resource from Thanksgiving through the New Year.

I hope this blog has inspired you to dive into your summer garden and fill your beds with seeds that will tickle your spirit, delight your senses and nourish your belly. May the warmth of the summer sunshine fill your days with abundant gardens, opportunities for rest and relaxation, renewed energy and joy, and may you be refreshed and renewed in body and spirit.

Aloha,

The Hawai’i Seed Growers Network