If you have some sun in your yard, this is a perfect time to grow something! COVID-19 therapy!

[NRaleighLiberal]

You can use containers, or straw bales, or build raised beds, or dig up an area - some options below

An article I wrote about straw bale gardening is here - https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/straw-bale-gardens/8882.html

Pretty much anything you can grow in the ground can be grown in containers or straw bales. The biggest thing is the need for closer attention to watering and feeding - but there is far less weeding.

Easy from seed, lower sun requirements, quick growing, but don't like heat so depends where you live, where you are in your season, etc - all sorts of greens...lettuce, various Asian greens, chard - peas. Swiss Chard will last well into the summer, of hot throughout. Beets!

Easy from seed, higher sun requirements, like heat - all kinds of beans (bush snap, pole snap, bush dried, pole dried), squash, melons (vining, so need room), cukes (there are bush varieties, but vining types need room), corn, okra

Start seeds indoors - 2 months from germination to plant out - tomatoes, eggplants, peppers (or purchase starts at garden centers or farmers markets). The more direct sun you get, the larger tomato (fruit size) you can grow well. The big one pound or more types don't set fruit well when it gets to 90 degrees or above, in high humidity.

A bit trickier are the cole crops - cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts - really dependent on temperatures (they do not like heat) - could be a fall crop for some of you. Easy from seeds, but probably best from starts.

I hope to start some weekly Q and A sessions using technology such as Zoom - just looking for ways to be a resource when my various speaking gigs have been cancelled.

Go out and garden, and ask anything!

You can follow my blog, find videos on seed starting at my website - follow me on Instagram (I use it as a sharing and teaching tool - @nctomatoman) - subscribe to my newsletter - Sign up for my newsletter