Q: I’m new to gardening in Georgia so I’m curious. Many gardens are planted so early in the spring, compared to my New York State home, that sweet corn and tomato plants are already harvested and being cut down by mid-July. Is it just too hot down here to schedule planting to have fresh vegetables all summer long? I know it’s hot out there so I didn’t want to risk all the effort and expense if I was more ignorant than inspired!

A: Your enthusiasm is inspiring! You can plant summer vegetables two or three times each summer in Georgia. Add to that the cool-season crops of spinach, mustard and other greens you can have each spring and fall and there is hardly a month you can’t be harvesting something. My friend Wayne McLaurin wrote an excellent guide to home vegetable gardening in Georgia. It is available free from your local Extension office (1-800-ASKUGA-1) or online.