Gardening can be a year round activity in Costa Rica. In the rainy season, the bright and sunny mornings are ideal to plant but July remains the greatest month, bringing fewer rains and more sunny days. It's an ideal time to tend to your crops and enjoy the harvests.
- July marks the time when many crops planted earlier in the year are ready for harvest. Fresh corn, beans, squash, garden vegetables, and tropical fruits are among the treats of the season.
- This month, it is recommended to focus on planting hardier vegetables that thrive in the rainy season. Cabbage, kale, collards, green bunching onions, and Chinese cabbage are suitable choices. Lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers can be grown in containers under eaves or in a greenhouse to protect them from excessive rain.
- Beans, sweet potatoes, peanuts, squashes, and radishes can be directly planted in the garden beds during this time.
- The optimal lunar planting dates for the month are typically in the second week of July. Lunar planting is a traditional belief that certain phases of the moon can affect plant growth.
- With the prediction of heavy tropical storms due to global warming and the impact of vanishing rainforests, it's a good idea to plant trees. It remains a good way to help restore the balance in the water cycle.
- July is considered the latest "safe" date for planting trees, ensuring sufficient time for them to root well before the dry season arrives.
- Fruit trees like citruses, mangos, avocados, star fruit, coconuts, and rambutan are recommended for home lots. Local nurseries can provide information on grafted fruit trees suitable for specific locations.
- Composting grass clippings, leaves, and biomass collected around the home is encouraged to create rich organic fertilizer. This homemade fertilizer helps reduce the cost of growing food and lowers weekly food bills.
Overall, July is an opportune time to enjoy the fruits of your earlier planting efforts, while also planning for future harvests and environmental sustainability through tree planting and organic practices. By planting trees, we can help restore the balance in the water cycle and make positive changes for our planet's future :)
Isabelle Emond, Owner/Broker