Central North Carolina gardeners know the drill: summers are scorchers, and 2025 has been no exception. While this year brought ample rain, last year was particularly dry, which is a testament to the unpredictable nature of our weather. As gardeners, all we can do is plan for success and equip our plants to withstand environmental stressors. A key strategy often overlooked, however, is the art of replanting.
Many beloved summer vegetables, especially those planted after the last frost in April, can become “tired” by mid-summer. Tomatoes, a Southern staple and source of immense pride, are prime examples. While a bounty of tomatoes is a gardener’s dream, by June and July, these plants can look sickly and cease to produce vigorously, often succumbing to pests and diseases. Instead of nursing these exhausted plants through the heat, savvy gardeners know that replanting offers a path to extended, more robust harvests.
The first or second week of August presents an ideal window for replanting your favorite summer vegetables for a second, or even third, round of harvests. This strategy is particularly effective for tomatoes, with the potential for harvesting fresh fruit right up to Thanksgiving, or even the first week of December, depending on the severity and timing of our fall frosts. Light frosts followed by warm days can allow replanted tomatoes to continue producing well into the late fall.
When selecting varieties for late-summer planting, it’s crucial to check their “days to harvest.” Most tomato varieties need 70 to 120 days to mature. Avoid late-maturing varieties that might not produce fruit before the first hard frost in late October or early November. Opt for earlier-maturing varieties to ensure a successful second crop.
Beyond extending the harvest, replanting offers several advantages. Some vegetable varieties actually perform better as the days cool and shorten in late summer and early fall. Furthermore, the cycles of many common garden pests and diseases that plague early-season plantings often pass by late summer, meaning less effort is required to keep your replanted crops healthy.
A critical consideration when replanting is crop rotation. Try to avoid replanting your new vegetables in an area that previously hosted diseased plants. Pathogens can linger in the soil, leading to re-infection of your new, healthy starts. Choose a fresh bed or a different section of your garden to give your replanted vegetables the best chance at a disease-free life.
By embracing the practice of replanting, central North Carolina gardeners can revitalize their plots, extend their enjoyment of homegrown produce, and truly maximize the potential of our long and generous growing season. Don’t let tired plants limit your harvest — give your garden a second wind this August!
Amanda Bratcher is the Horticulture Agent for North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Lee County.