peppers | Gardening in the Panhandle

Summer Veggies That Can Take The Heat

by Molly Jameson | May 15, 2025

Bright green basil plants growing densely in a sunlit garden bed.

Sweet summer basil thrives in the heat – regular harvesting encourages bushier growth and delays flowering. Photo by Molly Jameson.

As the weather heats up, many spring vegetables begin to bolt, wilt, or shut down entirely. But for gardeners willing to shift gears, summer presents an opportunity to grow a new cast of crops that thrive in high temperatures, intense sun, and even occasional drought. Whether you’re growing in raised beds, in-ground rows, or large containers, these heat-loving vegetables are well-suited to our long summer season in the Panhandle.

Here are some of the best summer veggies to keep your garden productive when the thermometer climbs:

Okra

Okra thrives in the summer heat, producing edible pods just days after flowering. Photo by Molly Jameson.

Okra is a true warm-season crop that thrives in the heat and even tolerates periods of drought. For better germination, soak seeds in water for several hours or overnight before planting. Sow seeds directly into the garden once soil temperatures are at least 65°F and the danger of frost has passed – typically from late March through July. Plant seeds 1 inch deep and 4 to 6 inches apart in rows spaced 3 feet apart. Once seedlings are several inches tall, thin them so the remaining plants are spaced 1.5 to 2 feet apart. Pick pods when they’re two to four inches long, usually within a few days of flowering, to avoid tough, fibrous texture. Regular harvesting encourages more production throughout the summer.

Okra varieties well suited for our area include ‘Clemson Spineless’ and ‘Emerald,’ both known for their productivity and tender pods.

Southern Peas

‘Zipper Cream’ southern peas are heat-tolerant and productive, with easy-to-shell pods and creamy, mild flavor. Photo by Molly Jameson.

Also known as cowpeas or field peas, southern peas are a staple crop across the South for good reason – they tolerate heat, sandy soil, and inconsistent rain. Sow seeds directly in June through August, spacing them about 2 to 4 inches apart in rows 18 to 30 inches apart, depending on the variety. Southern peas are nitrogen fixers, so they can improve soil fertility over time.

Popular southern pea varieties include ‘Pinkeye Purple Hull,’ ‘California Black-eyed,’ ‘Creel Crowder,’ and ‘Zipper Cream.’ These plants are also relatively pest- and disease-resistant, making them a great low-maintenance option.

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are grown from slips – vine cuttings taken from sprouted tubers. These slips should be planted after the danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures are consistently above 65°F, typically April through June. Space slips about 12 to 18 inches apart in loose, well-drained soil. While mounding isn’t always necessary, creating raised ridges or planting in raised beds can help promote tuber development and improve drainage, especially in heavier or poorly drained soils. Sweet potatoes require a long growing season – around 90 to 120 days – but they produce abundantly and require minimal care once established. Their vines also form a dense ground cover that suppresses weeds and reduces soil erosion.

Two reliable sweet potato varieties for Florida gardens are ‘Centennial’ and ‘Beauregard,’ both known for their sweet flavor, high yields, and adaptability to southern growing conditions.

Malabar Spinach

Red-stemmed Malabar spinach thrives in summer heat, producing tender, edible leaves on vigorous climbing vines. Photo by Bowonpat, Adobe Stock.

Malabar spinach is not a true spinach, but it provides tender, edible leaves throughout the hot months when traditional greens fail. It grows as a climbing vine, so give it a trellis or support to climb. Sow seeds directly into the garden or transplant young seedlings from mid-April through early June. This plant enjoys both sun and partial shade, and its thick, glossy leaves can be harvested regularly for salads or to thicken soups and stews. Just like regular spinach, frequent picking promotes new growth.

Both red-stemmed and green-stemmed Malabar spinach types are available, with the red-stemmed variety more commonly grown for its ornamental appeal.

Basil
Basil is a heat-tolerant herb that loves full sun and thrives in the warmth of summer. It can be direct-seeded or transplanted once the weather settles into consistent warmth, typically March through May in North Florida. Space plants about 10 to 12 inches apart and harvest often to prevent flowering and promote bushier growth.

In addition to classic sweet basil, try Thai basil or lemon basil for unique flavors that hold up in hot dishes and drinks alike.

Peppers

Close-up of a ripe orange habanero pepper hanging from a plant.

Habanero plants yield intensely hot peppers with a distinct tropical flavor. Photo by Gerald Holmes, Strawberry Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org.

Peppers – especially hot varieties – are well-adapted to Florida summers, although they benefit from a bit of afternoon shade during the most intense heat. Start with healthy transplants in spring or early summer, spacing them 18 to 24 inches apart. Keep the soil consistently moist and apply mulch to help retain moisture.

For sweet pepper options, try ‘Corno di Toro’ or ‘Sweet Banana.’ For heat lovers, datils, jalapeños, and habaneros all perform well in warm conditions. Just note that some varieties may slow production during extreme heat, then pick up again as temperatures moderate.

Take a Break with a Cover Crop

If summer gardening starts to feel overwhelming, you don’t have to plant every square foot. Consider giving part of your garden a seasonal rest with a warm-season cover crop like cowpeas, velvet beans, buckwheat, or even sweet potatoes. These vigorous growers help suppress weeds, improve soil structure, and add organic matter – and in the case of legumes like cowpeas and velvet beans, they also fix nitrogen to benefit future crops. Sweet potatoes, while edible, can also serve double duty as a weed-smothering ground cover.

Wide view of a garden bed covered with dense, sprawling sweet potato vines.

Sweet potato vines form a dense summer ground cover that suppresses weeds and protects the soil. Photo by Janis Piotrowski.

For a lower-maintenance splash of color, consider heat-loving flowers like sunflowers, French marigolds, or zinnias – all of which attract pollinators and beneficial insects while brightening up your garden space.

Don’t let the summer heat bring your garden to a standstill! By choosing vegetables that are naturally adapted to our hot, humid conditions, you can keep your garden thriving and productive all season long.

Charapita Pepper, A Unique Flavor in the Garden

by Matthew Orwat | Mar 31, 2022

Fruit of the charapita pepper. Image Credit: Stephanie Gainer, UF / IFAS Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

As spring has officially sprung, my mind has been turning to what delectable delights we may be able to grow this year in our Extension Demonstration Vegetable Garden. A few years ago, I was introduced to the very flavorful pepper, aji charapita (to be referred to as charapita) by one of my master gardener volunteers, Stephanie Gainer. When we met Stephanie and I discovered we both shared a love for spicy cuisine, so she introduced me to the charapita. I thought I had heard of all the peppers in cultivation, but when I heard this unusual flavorful pepper, I was astonished!

The charapita pepper is a small pea sized pepper that begins purplish brown and is a bright orange/yellow when ripe. It is a native of the Peruvian Amazon and holds the designation of being the most expensive pepper when sold by dry weight. Reasoning for this is two-fold, since it is very difficult to germinate, and the fruit is very small in size. They also require warm nights to fruit, so production is not suited for every climate. Also, we have found that they do best in the central Florida Panhandle when given afternoon shade after 6-8 hours of full sun in the morning. Aside from these requirements, cultivation is very similar to other hot peppers. As a compact plant, it is ideal for container culture.

Large but compact charapita pepper plant in a container. Image Credit: Stephanie Gainer, UF / IFAS Master Gardener Volunteer

When germinating seed, it is recommended to grow them indoors, 8-12 weeks before the last frost date in your area, in a very sunny location with a heating pad at the base of the starting pots. Once temperatures are consistently above 50°F during the night it is ok to set them out in the garden.

As with other hot peppers, they should be fertilized with a standard vegetable fertilizer blend at planting and periodically thereafter based on the needs of the plant in ones individual garden.

Charapita has a unique citrus and tropical fruit aroma and taste, providing the usual heat associated with cayenne peppers (about 50,000 Scoville heat units). It is often used fresh in small amounts when flavoring rice and seafood dishes but is also used as a dried ingredient for chili and grilled meat preparations. Some have said it is best added at the end of cooking. Most likely, it would be an excellent addition added fresh to finely chopped salads, to spice up traditional chimichurri or in Pico de Gallo.

In the central Florida Panhandle, we have been unsuccessful at overwintering plants so far, but others by the coast or in central or south Florida might have more success.

For more information about growing peppers in your home garden, please follow this link for a Gardening Solutions publication on the topic.

An Extension colleague of mine, Gary Bachman of Mississippi State University, has penned this excellent article about specialty peppers with a great pickling recipe for charapita. Happy growing!

Peppers Get Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Too!

by Mary Salinas | Jul 7, 2016

Peppers and tomatoes are in the same plant family – solanaceae or more commonly known as the nightshade family – and can be susceptible to some of the same diseases. This is true of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV). The solanaceae family includes potatoes, eggplant, tobacco, petunia, tomatillo and deadly nightshade in addition to pepper and tomato.

Pepper with TSWV. Photo credit: Mary Derrick, UF IFAS Extension.

This virus is spread by very small insects known as thrips. They acquire the virus as larvae when feeding on an infected plant and then transmit the disease when they fly to other susceptible plants as adults.

Initial symptoms are yellowing and distortion of the leaves. The leaves can also display yellow or brown circular ring spots. The severity of the virus can depend on the particular cultivar of pepper, its age and the environmental conditions in which the pepper is growing. Fruit can develop yellow, brown or ring spots as well.

TSWV infection showing ring spot on leaves and lesions on fruit. Photo credit: Mary Derrick, UF IFAS Extension.

If you think your pepper has TSWV, consult your local extension agent to confirm the diagnosis. But once infected, there is no treatment for the plants and they should be pulled up and disposed of in the trash to prevent other susceptible plants from becoming infected.

For more information:

Some Common Diseases of Pepper in Florida