The longest day is past, the days are getting shorter and yet the heat of summer has just arrived. I am often fascinated that our hottest temperatures occur in the six weeks or so as the sun begins its slow journey south, or away from us.

Likewise, the same is true in the winter as our coldest temperatures usually occur just when the lengthening days give us hope that the sun is headed our way again, bringing springtime. The answer, of course, is that the earth's temperatures change very slowly as we march through our four seasons.

On this date one can look back and examine what has happened to date in this growing season, or review the gardening opportunities remaining, as we move through summer into fall and winter. I will do the latter today and perhaps follow up with comments on the spring gone next week.

In the vegetable garden we still have plenty of time to duplicate most of our spring plantings, thus extending our harvest season. You might want to check the days to harvest on things like fall squash, pumpkins, eggplants and watermelons but I think there is still time if you hurry and we have a normal growing season.

For the spring vegetables not listed in the past paragraph you need to act soon but have another week or so before hurry needs to kick in.

Some of the cool season vegetables now are between seasons. I'm talking about the cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower family, peas, spinach and lettuce. They will do quite well as a fall crop if planted after the fourth of July. Again, consult the days to harvest and count back from the date of expected cold weather.

Doing that, I am planting my sauerkraut cabbage shortly after July 4, but waiting until August 20 for turnips. Peas should work if in the ground in early August followed several weeks later by lettuce and spinach.

On the ornamental side, some of the heat loving annuals are just now wiping the frowns off their faces. I am amazed at the wonderful reports I have gotten over the years from late plantings, especially with plants like flowering vinca and the known tropicals. With perennial plantings, the length of the garden hose and/or any rain that comes our way will determine our enthusiasm. I usually water until they have experienced several rains and then my perennials are on their own.

One of the prime reasons to consider summer planting of perennials is our habit to buy and plant what we see in bloom. If you find blooming plants now, most likely you can expect that they will shine in your garden in late June or early July next year.

As fall approaches, and my target date there is August 20 or when the rain returns if it is a dry year, one should think about dividing spring blooming perennials. That period is also a great time to add new plants to your gardens. Early fall planting produces better root establishment than spring planting.

Looking at the date, one can begin to retire the garden tools to the storage shed or proclaim "I have just begun to garden." The choice is yours.