The sun is out, the weather is warming, and you’re picking up fresh fruits and veggies at your local famer’s market.  But there are items you can plant now—that will yield bountiful and tasty crops of your own.  A lot of people plant in January and harvest in May, but just because you didn’t hop on the first train, doesn’t mean you have to miss the caboose.

If you need a little direction however, let this list steer you in the right direction.

Basil:  Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh basil? Plant it now and harvest in August.  Use it in end-of-summer pasta dishes and fresh, homemade pesto.

Climbing beans (also known as runner beans): Beans and peas always produce a bountiful yield in a vegetable garden, but make sure you have good, rich soil and a solid climbing trellis, and come August, they’ll be ready for picking and eating.

Chives:  They add a great kick to most dishes.  Plant now and harvest in August.

Horseradish: Spring planted horseradish roots will be ready to harvest in October/November.  Add pungent flavor to many dishes.

Sweet corn:  You can plant corn now and have something delicious to throw on the grill when you harvest it in September.

Tomato:  I think tomatoes plants are a beautiful addition to any garden.  The vibrant red of the meat when the fruit starts to turn is a color unique to nature.  Dig up your dirt, plant your tomatoes, and you’ll be ready to start picking and tossing them on top of salads in August.  Better yet, serve it with your now homegrown basil and serve with Burrata and olive oil.  Salt and Pepper.  Perfection!

-Arianna Schioldager