The weather is warming, but there's still time to plant a garden

It's mid-May. The weather has warmed, and while there may still be a few cool, even rainy days ahead, for the most part we've turned the corner and the long hot summer is upon us.
All of which means that if you haven't already planted summer annuals and veggies, it's time to get crackin'.
Actually this is a good time for summer planting. Veggies such as tomatoes, eggplant, corn, beans, squash and peppers love the warm soil where they can stretch out their roots and really thrive.
Yes, some of the neighbors may have started weeks ago, using cloches, wall-o-waters and row covers. Some of their early efforts may have survived; some may not. But everything you plant now will catch up fast.
There are probably as many ways of designing a vegetable garden as there are gardeners. If you have unlimited space, you can choose field rows, growing a massive crop and selling it at the Farmers' Market.
For those with smaller properties, there's square-foot gardening, where you design blocks of nine to 12 squares, each holding a single plant - even a flower or two. After all, they're food for the soul.
You can mix edibles and non-edibles in existing borders. A bright red tomato is as pretty as a red rose, though perhaps not so fragrant.
With even smaller space, consider containers. Many plants are bred for this purpose and will make it possible for you to enjoy fresh vegetables throughout the summer.
This year I have seen a new container advertised - a hanging tomato grower. This isn't just a basket for growing cherry tomatoes, although those do very nicely if you give them adequate sun, water and nutrients.
This - according to the promos - will grow full-size tomatoes. You fill the container with potting soil, then insert the tomato plant upside down.
It solves many problems, including the use of space. Annoying critters, such as cutworms, have no way to get to the suspended plant, so there's no need to utilize the protective collars that in-ground plantings require.
You will need to be on the alert for tomato hornworms, however. They hatch from eggs laid by hovering moths, so there's plenty of opportunity for them to develop.
Careful application of any product containing bacillus thuringiensis, however, should handle the problem. Remember that BT is not a contact killer. It merely gives the hornworms fatal tummy aches. This usually means repeated applications to keep the invaders under control.
Container grown vegetables have a decided advantage, especially if you place them on a wheeled platform. You can move them around easily to take advantage of shifting sunshine, take them out of the line-up when they begin to fade and showcase the ones that are really doing their thing.
Do remember that they will need more attention to watering and fertilizing than if they were planted in the ground and well mulched, however.
Containers make it possible for everyone to have fresh vegetables, whether it's on the patio, a balcony, window box - even a rooftop.
Use your imagination - go for it!
Helen Bale can be reached at htbale@infostations.com.