Sohrab Tebyanian is the founder of Andriana Furs, a company that is iconic in the Chicago area and provides customers with high-quality coats and winter wear. In his free time, Sohrab Tebyanian enjoys gardening in Chicago’s temperate climate to grow fruits and vegetables such as cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes.

In an area like Chicago, it is best to sow in the early spring to get the plants growing in the hottest parts of the year. The wet yet warm months of the spring are ideal for cucumbers and tomatoes to have their seedling days, while the fierce sun of summer gives the plants ample energy to grow as they mature. Both plants require a decent amount of care, however, to make sure that they can make the best of their conditions.

Tomato plants can grow to be exceptionally tall, about 6 feet in some cases. This means that their thin stems are put under a lot of pressure and require support. Plant a wooden or metal rod next to the stem and secure it there with wire, tight enough to hold but not so tight that it damages the stem. Cucumber plants don’t grow so huge, but require some shelter from the sun to avoid becoming burned and some shelter from the rain to avoid fungal growths. Both plants are susceptible to fungus, so check on them from time to time for signs of white or black patches and prune accordingly. Pruned stems and leaves should be incinerated or otherwise destroyed instead of composting, to avoid the fungus spreading to other plants.