These Warm Season Vegetables are Perfect to Plant in Late Spring
Are you just getting your garden started? If so, don’t worry! There are lots of vegetables that you can plant this month and still have a harvest. June is a wonderful month to work in the garden. It’s warm enough in most places to enjoy being outside, but it’s not so hot that you’ll feel sun-drenched in the garden. If you’re just now starting your garden, let’s talk about what you can still get planted.
Planting in June
While most gardeners will tell you that you need to have your garden planted in early spring, there are still plants that you can get in the ground. Seeds that are planted in June typically germinate faster because the soil is warmer. Since it is a warmer month, you’ll want to focus on heat-tolerant plants, preferably ones that don’t have lengthy growing seasons. You’ll want to make sure that you can get a harvest before a frost hits your plants.
Check the From Seed to Spoon app’s calendar to easily see when it’s best to plant different seeds in your location. We use the closest weather station based on your Zip Code for exceptional accuracy. Get the From Seed to Spoon app.
There are two types of beans, bush beans and pole beans. Bush beans grow upright and have a sturdy stem. Pole beans create a vine and should be trellised. Bush beans tend to grow and mature faster. If you’re planting beans in June, you’ll want to choose a bush variety. Bush beans also require less water, making them even more suitable for growing in the middle of summer.
Many bush varieties can be harvested in as little as 35 days. If you’re growing in a Northern climate where temperatures are a little cooler, green beans are a great option. Blue Lake varieties are well-loved. In more southern, warmer climates, choose a more heat tolerant bean. Long beans like the Chinese long noodle do well in warm temperatures.
Corn is a fast-growing crop that handles the summer heat well. Some varieties of corn will mature in as little as 60-70 days. Corn loves heat and will grow in soil temperatures between 60-95 degrees Fahrenheit. Corn is notorious for being a heavy feeder, so you’ll want to make sure that you’re planting it into rich soil. Since it’s a heavy feeder, it will also require a lot of water. If you’re living in a southern climate, especially Zones 8-10, you’ll want to make sure that you keep the soil moist for corn. Row covers or deep mulching can help with that.
Look for fast-growing varieties like Revelation or Sugar Buns to get as harvest quickly.
Eggplant is another crop that does well in the heat. It’s also fast-growing. You can see the delicious, purple fruits start to develop in as little as 60 days. Eggplants come in a wide range of colors and shapes, from white to deep purple and red colors, and elongated or globe shaped. There’s a variety of eggplants to choose from, and they’re all generally heat-tolerant.
The Patio Baby is a good option for growing in containers or small spaces, while the Black Beauty is a classic and proven favorite.
You may have heard these called bunching onions or scallions. These smaller relatives of the bulb onion grow quickly and do well in warmer weather. Bulb onions have a long growing season, so if you’re planting in June you’ll want to skip bulb varieties. Instead, opt for green onions. Their ideal soil temperature is 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit, so they’ll do especially well in northern climates this time of year.
The Warrior and Damast green onion varieties are great options for growing in northern climates.
If we could crown one plant as the ultimate heat-loving crop, it would likely be okra. Okra is a classic in many southern dishes, probably because of its ability to withstand hot temperatures and humidity found in the southern states. Okra does best with the outside temperatures are above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Okra is a fast growing plant and can be harvested in as little as 60 days. When harvesting okra, take a pair of scissors and snip the okra off of the plant when the okra is about 3” long. If you let the okra get too long, it will develop a tough, fibrous outer pod.
All okra varieties are going to do well in the heat, but the Clemson spineless and Jambalaya varieties are favorites.
Many people associate peas with growing in cooler weather, but they can do well in warm temperatures. Most peas that die back in the summer die back due to a lack of water, not warm temperatures. Keep your peas well-watered and you can get a good crop out of them in the summer. Peas grow quickly and can be harvested in as little as 60 days. Similar to beans, there are bush varieties and pole varieties. We recommend bush varieties if you’re planting in June. When watering, water your peas at the ground. Powdery mildew is a common problem with peas grown in the summer. Watering at the ground will help to prevent that.
Cowpeas do well in the summer heat, but if you’re looking for a sweet pea, try the Lincoln cultivar.
Peppers are another classic summer crop that thrives in warm weather. Peppers are heavy feeders, which means they are also heavy drinkers. Plant peppers into rich soil and keep them well watered to get the most out of them. Peppers thrive when soil temperatures are above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Peppers can take anywhere from 60-120 days to mature, but the average pepper can be harvested in about 75 days.
If you live in southern growing zones, you might want to invest in shade cloth for your peppers. Peppers can get too hot if temperatures are above 90 degrees, causing them to drop blooms. Shade cloth and frequent watering will help keep them going. Jalapenos tend to be more heat-tolerant than bell peppers. If you’re growing in southern climates, you might want to plant jalapenos in June rather than bell peppers.
Summer squash can be found in almost all summer gardens. Squash plants will produce loads of fruit in as little as 60 days. Squash plants can get quite large, so be sure that you plant them with plenty of room to spread out. Yellow squash, zucchini, crookneck and pattypan squash will all grow well in the summer heat. Once your squash plants start producing fruit, check them frequently (we recommend twice daily) as the fruit can grow rapidly. Harvest when the skin is still tender.
Smooth Criminal, Spineless Perfection and the Enterprise varieiteis are excellent choices for planting squash.
You may hear people tell you that June is too late to grow tomatoes, but we think that it’s always a great time to grow tomatoes! If you’re planting in June, it’s best to put plants into the ground rather than seeds. Tomatoes thrive in the heat, but they do require rich soil and frequent watering. Water tomato plants at the ground and in the morning. This will help to keep fungal problems like powdery mildew and blight away. In hot climates, you may want to cover tomatoes with shade cloth as they can drop blooms when temperatures go above 95 degrees.
Look for early maturing, or determinate varieties. These will produce faster, ensuring you’ll get a harvest before the cooler temperatures kill your tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes and other small fruit tomatoes will mature faster since they don’t have to grow as long on the vine. Celebrity, Early Girl, Roma and Fireworks are some of our favorite tomato cultivars to grow.
The list of crops above isn’t an exhaustive list of what you can plant in June. Your growing season and ability to work around some of your growing constraints will determine what all you can plant in June and expect to harvest. If you’re in a cooler climate, you might get away with planting heat-tolerant varieties of cool season crops like Swiss chard, beets or radishes. You can also plant many herbs in June. Calendula, oregano, basil, thyme, sage, dill, cilantro, lavender and rosemary will all do well when planted in June.
At a glance, in the From Seed to Spoon app, you can see when you should plant different kinds of seeds, making it easy to plan your garden, order your seeds, and determine your plan. Get the From Seed to Spoon app.
This post was written by Shelby DeVore, the founder of Farminence and the host of the Backyard Vegetable Gardener’s Summit. Shelby is a passionate gardener with 20+ years of experience gardening and growing food at home. She recently moved to north Texas with her husband and three children where she’s excited to explore a new gardening zone and build a new farm.
