Time To Start Planting For The Next Few Months

As the days get warmer and longer, you may be considering what to plant in your vegetable garden. You might have already planted lettuce, spinach, carrots, and tomatoes in March or April.

While those plants are still producing vegetables for you to enjoy this summer season, it is time to start thinking about what you will plant next month!

If you're interested in planting a few vegetables that can produce food all summer long, here are some gardening tips and advice on what you should be planting in June.

Lavender

Lavender is one of the best plants you can grow as the mercury starts to rise. It’s known for its gorgeous pastel purple hues and most of all, for its fragrant aroma. This aromatic herb looks lovely in the garden and can be harvested to be included in delicious recipes like lavender lemonade or in essential oils.

You can grow just about any kind of lavender you want by planting it in your garden this June. Some good varieties to consider include French lavender, SPanish lavender, and English lavender, all of which thrive in dry soils and warm temperatures.

Dahlias

Looking for a lovely flower to grow in June? You may want to consider planting a few dahlias. These plants thrive in full sun and hot weather, and they can be grown as perennials in zones 8-11. If you live somewhere colder than that, though, don’t worry - you can dig up the bulbs and regrow them each year as annuals, too.

Okra

Okra is another easy vegetable that you can plant in June. a warm-weather crop, it’s native to places like Africa and the Middle East. This makes sense when you realize that it is used in many traditional cuisines from this region.

Of course, you can grow it if you live elsewhere in the world, too, including in North America. The star of the south, this plant is packed to the brim with beneficial antioxidants and minerals. Consider planting varieties like Emerald and Star of David.

Basil

Lavender isn’t the only herb you can plant in your garden this June. basil is another heat-loving herb that is best planted once the danger of frost has totally passed. Plant your basil in full sun and be sure to provide it with plenty of water.

This fresh herb can be used in hundreds of different recipes along with many herbal remedies. There are numerous basil varieties you can grow, including Thai basil, Genovese basil, and sweet basil.

Fanflower

Here’s a unique flower to consider planting in your herb garden this June! Fanflower is a strong annual plant with lovely fan-shaped flowers (hence the name). These flowers are known for keeping their cool in all kinds of conditions, even when summer’s heat really begins to amp up.

The best growing environment for a fanflower is in a container - here, you can prevent it from spilling over your walkways or borders. The best varieties of this plant to consider growing include Whirlwind Blue and Whirlwind Pink, both of which are easily distinguished by their bright, vibrant colors.

Eggplants

Who doesn’t love a delicious meal of eggplant parmigiana? This tasty vegetable is loaded with nutrients and absolutely loves being grown in intense heat and bright sunlight.

Of course, you’ll also need to be sure to keep these plants well-watered. Harvest your eggplants long before the first frost, since these are plants that can’t handle even the slightest chill.

There are dozens of types of eggplants you can grow, including those in purple, white, or green hues. Some excellent varieties for the novice or experienced gardener to try to grow include Rosa Bianca and Black Beauty.

Succulents

Succulents are known for their impressive drought tolerance and foer their ability to handle warm temperatures with ease. Consider planting a few this June!

You won’t have to fuss with your succulents once they’re well established in the garden. Plus, with a variety of forms, sizes, colors, and shapes, you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for.

As an added bonus, there are many types of succulents that are known for being cold-hardy, so even though you might be able to plant them in June, they will last you long into the autumn (and sometimes even winter!) months as well.

A great cold-hardy succulent to consider growing is hens and chicks, with other options including Lemon Coral and Green Wheel.

Peppers

Banana peppers! Jalapeno peppers! Sweet bell peppers! There’s no shortage of sizes, colors, shapes, and flavors of peppers for you to choose from. From mildly piquant to blazingly hot and spicy, there’s a variety for everyone.

You can plant any kind of peppers you want in your June garden - all of them love the heat. Just make sure you wear gloves if you plan to harvest or slice up any hot peppers - they’ll burn your hands!

Cucumbers

Cucumbers grow extremely fast, so while they aren’t the biggest fans of cold weather - the vining plants can’t handle any kind of frost or freeze - they will become established quickly enough that you can easily plant a batch in June in time for a summer harvest.

Some great varieties to consider growing include Spacemaster and Green Light, but feel free to experiment with other kinds, too. Try a few pickling and slicing varieties or throw in a burpless pick. Cucumber plants produce massive harvests and the best fruits are harvested when they’re small and tender - before they develop tough skins.

Angelonia

If you love the look of snapdragons but just don’t have room for these large flowers in your garden, you may want to consider growing angelonia flowers instead.

These attractive annuals look a lot like snapdragons but are much smaller. They produce gorgeous flower spikes in shades of white, pink, purple, and more that will last (and keep blooming!) until the first frost.

There are many different kinds of angelonia, with growth habits ranging from cascading to more upright in nature. Consider options like Serenita or Angelface Perfectly Pink.

Swiss Chard

Most leafy greens pale and wilt in the heat of the intense summer sun - so options like spinach and lettuce really aren’t your best bet when it comes to planting in June.

Swiss chard is the exception. This versatile plant has broad leaves and attractive stems, producing in colors like orange, red, yellow, and white.

This green is a bit hardier than other leafy greens but still doesn’t like too much heat - so you may want to cover it with a row cover so that it will last throughout the summer months. There are even some varieties of Swiss chard that will survive the winter in a mild climate!

Consider varieties like Bright Lights and Fordhook Giant, and be sure to freeze some of the extra harvest to enjoy around the holidays!

Summer Squash

Although you can technically plant winter squashes, like butternut squash, in June, too, summer squashes are better options.

That’s because they mature quickly and will be ready to go before you know it. They’ll produce prolifically, too, allowing you to produce a large enough crop to share with friends.

Some good options include yellow crookneck squash and zucchini, both of which grow best in full sunlight. Keep the plants well-watered but be sure to provide your plants with plenty of breathing room. Plant the seeds about two feet apart so that you don’t have to worry about fungal diseases resulting from a lack of airflow.

Pick your summer squashes when they’re small and tender - don’t wait until they're large and seedy or they’ll be so tough and woody that they’re really only well-suited for making zucchini bread!

Would you rather grow winter squash? If you live in an area with a later frost, then you can give these plants a try, too. Winter squashes need a bit more time to mature so you’ll want to plant them before Juen in colder climates.

However, if you live in a warmer growing zone, feel free to give these plants a try. Great varieties to try include buttercup Burgess and Delicata. Make sure you give the vines room to stretch since they’ll need about ten to fifteen feet in either direction.

Again, be sure to harvest before the first frost hits your vines.

Caladiums

Caladiums are unique plants that grow exceptionally well in the heat of the summer, so don’t be afraid to plant a few in June. These plants have large, heart-shaped leaves in shades like lime green and pink.

A true showstopper, these plants grow from tubers. You can dig them up prior to the first frost at the end of the growing season and replant the following year - or if you don’t want to go through the effort, you can just treat them as annuals and replant new plants each year.

Some good varieties to consider planting include Heart to Heart Lemon Blush and Florida Moonlight.

Melons

Like winter squash, melons take a bit more time to mature. Because of this, you may want to avoid planting them in June unless you can start them from seed prior to that indoors.

Both watermelon and cantaloupe grow well in the heat of summer, though, especially if you’re able to keep them well-watered. Just keep in mind that the vines can grow up to ten feet long, so you’ll need plenty of space.

Beans

Beans are another type of crop that matures quickly - so feel free to plant in June. Whether you’re growing pole beans or bush beans (the first of which requires the use of a net or trellis for added support) you’ll find that these plants are super easy to grow - and they’ll be ready for a harvest in no time.

The beauty of growing beans is that they produce more every time you harvest - so the more you harvest, the bigger the harvest will be! Bush beans mature faster than pole beans, so if you’re growing in an area with early winters, you may want to give these a try.

Good options include Kentucky Wonder pole beans and Royal Burgundy bush beans.

Corn

For a quick and highly gratifying summer harvest, consider growing some corn. Corn matures quickly and thrives in zones 3-10. Grow both sweet and ornamental corn for a tasty treat along with a gorgeous decoration for you to enjoy going into the fall months!

Sage

Another heat-loving herb you may want to consider growing is sage. Sage will bring a pleasant aroma to your summer garden and it really enjoys the summer weather. Along with oregano and thyme (along with the aforementioned lavender and basil), sage is the perfect choice for the June-planted garden.

Begonias

Another ornamental to consider planting in June is the begonia. These lovely flowers are hardy annuals that will bloom readily until the first frost - they’ll offer reliable color even as the rest of your flower beds die back moving in the fall.

Some can even be grown in a bit of shade!

Beets

Although beets are best planted in the cooler months of the year, if you’re having a chillier June than normal, feel free to sow a few beet seeds. These plants mature quickly and will be ready for harvest in less than two months.

Plus, they’re easy to preserve - whether you freeze them, can them, or pickle them, you’re sure to find success in storing your extra beets.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers can grow to towering heights seemingly overnight - so don’t be afraid to plant a few sunflower seeds in your garden this June. These plants range in size from two feet tall to more than 15 - grow Mammoth sunflowers if you’re interested in the real giants!

You can even harvest the seeds, if you want - just make sure you get to them before the birds do!

Consider Planting These Recommended Plants in The Mid Summer Season

With the heat of summer well on its way, it’s time to start thinking about what you should be planting in your vegetable garden in June and July.

June is a great time for gardening and is the ideal time for planting all kinds of plants, from vegetables to herbs and even flowers. These recommendations and gardening tips will help you grow a June garden that thrives all summer (and fall!) long.

Pick up some seeds or visit a nursery near you today!