11 Vegetables to Plant in June For Abundant Harvests
June offers the perfect opportunity to plant a variety of vegetables that thrive in warm weather. In this article, we explore 11 vegetables to sow now for a bountiful late summer and fall harvest. Join gardening expert Lorin Nielsen as she details ideal growing conditions, care tips, and variety recommendations to ensure your mid-year garden thrives.
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June marks a transition in the gardening calendar. While spring planting may be winding down, the opportunity for a productive garden continues with vegetables that can be started now for late summer and fall harvests. The warming soil creates ideal conditions for heat-loving crops to thrive, while offering a second chance for gardeners who missed earlier planting windows.
With proper planning, your mid-year garden can be just as productive as your spring plots. Let’s explore 11 vegetables perfect for June planting, along with recommended varieties and growing tips to ensure your garden remains bountiful throughout the season.
Understand Your Growing Season
Before diving into specific vegetables, it’s essential to understand your local climate and growing conditions. Your hardiness zone significantly impacts what you can plant in June and when you can expect to harvest.
Northern gardeners with shorter growing seasons should focus on faster-maturing varieties that can produce before the first frost. These regions typically have cooler nights even in summer, which certain vegetables prefer. Southern gardeners enjoy a longer growing window but must consider heat tolerance when selecting varieties for June planting.
Most importantly, pay attention to the “days to maturity” information on seed packets. This helps determine whether a particular vegetable will have enough time to develop before temperatures change. Research from your local cooperative extension service can provide specific guidance tailored to your area.
11 Vegetables to Plant Now
Beans
Beans represent one of the best vegetables to plant in June, offering quick returns on your gardening investment. These nitrogen-fixing plants actually improve your soil while producing a generous harvest.
Bush bean varieties mature particularly quickly, often ready for harvest in just 50-60 days. These compact plants don’t require trellising and produce their entire crop over a relatively short period, making them perfect for succession planting every 2-3 weeks through early summer. Try bush bean options like ‘Provider’ and ‘Contender’ that perform well in summer heat. For something different, try ‘Royal Burgundy’, which produces striking purple pods that turn green when cooked.
Pole beans take slightly longer to mature but produce continually once they begin, often yielding more beans overall than bush varieties. Their vertical growth habit makes them space-efficient for small gardens. Consider ‘Kentucky Wonder’ or ‘Blue Lake’ varieties for reliable producers.
Cucumbers
Nothing beats the crisp refreshment of homegrown cucumbers, and June provides an excellent opportunity to plant these summer favorites. With their rapid growth and abundant production, cucumbers planted now will reward you with harvests in just 50-70 days.
Vining cucumbers, like ‘Marketmore 76‘ or ‘Straight Eight,’ produce prolifically when given vertical support. Training these varieties up trellises not only saves garden space but also keeps fruits clean and straight. Bush or compact varieties such as ‘Spacemaster’ work well in containers or small gardens where space is limited. These plants produce full-sized cucumbers on more compact vines.
Proper watering is crucial for cucumber success. These plants have shallow root systems and require consistent moisture to prevent bitter-tasting fruits. Research recommends providing cucumbers with 1-2 inches of water weekly, preferably via drip irrigation, to keep foliage dry and minimize disease issues.
Summer Squash
Summer squash varieties like zucchini, yellow squash, and pattypan are among the most productive vegetables in the garden. Plants started in June can begin producing in as little as 40-50 days and continue until frost if properly maintained.
Opt for varieties selected for their disease resistance and productivity, like ‘Black Beauty‘ zucchini and ‘Scallop Blend‘ patty pan squash. The compact growth habit of modern varieties makes them suitable even for smaller gardens or large containers.
Consistent harvesting is key to prolonged production. Fruits develop rapidly—sometimes seeming to appear overnight—and should be picked when young and tender. Harvesting squash every 1-2 days stimulates plants to produce more flowers and fruits, significantly increasing overall yield.
Corn
Sweet corn planted in June can provide a delicious late summer harvest that captures the essence of the season. With varieties maturing in 60-100 days, timing is important but still feasible for many growing zones.
Try ‘Ambrosia’ sweet corn, which matures in 75 days, for a balance of sweet flavor and good disease resistance. Corn requires consistent moisture and nutrients to develop properly. Water deeply when the soil dries to about an inch below the surface, and consider side-dressing with additional compost or balanced fertilizer when plants reach knee height.
Poor pollination is the most common cause of poorly filled ears, so planting in blocks and ensuring adequate soil moisture during the critical tasseling stage significantly improves results. For best results, plant corn in blocks of at least four rows.
Carrots
June carrot plantings produce sweet, crisp roots for fall harvest. These root vegetables actually develop better flavor when they mature in cooler autumn temperatures, making them perfect for mid-year sowing.
Choose varieties based on your soil type. In heavy clay soils, shorter varieties like ‘Danvers‘ or ‘Red Cored Chantenay’ perform better than longer types. For loose, sandy soils, try the ‘Imperator’ or ‘Scarlet Nantes’ varieties. Dedicated gardeners might enjoy the colorful ‘Carnival Blend‘ with purple, red, yellow, and orange carrots in one packet.
The key to successful carrot germination is maintaining consistent soil moisture during the first two weeks after planting. Cover newly seeded areas with floating row cover or light mulch to prevent soil crusting and conserve moisture. Thin seedlings when they reach about 2 inches tall to provide adequate space for root development.
Beets
Beets offer exceptional value in the garden with both nutritious roots and delicious greens from the same plant. When sown in June, they’ll be ready to harvest in 50-70 days, depending on the variety.
Try the classic ‘Detroit Dark Red,’ the sweet ‘Early Wonder,’ and the stunning ‘Chioggia’ with its candy-stripe interior. For gardeners who primarily enjoy beet greens, ‘Bull’s Blood‘ produces especially tender, flavorful leaves with beautiful dark red coloration.
Beets perform best with consistent moisture and benefit from a side-dressing of compost when plants are about 4 inches tall. To extend your harvest, consider succession planting every 2-3 weeks through early summer.
Swiss Chard
When many leafy greens struggle in summer heat, Swiss chard stands strong, making it an excellent choice for June planting. This nutritional powerhouse produces abundantly from early summer until frost with minimal care.
Check out the stunning ‘Celebration‘ variety with stems in yellow, pink, orange, white, and red, as well as the more traditional ‘Fordhook Giant‘ with its broad white stems and crinkled dark green leaves. Both varieties thrive in warm weather and continue producing for months when regularly harvested.
Harvest chard using the “cut and come again” method, removing outer leaves while leaving the center growing point intact. This approach stimulates continued production and provides a steady supply of fresh greens. Research from Utah State University shows that chard can continue producing for up to two years in mild climates when properly maintained, offering exceptional value from a single planting.
Kale
Kale planted in June establishes strong root systems during summer and produces its best quality leaves as temperatures cool in fall. This timing actually results in sweeter, more tender leaves than spring plantings.
‘Lacinato‘ (Dinosaur) kale features distinctive blue-green leaves with excellent flavor and texture. For something more ornamental, try ‘Red Russian’, with purple stems and oak-leaf shaped foliage, or ‘Redbor’, with its deeply curled purple leaves.
Consider providing afternoon shade in the hottest regions to help young kale plants establish. Regular harvesting of outer leaves encourages continued production and prevents plants from becoming too large or woody. Kale actually develops better flavor after exposure to light frost, with sugar content increasing significantly following cold exposure.
Basil
While not technically a vegetable, basil deserves mention for June planting due to its perfect compatibility with summer tomatoes and other garden produce. This aromatic herb grows quickly from seed and thrives in warm conditions.
There are many basil varieties beyond the common sweet basil. ‘Genovese’ represents the classic Italian type ideal for pesto, while ‘Thai‘ and ‘Holy’ basils bring distinct flavors to Asian cuisine. For something different, try ‘Dark Opal’ or ‘Purple Ruffles’ with stunning purple foliage that’s both ornamental and delicious.
Regular harvesting promotes bushier growth and prevents flowering, which can make leaves bitter. Pinch growing tips when plants reach 6 inches tall and continue harvesting the top few inches of growth throughout the season.
Okra
Okra positively thrives in summer heat that would stress many other vegetables, making it an excellent choice for June planting. This distinctive pod-producing plant adds both visual interest and unique texture to summer meals.
Try the compact ‘Clemson Spineless,’ which reaches about 4 feet tall, and ‘Red Burgundy,’ which produces striking red pods on purple-tinged plants. Okra seeds germinate best when soil temperatures exceed 70°F, making June ideal for direct seeding.
Once established, these plants are remarkably drought-tolerant thanks to their deep taproots. Harvest pods when they reach 2-4 inches long for the most tender texture.
Tips for Summer Planting Success
Summer plantings face different challenges than spring gardens. Follow these guidelines to ensure your June vegetables thrive:
Water consistently and deeply, preferably in the morning. Summer plantings need reliable moisture to establish quickly in warm conditions. Consider drip irrigation or soaker hoses to deliver water directly to the soil while keeping foliage dry, which helps prevent many common diseases.
Apply organic mulch after plants are established. A 2-3 inch layer of straw, shredded leaves, or grass clippings helps conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and moderate soil temperature. Mulched vegetable gardens conserve water better than unmulched plots.
Monitor pests vigilantly and intervene early. Pest populations build throughout the season, so June plantings may face greater insect pressure than spring crops. Introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings, or use row covers to physically exclude pests from vulnerable young plants.
