What to Plant in June: Vegetables and Flowers to Plant in Your Zone Now

Depending on your region, June can be the beginning of the warm season or the middle of summer weather. For many of us, June is about halfway between the first and last frost dates, which means it’s time to grow only the most heat-tolerant plants for our zones. 

We are not quite close enough to start those fall seeds yet. But, there are some fabulous flowers and vegetables that have short growing seasons, or tolerate a wide range of temperatures. These perform quite well when planted in June.

Peppers 

	botanical name Capsicum annuum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-4’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Peppers are a great crop for just about any climate in June. These heat lovers have a shorter growing season, with most beginning to ripen in about two and a half months. Start them now, and by mid-August, you will have beautiful, colorful bells and spicy peppers on your dinner table. 

Some smaller peppers mature faster, but for the most part, plan on waiting about 70-85 days before you can pick your first peppers if you’re growing from seeds. If you plant starts, you’ll have a leg up on the competition. 

Kale

	botanical name Brassica oleracea var. sabellica
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Kale is great for cooler climates, where you can succession sow this one throughout the summer for a continuous harvest in summer and fall. While it will grow just fine in a cool summer region, it also loves a light frost to sweeten up the leaves, so keep it going into the fall months. 

Plant now for baby greens in as little as 30 days, and mature leaves in right around 60 days. You can cut leaves and allow them to grow back for continuous harvesting well into the fall months. 

Bush Beans

	botanical name Phaseolus vulgaris
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-3’
	hardiness zones 2-11

If you live in a cool climate, now is the ideal time to plant bush beans. They are heat lovers, so for those in zone 2, make sure to plant them in full sun because they will need the heat. Bush beans grow fast and produce early, so depending on the variety, you’ll have beans to harvest in as few as 50 days. 

Sow your bush bean seeds directly in the soil for fast germination and vigorous growth. You’ll see these seedlings pop up in just about a week. Succession sow once a week for a continuous harvest until about three months before your first frost date.

Marigolds

	botanical name Tagetes spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 10”-36”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Marigolds are a classic summer annual that grows fast and blooms continuously until the first frost. It’s the perfect flower to plant alongside your vegetables in June! The smaller French marigolds bloom faster, but you still have time for African marigolds if you’re in zones four and five. 

Marigolds are easy to grow. You can directly sow them or start them in seed trays and transplant them when they are a few inches tall. I like to direct sow them, but I feel that way about anything I grow. It takes so much of the work out of it, and for many plants, it creates a stronger root system.

Cosmos

	botanical name Cosmos bipinnatus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’-4’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Cosmos are a favorite of mine for the cutting garden. They are one of the fastest bloomers, and their feathery foliage and cheery blooms make them a great ornamental, too. Directly sow these in your garden beds for flowers in about two months. 

Make sure to pinch your cosmos when they have about three to four sets of true leaves. Pinching encourages branching, giving you bushier, sturdier plants with far more blooms. I’m growing ‘Rubenza’ this year and the flowers are simply stunning.

Beets

	botanical name Beta vulgaris
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Earthy and sweet, beets are a great summer crop for cooler climates. They are also great for storing and are full of valuable nutrients. Everyone knows about the beautifully colored roots, but did you know that you can also eat the green tops?

Yarrow

	botanical name Achillea millefolium
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Yarrow is a delightful perennial native to most of the United States. While it flowers in its first year, the real show begins in its second. Next year, you can expect even more vibrant and abundant blooming. 

It takes yarrow about four months to flower, so get it started as soon as you can. You can directly sow the seeds or start them indoors. Since the soil is warm in June, it’s preferable to plant these flower seeds directly in the ground. 

Sugar Snap Peas

	botanical name Pisum sativum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 8’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Delicious sugar snap peas are suitable for sowing from spring through fall in these temperate zones. They don’t love temperatures about 85°F (29°C), but with sufficient water, they will tolerate a short period in the heat. 

Directly sow your sugar snap pea seeds. They are large and germinate best this way. Make sure to pinch those vines when they have a few true leaves so they will branch. You’ll get far more peas this way.

Summer Squash

	botanical name Cucurbita pepo
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1’-4’
	hardiness zones 3-10

Summer squash is a favorite for my family, and it’s so easy to grow! Whether you love yellow or green, your squash will begin to mature in as little as six weeks after planting. Protect your squash blossoms from rodents and rabbits; those flowers are delicious. 

Directly sow your squash seeds. As long as the soil is over 70°F (21°C), they should sprout in about a week and start to fruit in around 45 days. Squash leaves are large and cast a shadow, so they are nice for keeping the roots of your other plants cool in the summer. 

Tomatoes

	botanical name Solanum lycopersicum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 12’
	hardiness zones 3-11

Tomatoes are tricky in cooler climates, but in your temperate region, you should be able to harvest plenty of tasty tomatoes if you get them in the ground now. It’s best to start the seeds indoors ahead of time, but it’s easy to find nursery starts that are ready to transplant. 

Tomatoes love heat and nutrients. Give them plenty of sunlight and fertilizer, and give them support to keep them off the ground. Be ready for tasty tomatoes in about three months after transplanting.

Cucumbers

	botanical name Cucumis sativus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 8’
	hardiness zones 3-11

Cucumbers are tough, sturdy plants that thrive in the summer heat. Their large seeds are best sown directly in the ground, and you can expect to see fruits begin to ripen about two months after they germinate. Give your vines something to climb; cucumbers are substantial plants that need support.

Coreopsis

	botanical name Coreopsis spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1’-9’
	hardiness zones 3-9

There are both annual and perennial coreopsis plants that grow in your region, and they are wonderful pollinator plants. They make great cut flowers, and deer will largely leave them alone. 

You can sow coreopsis seeds at any time, but many species require cold stratification to get started. Once established, they are heat- and drought-resistant.

Zones 7-10

In zones 7-10, things are starting to heat up. You may already have a substantial garden going by June, but there are still things you can plant if you have the space and desire. 

Sunflowers

	botanical name Helianthus annuus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 25’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Sunflowers are great for planting in these warm climate areas. If you haven’t started yours yet, it’s time to go for it, so you’ll have a gorgeous, early fall harvest. 

Depending on the size, some sunflowers bloom in as few as 55 days. Typically, the larger they are, the longer they take to mature. Directly sow your sunflower seeds. These have a tap root and will grow much larger and stronger if you don’t transplant them. 

Okra

	botanical name Abelmoschus esculentus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3’-6’
	hardiness zones 5-11

Okra loves the heat, and it’s amazingly drought-tolerant. In warm climates, summer is prime time to grow this tough vegetable. Related to hibiscus, I love okra plants for their beautiful blossoms. 

If you want to see them mature sooner, you can directly sow the seeds or plant nursery starts. Even from seeds, you should see them begin to bear in about two months after planting. 

Corn

	botanical name Zea mays
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 12’
	hardiness zones 3-11

Corn is a great summer crop for warm climates. It doesn’t mind the heat, and it’s a pretty fast grower, so if you plant in June, you’ll have plenty to harvest by the end of August. Shorter varieties will mature fast, but don’t consistently deliver the same volume. 

Directly sow corn in your garden. Plant the rows close together for pollination purposes. All the silky hairs those ears produce are flowers, and they are wind-pollinated. They need to come in contact with the pollen released from the tassels. 

Collard Greens

	botanical name Brassica oleracea var. viridis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2’-3’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Most greens are best planted when the weather is cool, but if you need to bridge that gap, collards are a great one to plant in summer. Truly, it isn’t the ideal time for growing, as a touch of frost sweetens the leaves. However, they are one of the more heat-tolerant green leafy vegetables to plant in June.

Sow these seeds in the ground, or start them indoors now, for later in the summer. Give them some afternoon shade this time of year, and they will require less water. 

Zinnias

	botanical name Zinnia elegans
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 4’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Zinnias are great for planting throughout the warm months, even in hot climates. They germinate quickly, in as few as three days, in many cases. They go from seed to flower in 50-70 days, and bloom continuously until the first frost. Directly sow them for ease and convenience.

I sow zinnia seeds here in zone 9 beginning in April. As soon as the last frost date passes. I continue to plant them as other flowers run their course, through the end of summer. As long as there are three months before the first frost date, you can plant these seeds and get some flowers from them. June is a great time for planting.

Salvia

	botanical name Salvia spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height Up to 5’
	hardiness zones 5-10

It’s a little late to grow salvia from seeds, but it’s the perfect time to plant nursery starts in your garden. Salvia is tough and stands up excellently to the summer heat, even in zone 10. Many types are perennial in zones 4-10, while others need tropical winters to return.