What to Plant in June in Zone 7: A Month-by-Month Guide for Your Garden

June is the most flexible month in a Zone 7 garden. The danger of frost has passed. The soil is warm. Days are long. Many vegetables that need heat and sunlight will grow faster in June than they will in July or August, because they have more time to mature before fall.

But June is also tricky. The heat builds quickly, and some things need to be planted now or missed entirely for the season. Fall crops that take ninety or a hundred days to mature must be started indoors this month. Summer crops that need ninety days to mature need to go in the ground in the first two weeks of June if you want a harvest before the first frost.

This guide walks through what to plant in June, grouped by crop type and timing, so you can plan your garden with confidence.

The June Calendar at a Glance

Think of June in three roughly equal windows:

Early June (June 1 to June 15): This is your last real chance to plant heat-loving crops that take seventy to ninety days. Beans, corn, winter squash, watermelons, and transplanted sweet potatoes all go in during this window. If you miss it, you will not get a full harvest before fall.

Mid-June (June 15 to June 25): Plant fast summer crops that mature in forty to sixty days. Bush beans, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, and quick-maturing beans all do well when sown now. Start fall broccoli and cauliflower indoors.

Late June (June 25 to June 30): Start cool-weather fall crops indoors. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kale should be sown indoors in late June so they can be transplanted into the garden in August. Direct sow carrots, beets, and turnips for fall harvest.

Summer Heat Lovers: Plant These Early

These crops need warm soil and a long growing season. Plant them in the first two weeks of June and do not rush them.

Sweet Potatoes

Plant rooted slips in early June. This is the most time-sensitive crop on the list. Sweet potatoes need ninety to one hundred twenty days and cannot tolerate any frost. Use varieties like Beauregard or Georgia Jet. Plant slips four to six inches deep in hills or flat rows, with two to three inches of soil around each slip initially, then mound more soil as they grow. Space slips eighteen to twenty-four inches apart in rows three to four feet apart.

Beans (Bush and Pole)

Bush beans can be direct-sown and will produce a full crop in fifty to sixty-five days. Varieties like Provider, Blue Lake 274, and Kentucky Wonder are reliable choices. Sow seeds one inch deep and two inches apart. For a continuous harvest, make a new planting every two to three weeks through early July.

Pole beans take slightly longer but will produce all season if you harvest regularly. They need a trellis or poles. Plant a second round in mid-June for late summer to early fall beans.

Sweet Corn

Direct sow sweet corn in early June. Plant in blocks rather than single rows so the wind can pollinate effectively. Varieties like Incredible SE, Bodacious, and Silver Queen work well in Zone 7. Space seeds one inch deep, six inches apart within the row, and rows two feet apart. Sweet corn takes seventy-five to ninety days, so June planting gives you a harvest by late summer.

Winter Squash and Pumpkins

Plant these after the soil is warm, which in Zone 7 is usually the first or second week of June. Waltham Butternut, Table Queen Acorn, and Sugar Pie Pumpkin are good choices for Zone 7. Sow seeds one inch deep, one per hill, with hills two to three feet apart. Winter squash takes eighty-five to one hundred ten days, which means June planting is your only chance for a fall harvest.

Watermelons and Melons

Direct sow watermelon and cantaloupe seeds in early June after the soil has fully warmed. Crimson Sweet and Sugar Baby are reliable watermelon varieties. Hales Best Jumbo cantaloupe works well for the more humid summers. These take eighty to ninety-five days. Plant three to four seeds per hill, thin to two plants per hill once seedlings emerge. Space hills eight to ten feet apart, since vines spread wide.

Okra

Okra loves June heat. Sow seeds one inch deep after the soil reaches at least seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Clemson Spineless is the standard variety. Sow seeds two to three inches apart in rows three feet apart. Okra takes fifty-five to sixty-five days. It is one of the few vegetables that actually grows faster as the weather gets hotter.

Southern Peas (Cowpeas)

Black-eyed peas, crowder peas, and other southern peas thrive in Zone 7 summers. Sow directly in early June, one inch deep and four inches apart. California Blackeye No. 5 and Pinkeye Purple Hull are reliable. They take sixty-five to eighty days and do well in soil that is too hot for most beans.

Edamame (Soybeans)

Sow edamame directly after the last frost date, once the soil is warm. Envy and Fiskeby V are good varieties for Zone 7. Plant seeds one inch deep and three inches apart. Edamame takes seventy-five to ninety days and does well in Zone 7 summers.

Fast Summer Crops: Plant These Mid-June

These crops mature quickly. If you plant them in mid-June, you will still get a full harvest before fall.

Zucchini and Summer Squash

Sow seeds one inch deep and eight to twelve inches apart. Black Beauty zucchini and Early Prolific Straightneck are reliable. Summer squash takes forty-five to fifty-five days. One or two plants per household is usually enough. They grow fast and produce heavily.

Cucumbers

Sow seeds one inch deep and two to three inches apart in hills, or plant in rows. Marketmore 76 is a reliable slicer. Boston Pickling is good for canning. Spacemaster is a compact bush type for small gardens. Cucumbers take fifty to sixty-five days. Provide a trellis if possible, which improves air circulation and makes harvesting easier.

Bush Beans (Second Planting)

A second or third round of bush beans planted in mid-June will produce beans in late summer when the first round is winding down. Succession planting is one of the simplest ways to keep your garden productive all season.

Heat-Tolerant Leafy Greens

Regular lettuce, spinach, and arugusta bolt in June heat. But there are heat-tolerant alternatives that grow well in Zone 7 summers:

• Malabar spinach: A vining green that thrives in heat. Sow directly after sowing seeds one half inch deep. Harvest in seventy to eighty-five days.
• Amaranth (leaf): Grows fast and loves heat. Sow seeds shallow, one quarter inch deep. Harvest in thirty to forty days.
• Swiss chard: More heat tolerant than most greens. Sow seeds one inch deep and four inches apart. Harvest in fifty to sixty days.
• Purslane: A succulent green that grows almost like a weed in hot sun. Sow seeds shallow and thin to four inches apart. Harvest in thirty-five to forty-five days.

Fall Crops: Start These Indoors in June

These are the crops that most gardeners overlook in June. They take a long time to mature and need to be started indoors in June so they can go into the garden in August and be ready by fall.

Broccoli and Cauliflower

Start seeds indoors in late June. Use varieties like Waltham 29 for broccoli and Snowball Y for cauliflower. Sow seeds shallow, about one quarter inch deep, in seed trays or cell packs. Transplant into the garden in mid-August. Both take seventy-five to ninety days from transplant, which means a late August planting gives you a fall harvest before the first frost.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts take the longest of any common garden crop, ninety to one hundred ten days after transplant. Start seeds indoors in late June. Long Island Improved is the standard variety. Transplant in mid-August. The plants look like tall thin trees and are surprisingly easy to grow once established.

Cabbage

Start heading cabbage indoors in late June for a fall harvest. Early Jersey Wakefield and other fall varieties do well. Transplant in mid-August. Cabbage takes seventy-five to ninety days after transplant. It tolerates light frost, which actually improves the flavor.

Kale and Collards

These are easier than broccoli and cabbage because they can be transplanted slightly later. Start seeds indoors in late June. Georgia Southern collards and Lacinato kale are reliable Zone 7 varieties. Transplant in late August. They are very forgiving and produce well into fall.

Cool-Weather Crops: Direct Sow in Late June

These crops can go straight into the garden in late June. The key is to keep the soil consistently moist during germination, which can be challenging in June heat.

Carrots for Fall

Sow carrot seeds one quarter inch deep and two inches apart in rows. Danvers Half Long and Nantes are reliable varieties. Keep the soil surface damp until germination, which can take ten to fourteen days in June heat. Use a light shade cloth over the seed bed to keep the soil cool and moist while the seeds germinate. Fall carrots are sweeter and more tender than summer carrots because the cooling weather improves flavor and texture. Harvest in seventy to eighty days.

Beets for Fall

Sow beet seeds one inch deep and two to three inches apart in rows. Detroit Dark Red is a classic variety. Sow in late June for a fall harvest. Beets take fifty to sixty-five days. If you provide light afternoon shade, they do well even in June heat. Harvest both the roots and the greens.

Turnips for Fall

Sow turnip seeds shallow, one eighth to one quarter inch deep, and thin to two inches apart. Early Golden Ball and Hakurei are good choices. Turnips take fifty to sixty days. Sow in late June for a fall harvest in early fall.

Herbs to Plant in June

Heat-Tolerant Herbs

• Rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and lavender all grow well in Zone 7 summers and can be transplanted into the garden in June.
• Basil grows fast in June heat. Sow seeds directly after the soil warms or transplant seedlings. Plant multiple varieties: Genoa for cooking, Thai for stir-fry, and purple basil for color.
• Lemon balm and mint: These grow aggressively in June. Plant them in containers or they will take over the garden.

Cool-Weather Herbs

• Cilantro bolts quickly in Zone 7 heat, but you can sow it in a shady spot or under shade cloth in late June for a small fall crop.
• Parsley and chives grow through most of summer with regular watering. Plant them in June and they will persist into fall.

A Practical June Garden Plan

Here is a simple plan for a typical Zone 7 garden:

Week 1 (June 1 to June 7): Plant sweet potato slips. Direct sow beans, corn, winter squash, and watermelons. Transplant heat-tolerant herbs.

Week 2 (June 8 to June 14): Sow zucchini and summer squash. Plant a second round of bush beans. Direct sow cucumbers.

Week 3 (June 15 to June 21): Sow okra. Plant heat-tolerant greens (Malabar spinach, amaranth, chard). Direct sow summer herbs.

Week 4 (June 22 to June 30): Start fall broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts indoors. Direct sow fall carrots, beets, and turnips.

This plan keeps your garden productive from midsummer through fall without any gaps.

Watering in June

June rainfall in Zone 7 varies a lot. Some years you get heavy spring rains that carry into June. Other years the ground dries out quickly. Either way, consistent watering is more important in June than in any other month.

• Newly planted seeds need daily light watering until they germinate.
• Established transplants need one to one and a half inches of water per week, more during heat waves.
• Mulch around all crops to retain moisture. This is especially important in June when the heat starts pushing up.
• Water in the morning so leaves dry during the day, which reduces fungal disease.

The Bottom Line

June in Zone 7 is a month of opportunities. You can still plant the heavy-producing summer crops that feed your family through winter, start fall vegetables that take months to mature, and do a second round of fast crops that keep your garden productive all season.

The key is timing. Plant the slow crops early. Sow the fast crops mid-month. Start fall crops indoors by the end of the month. If you stick to that schedule, your garden will stay full from July through the first frost.

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— C. Steward 🌿