What to plant now
By now, you’re probably starting to enjoy harvests of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and more from your veggie garden. Did you know that you can seed another round of summer vegetables into the garden in June? Large-seeded varieties like squash, zucchini, pumpkins, eggplant, beans, okra, and cucumbers love warm temperatures and will emerge quickly when direct-seeded in June. June is also a good time to direct seed herbs like garlic chives, basil, and thyme.
If you’re looking for a bit more instant gratification, you can plant larger nursery transplants of peppers, okra, Malabar spinach, eggplant, leeks, herbs, and more through June. Towards the end of the month and into July, it will be time to plant your fall tomato transplants, so keep your eye out for them at the garden center. Some heat-tolerant varieties of cherry tomatoes may be available now.
Tight on space? Try dwarf varieties
City vegetable gardeners are often challenged for space and so choosing dwarf varieties can help you better manage your garden. Many popular varieties of green beans are available in a dwarf form and are commonly referred to as “bush beans”. Most grow to only 18” or less and can be tucked into tight spaces or leftover pockets in raised beds. Plants emerge from seed and produce quickly. Zucchini and squash can also be found in “bush” form, meaning you can avoid trellising large vines. Bush zucchini and squash plants typically grow to a maximum of 4-feet x 4-feet or less but produce just as much fruit. These dwarfs are great for raised beds or front-yard edible landscapes. There are even dwarf forms of Okra, which top out at 2- to 3-feet tall instead of the standard 6-foot plants!
June veggie garden pests: Keep an eye out for pests such as the leaf-footed bugs on tomatoes. Provide water for birds nearby, as they sometimes peck your fruit and vegetables seeking out moisture.
