An RHS expert has recommended the most ideal fruits and vegetables to show this season
June is an ideal month to get your garden ready for autumn, so while you might be relishing the current blooms in your garden, there’s an array of plants that are ripe for sowing.
Leafy greens and late-season courgettes are among the prime candidates for planting in June, offering a blend of quick-growing options and high-summer essentials.
No matter if you’re nurturing a serene urban balcony or managing an expansive rural garden, here’s your guide to what you should plant now for a plentiful harvest later in the year.
Come June, the earth is sufficiently warm and the threat of frost has diminished, presenting a prime opportunity to sow tender crops in the open ground.
“June is a good time to plant out the last of the tender crops, such as courgettes and squashes, with successional sowing of beetroot, lettuce and radish,” advises Joe Lofthouse at RHS Garden Harlow Carr.
“These are very good to fill any gaps you may have in your vegetable bed.”
Vegetables like radishes and lettuce that have a quick turnaround can be ready to harvest within just four to six weeks. By successively sowing fast-maturing varieties such as beetroot, you can ensure a continuous harvest throughout the summer season.
“I always do a second sowing of beans in June, planting them directly into the beds and there are a number of other vegetables that can be planted this month, such as celeriac and celery,” adds Joe.
Longer-term harvests such as celery and celeriac can take advantage of the warmer planting window, but they’ll need consistent watering to flourish. And don’t overlook climbers like runner or French beans, which can still be sown straight into beds or large containers for a bountiful late summer crop.
For those new to the gardening game, it’s best to start simple. Opt for crops that are quick to grow and require minimal attention.
“I would suggest starting small and only growing what you like to eat,” advises Joe.
“Buying vegetable plants from a garden centre is a good option to start with as they will have a root system ready to be transferred into your vegetable garden. Root veg such as beetroots, turnips and radish are very easy to grow.”
In addition to these, herbs are an excellent choice for beginners with limited space, as they can thrive in pots or window boxes.
“Sowing brassicas – cruciferous vegetables – such as broccoli direct into a bed in rows is also a good option,” Joe adds. “Once they are large enough to handle, dig up and plant into their final position.”
Brassicas, including broccoli, kale, and cauliflower, can also be started from seed this month, but watch out for slugs that have a penchant for young shoots. Companion planting with marigolds can help keep pests at bay naturally.
As the summer progresses, be mindful of the challenges posed by heat and water stress when tending to your garden.
“Avoid planting at the hottest part of the day,” advises Joe, “I prefer to plant early morning or in the evening when it is a bit cooler.
“If sowing directly, I would always water the drills before seed sowing, or water the planting holes before planting, especially for crops like courgettes, squash and cucumbers, which require a lot of water.”
Watering the plants and soil thoroughly before and after sowing helps keep the plant nourished, and mulching around young plants can help retain moisture.
“I would also recommend growing bolt-resistant varieties, as crops tend to bolt if under stress by warm, dry conditions,” explains Joe.
“It is best to avoid planting fruit in June as they would require a lot of water.”
For leafy greens like spinach or coriander, look for bolt-resistant varieties, which are bred to withstand hot weather without prematurely flowering. And while fruits like strawberries are best planted earlier in the year or in autumn, focus now on crops that will mature before the first frost.
If you don’t have much space to try out gardening – don’t be discouraged. Many crops thrive in pots or window boxes, as long as they receive enough sunlight and consistent watering.
“Most veg and fruit can be grown in containers, although in June onwards they will require a lot of watering,” Joe says.
“Herbs are good to grow in containers as they require less water. I also like to grow carrots and salad leaves in containers.”
Salad leaves, spring onions, dwarf carrots and patio tomatoes are ideal for containers and can be harvested in stages.
Herbs such as thyme, parsley and chives are particularly well-suited to pot life and can be snipped as needed, offering fresh flavour at your fingertips.
It’s best to use multipurpose compost and opt for terracotta or glazed ceramic pots, which help retain moisture better than plastic.
The RHS expert suggests it’s wise to think ahead by planting overwintering crops now. He notes that winter brassicas like sprouts, winter cabbage and kale need to be started during the warmer months to establish strong roots before the cold sets in.
“June is a good time of the year to plant out winter brassicas,” Joe advises. “I like to sow leeks into a seedbed outdoors and harvest baby leeks throughout the winter.”
He recommends sowing your brassicas in a seedbed or small nursery area, then transplanting them once the seedlings are sturdy enough.
Leeks sown at this time can be harvested young or left to mature until early spring. It’s important to keep their rows weed-free and mound soil around their bases to encourage long white stems.
When planting later in the season, there are a few common mistakes to avoid.
“The biggest mistakes are planting and then not watering, or growing a large amount of one vegetable and not being able to eat it all,” Joe points out, with a cautionary note: “the plants will bolt.”
It’s tempting to go overboard with sowing; however, it’s wise to consider how much of a single vegetable you’re actually going to consume.
To sidestep unnecessary food waste, the key is to plant in small, achievable portions and employ succession sowing—this strategic approach keeps your haul evenly distributed over time.