What to Plant in Late May Through June
As we move into the heart of the growing season, the garden is ready for warm-weather crops and succession sowing. If you haven’t planted yet—don’t worry! There’s still plenty you can direct sow or transplant now.
Direct Seed Now
Soil is warm and conditions are ideal for direct seeding summer crops:
Quick-Growing Greens & Herbs: Arugula, basil, lettuce**, cilantro**, parsley
Root Crops: Carrots**, radishes, turnips, beets (if still cool)
Summer Staples: Beans, corn, cucumbers*, squash, pumpkins*, melons*, gourds, okra*
Flowers: Sunflowers, zinnias, nasturtiums, marigolds, cosmos, calendula, tithonia
* Warm-weather crops still thrive when sown now
** Continue to succession sow cilantro, lettuce, and carrots every 2–3 weeks for regular harvests
Ready to Transplant
If you’ve been nurturing starts indoors or purchased them from a nursery, now is the time to plant them out:
Cool-Season Holdovers: Kale, collards, chard, cabbage (especially fast-maturing varieties)
Warm-Season Crops: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, melons, cucumbers, tomatillos, gourds, okra
Herbs: Basil, tulsi, dill, parsley, rosemary
Support Pollinators and Beneficial Insects
Keep your garden healthy and vibrant by planting varieties that attract and sustain key pollinators and predators:
Pollinator Favorites: Phacelia, cosmos, borage, zinnias, tithonia, calendula
Beneficial Insect Helpers: Alyssum, marigolds, borage, calendula, phacelia
Get a Head Start on Fall
Now is a great time to start seeds for fall crops like broccoli, cabbage, collards, kale, and parsnips. Get them going in protected flats or a shaded corner of the garden and you’ll be ahead of the curve come cooler weather.
A Note of Encouragement
If you missed the beet-planting window, be sure to support your local farmers and pick up a fresh bunch every week at the farmers market! Many gardeners develop a unique and deep appreciation—sometimes even awe—for what our local farmers are able to do in all kinds of conditions.
