There are so many great veg plants that you can grow really well by planting over the summer. You’ll need to be quite speedy for some, but others can be planted next month, in July, and as late as early August.
What to plant in June
This is the month to get the fruiting veg crops planted if you haven’t already done so, or if you want to get a few extras in the ground:
- Sweetcorn
- Tomatoes
- Chillies & Peppers
- Sweetcorn
- Squash, Courgettes & Pumpkins
- Cucumbers
- Beans & Peas
Be quick with planting these, as they need the summer sunshine so that they can reach full maturity. The sooner the better, and if you can give them extra warmth by using a cloche tunnel while they are young, that’ll help them to get off to a flying start.
You can also get plenty of root veggies and leafy greens/salads in the ground this month – they’ll have loads of time to grow. Fennel and leeks will be good planted this month, and get lots of herbs on the go too if you haven’t already done so.
What to plant in July
Once we’re into July, the best things to plant are leaves, roots and brassicas. The brassicas in particular are good to plant this month as it’ll really help you to extend the harvesting season so that you have a good supply of fresh veggies in late autumn and early winter:
- Kale
- Spinach & Chard
- Lettuces & Salad Leaves
- Beetroot, Carrot, Swede & Turnip
- Sprouts, Cabbages, Cauliflower & Broccoli
You can still plant lots of herbs this month – most will keep going for several months, and the perennials (mint/oregano/marjoram/chives etc) will return the following year too. Things like rosemary, thyme & sage will keep growing through winter.
What to plant in August
In early August, we’d recommend planting some final beetroot and carrots to keep you going in winter. You can still plant lots of brassicas, salads and greens at this time (and there’s another chance to plant some of them in Sept/Oct too along with some additional winter-only varieties).
You might be able to get a few last leeks in the ground too, which you’d be able to harvest in early spring.
Early August can also be a good time to add extra herbs to your herb garden, and it is a wonderful time to plant wildflower plugs – cut the grass super short, plant the plugs, and let their roots get nice and established ready for a full display to grow in spring!