This article centers around a down-to-earth and handy video by Next Level Gardening, a YouTube channel run by Brian, a gardener known for mixing practical advice with a touch of dry wit and a whole lot of experience.
In this video, Brian walks us through ten crops you can (and should) direct sow in June no matter where you live. He caps it off with a bonus section on companion planting that includes everything from sacrificial squash to parasitic wasps with a vendetta against leaf miners.
Here’s what you need to know.
Peppers: Start ‘Em Late, Pinch with Caution
Let’s start with the spicy stuff.
Peppers are heat lovers, and putting them in the ground before your nights are reliably above 55°F? That’s a recipe for stunted plants and zero harvest. Worse, they might never bounce back.
If you have a four-month growing season, go ahead and pinch the tops once they hit 3–4 sets of leaves. That trick produces more side shoots, and more shoots mean more flowers… which means more peppers.
But if you live in a short-season area? Skip the pinching or you might get nothing but leafy disappointment.
Summer Squash: Round Two, Let’s Go
By June, your first sowing of yellow squash may be producing—and fading. Now’s the moment to plant round two.
Yellow squash, unlike its cousin zucchini, tends to burn out early. The solution? A second sowing mid- to late June. You’ll get a harvest well into summer and avoid that sad squash gap in July.
Melons and Pumpkins: June is the Starting Line
Melons and pumpkins need warm soil and hot days to get going. And June? That’s finally when the soil stops acting like it’s still in winter denial.
These guys are hungry for space, nutrients, and water. But the payoff is big, especially if you’re trying to stockpile pumpkins for your kid, your pets, or—let’s be honest—your fall baking photoshoots.
Winter Squash: Grows in Summer, Eats in Winter
Confusing name, but hear us out.
“Winter squash” just means it stores well into winter. You plant it now, in June, just like summer squash. But while summer squash gives you a glut of zucchini every week, winter squash is more conservative—expect 4 to 8 fruits per plant.
Bonus tip: grow it vertically to save space.
Cucumbers: Round Two and Smart Bed Buddies
Cucumber vines don’t last forever. Planting a second round now ensures your salads (and pickling jars) stay full later.
Here’s the clever part: grow cucumbers under your tomato plants. They release chemicals from their roots that prevent weeds and shade the soil, keeping moisture in. A two-for-one deal: weed control and soil cooling.
Basil and Friends: Tomato Bodyguards
Plant basil near tomatoes. That’s not just because it’s delicious together on a plate, but because it actually confuses the moth that lays tomato hornworm eggs.
No basil = hornworms.
Basil = no hornworms.
Also excellent in this role: rosemary, oregano, thyme. These herbs don’t need pampering—they like heat, poor soil, and dry spells. Your kind of lazy garden warriors.
Corn: Go Big or Go Block
You’ve heard the saying: “Knee high by the Fourth of July.”
If you want your corn to hit that benchmark, now’s the time to plant.
But avoid the rookie mistake of planting two long rows. Corn needs to be pollinated by the wind, and pollen doesn’t care about your row aesthetic. Plant in blocks (e.g. 4×4) to maximize kernel formation.
Okra: The Underrated Overachiever
If you’re in the South, plant it now. If you’re further north, wait till it gets hot.
Okra is fast-growing, drought-resistant, and doesn’t need much fuss. You’ll get beautiful flowers and more pods than you know what to do with—especially if you like them fried (as the narrator does, deeply and spiritually).
Summer Greens: Kale & Chard, Not Lettuce
Lettuce bolts fast in the heat. Once it’s warm, trade it out for heat- and frost-tolerant greens like kale and Swiss chard. These thrive now and keep giving long after lettuce has turned bitter and leggy.
Green Beans: More Harvest With Every Pick
Green beans will still give you a great harvest even if you’re starting now.
The secret to endless beans? Keep picking. The more you harvest, the more the plant produces. If you let them sit too long, the plant thinks it’s done. Depending on your space, choose between pole or bush varieties.
Bonus: Companion Planting That Actually Works
Forget folk tales—this gardener did the research.
✔ Want to repel squash bugs? Plant blue hubbard squash 15 feet from your zucchini. It’s their favorite, and they’ll head there instead.
✔ Trouble with leaf miners in peppers? Attract tiny parasitic wasps (the harmless kind) by planting yarrow and alyssum nearby.
✔ Colorado potato beetles? Interplant bush beans. Mexican bean beetles? Plant potatoes next to your beans.
✔ Aphids? Call in the hoverflies and ladybugs by planting dill and fennel.
These aren’t just old wives’ tales—they’re based on science and already used in regenerative farming.
June Is Far From Too Late
If you thought you’d missed your gardening window, think again. June is a second chance month. A time to catch up or double down.
With a few smart choices, some clever companion planting, and a bit of sweat equity, your summer harvest can still be amazing.
And hey—maybe even hornworm-free.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.