What to plant in June

June feels like the growing season is already in full swing, and it is. The early crops are producing, the garden looks full, and there is a temptation to sit back and enjoy it. That would be a mistake.

June is one of the most important sowing months of the year, and most people miss it. This is when you start the crops that will feed you from November through to March - the Brussels sprouts, kale, purple sprouting broccoli, and cabbages that need to go in now if they are going to have time to bulk up before winter. It is also the month for second sowings of fast crops to fill the gaps left by spring harvests, and the last chance for several summer favourites.

If May was about getting everything outside, June is about looking ahead.

What vegetables can I still sow in June?

Plenty. French beans, runner beans, beetroot, carrots, lettuce, radishes, turnips, spring onions, spinach, sweetcorn, courgettes, swede, kohlrabi, Florence fennel, and pak choi can all be sown in June. The soil is warm, the days are long, and germination is fast (RHS June sowing guide).

French beans are still very much worth sowing in June - both dwarf and climbing types. 5cm deep, 15cm apart, with support for climbers. Dwarf varieties like Purple Teepee are good for containers and raised beds. Climbing types like Cobra produce more over a longer period but need 2.5 metre canes. Sow another row every two to three weeks until the end of June for harvests that extend into September.

Runner beans go in the same way if you have not already started them. 5cm deep, 15 to 30cm apart on a frame. They are the most productive crop per square metre in the garden once they get going. Pick every two to three days (RHS runner bean guide).

Beetroot keeps going in fortnightly. 2 to 3cm deep, 10 to 15cm apart. Varieties like Boltardy and Pablo handle the warmer conditions without bolting. Pull them at golf-ball size for the sweetest flavour. A June sowing gives you tender roots through autumn when the spring-sown ones are getting woody.

Carrots can be sown until the end of June. 1cm deep, thin to 5 to 7cm, cover with insect mesh against carrot root fly. Early Nantes gives you quick baby carrots. Autumn King is the storage variety - sow it in June and leave it in the ground until you need it. Maincrop carrots sown now will be ready from October and can overwinter in the soil in milder areas.

Lettuce needs sowing every week or two in warm weather. It bolts faster now, so sow in partial shade if you can and choose bolt-resistant varieties. Little Gem and Lollo Rossa handle the heat better than most. Surface sow with barely a dusting of compost over the top.

Radishes are still the fastest crop in the garden - four weeks from seed to plate. Sow a short row every two weeks. In June they work brilliantly as catch crops between slower-growing winter brassicas that have just been planted out.

Turnips sown in June are ready in six to ten weeks. Pull them young at golf-ball size. Milan Purple Top is a good variety for summer sowings. You can keep sowing turnips until the end of July.

Spring onions continue to go in every two to three weeks. Clumps of six to eight seeds, 25cm apart. They are a useful filler crop and there is never a bad time to have spring onions coming through.

Spinach sown in June will bolt faster than spring sowings, but bolt-resistant varieties like Banjo still give you several weeks of cutting. Sow in partial shade and keep the soil moist. For a longer-lasting alternative, sow perpetual spinach instead - it will crop right through autumn and into next spring.

Sweetcorn must be in by mid-June at the latest. 2 to 3cm deep, 45cm apart in a block (not a row) for wind pollination (RHS sweetcorn guide). Sow two seeds per station and remove the weaker one. This is genuinely the last chance - any later and the cobs will not mature before autumn.

Courgettes can still be direct sown outdoors in early June in the south. 2 to 3cm deep, 90cm apart. They grow fast in warm soil and a single plant will produce all summer. Slug protection is essential while the plants are small. Defender is a reliable variety.

Swede is sown in June for autumn and winter eating. 2cm deep, thin to 30cm apart. Not ready until October at the earliest, and the flavour improves after a frost. An overlooked crop that stores well and fills winter stews.

Kohlrabi goes in until the end of June. 1cm deep, 20cm apart. Harvest at tennis-ball size - any bigger and it turns woody. Ready in eight to ten weeks. Delicacy Purple is a good variety.

Florence fennel is best sown in June or July - earlier sowings tend to bolt. Start in modules (it does not like root disturbance) and plant out at 30cm spacing after four to five weeks. Keep it well watered or the bulbs will be tough.

Pak choi and Chinese cabbage are June crops. Spring sowings bolt, but June and July sowings perform well. Sow in modules and plant out at 20 to 30cm spacing. Partial shade helps in hot spells.

Which winter crops should I start now?

Purple sprouting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage, kale, overwintering cauliflower, spring cabbage, leeks, perpetual spinach, and chard all need to be sown or planted out in June. Leave it until July and many of them will not have time to establish before the cold arrives (RHS winter vegetable planning).

Purple sprouting broccoli sown in modules in mid-June will not be harvested until January to May the following year. That is a long wait, but when February comes and the garden is empty, these plants are producing florets every few days. 1 to 2cm deep in modules, plant out at 75cm spacing. Protect with insect mesh.

Brussels sprouts need to be sown by mid-June at the latest. 1 to 2cm deep in modules, plant out at 60 to 75cm spacing. They need more room than anything else in the garden. A single stalk produces 50 to 60 sprouts from November through February, and frost improves the flavour.

Savoy cabbage sown in early June and planted out in July gives you dense, crinkled heads through winter. 50cm spacing. Hardier than smooth-leaved cabbages - they stand through frost and snow.

Kale can still be sown in June for autumn and winter cutting. 1 to 2cm deep in modules, 45cm spacing for full plants, or 15 to 20cm for cut-and-come-again salad leaves. Cavolo Nero, curly kale, and Red Russian all work well. Once established, kale is nearly indestructible.

Overwintering cauliflower sown in late June gives you cauliflower the following April when they cost a fortune in the shops. 1 to 2cm deep in modules, 60cm spacing. A long game but worth it for the timing.

Spring cabbage sown in late June or July, transplanted in September, gives you fresh greens in March and April the following year - right in the middle of the hungry gap when almost nothing else is available.

Leeks from May sowings should be planted out in June once they are pencil thickness. Drop each seedling into a 15cm deep hole made with a dibber, water it in, and let the hole fill naturally over time. That is how you get the long, blanched white stems (RHS leek guide). Space at 15 to 20cm.

Perpetual spinach and chard sown in June will crop through autumn and survive the winter to produce again in spring. Ten months of leaves from a single sowing. 2cm deep, 30cm spacing.

How should I fill gaps left by harvested crops?

By June, broad beans are being picked, spring cabbages have been cut, and early potatoes are coming out. Every empty bed is wasted growing time. Sow quick-growing crops into cleared ground as soon as the previous crop is removed (RHS succession sowing).

Good gap fillers for June:

• Radishes - ready in 4 weeks

• Lettuce - cut-and-come-again in 4 to 6 weeks

• Turnips - baby roots in 6 weeks

• Beetroot - ready in 7 to 9 weeks

• French beans (dwarf) - ready in 8 to 10 weeks

• Spring onions - ready in 8 to 12 weeks

Sow these into cleared ground as soon as you pull the previous crop. After broad beans, the soil is especially good - broad bean roots fix nitrogen, which benefits whatever follows.

What flowers can I sow in June?

June is the last month for sowing many biennial flowers that will bloom the following year, and there is still time for fast-growing annuals. Flowers in the vegetable garden are not just decorative - they attract pollinators and beneficial insects that help your crops (RHS plants for pollinators).

Direct sow outdoors:

Nasturtiums are the easiest flower you can grow. 1 to 2cm deep, 30cm apart. They flower from midsummer until the first frost, the flowers and leaves are edible, and they make excellent companion plants in the vegetable garden - they draw aphids away from your beans. Sow them anywhere you have a gap.

Cosmos planted out in June will flower from July until the frost. 30 to 45cm spacing. They grow tall (up to a metre for some varieties) so give them a sheltered spot or stake them. Sonata White is a compact option at 60cm.

Zinnias go direct into warm soil in June. Half a centimetre deep, 20 to 30cm apart. Bold, bright flowers that last well in a vase.

Biennial flowers to sow now for next year:

This is the window for sowing biennials - miss it and you wait another year.

• Foxgloves - sow on the surface in trays (they need light to germinate). Flower May to July the following year. Self-seed once established.

• Wallflowers - sow in a seed bed, transplant to their final position in autumn. Flower from March to May.

• Hollyhocks - sow 1cm deep. Flower July to September the following year. Classic cottage garden staple.

• Sweet William - sow in trays, flower May to June following year.

• Honesty - sow direct. Flower April to June, then the silver seed pods are as good as the flowers.

What can I harvest in June?

June is not just about sowing. The early crops are paying back the work you put in during spring, and there are genuine highlights to look forward to.

Broad beans from autumn or early spring sowings are ready now. Pick from the bottom of the plant upwards. Once the last pods are picked, cut the stems down but leave the roots in the soil - they fix nitrogen that benefits whatever you plant next.

New potatoes from first and second earlies are one of the genuine highlights of the growing year. There is no comparison between a freshly dug new potato and anything from a shop. Start checking from mid-June by carefully scraping the soil aside at the edge of the row.

Peas start producing in June from spring sowings. Pick regularly to keep the plant producing. Eat them as soon as possible after picking - the sugars start converting to starch within hours.

Asparagus reaches the end of its season in mid-June. Stop cutting by the 21st and let the fern grow to feed the crowns for next year (RHS asparagus guide). Never harvest asparagus from crowns younger than two years old.

Strawberries hit peak season. June-bearing varieties produce their main flush now. Pick every day or two to prevent rot.

Gooseberries are ready - pick half underripe for cooking (excellent in crumbles and fools) and leave the rest to ripen for eating fresh later.

What is too late to start in June?

Some things have missed their window. Do not waste time and space on these.

• Tomatoes from seed - buy plants from a garden centre instead

• Peppers and chillies from seed - same, buy established plants

• Aubergines from seed - too late, greenhouse plants only

• Garlic - needed to go in autumn or very early spring

• Onion sets and shallots - should have been planted March to April

• Broad beans - too late for a productive crop

• Early potatoes - should have been planted March to April

• Parsnips - borderline, sow by mid-June at the very latest for small roots

• Pumpkins in northern England and Scotland - the season is too short for June sowings

June sowing reference table

Depths and spacings based on RHS vegetable sowing recommendations.

Where should I start if June has crept up on me?

If June has arrived and you have not started anything yet, it is not too late. You have missed the boat on tomatoes, peppers, and garlic, but the list of things you can still grow is enormous. Do not let the perfect be the enemy of getting something in the ground.

For a June start with the quickest returns:

• French beans (dwarf) - sow direct, harvesting in eight weeks

• Beetroot - sow direct, pulling roots in seven to nine weeks

• Lettuce - sow direct, cutting leaves in four weeks

• Courgettes - one plant keeps you in courgettes all summer

And do not skip the winter brassicas. Sowing kale, sprouts, and purple sprouting broccoli now is an investment that pays back when the garden is bare and the shops are charging three pounds for a small head of broccoli.

Tracking what you sow and when it actually produces is how a first year becomes a system. myPatch logs your beds, your sowings, and your local weather, so next year you already know what worked and when to start.

June is not the end of the sowing season. It is the middle.