What to Plant in June? Try Beans and Squash

June marks a significant turning point in the vegetable garden. For many gardeners, it’s the time when cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, and peas bow out, leaving behind bare soil and open opportunity. If you’ve just pulled the last of your spring harvest, don’t let that precious garden space sit idle. There’s still plenty of time to plant heat-loving vegetables that will thrive through the rest of the growing season.

Bush beans and summer squash are standout options for this time of year. Fast-growing and well-suited to high heat, these two crops are ideal for replanting in beds where spring vegetables once stood. With a bit of planning, mid-June planting can yield a season-long bounty that lasts into late summer or even early fall.

Let’s dig into what makes June a great time to refresh your vegetable garden, and how to make the most of it with smart crop rotation, succession planting, and reliable garden care products like NutriPod® starter fertilizer pods to help your plants thrive.

Reclaiming Garden Space After Spring Harvest

If your spring crops have finished producing, your garden likely has a few empty rows—or maybe even entire beds—ready for action. June is a great time to replant, especially with vegetables that love the warmth and longer days of summer.

Rather than letting the soil rest, replanting immediately helps maximize your harvest. It’s one of the best ways to stretch productivity across the entire growing season. Summer vegetables like bush beans and summer squash are perfect for filling in those gaps. They germinate and grow quickly in warm soil, and many varieties can be harvested in as little as 50 to 60 days.

By replanting right after your first round of crops, you also reduce weed growth, make efficient use of garden space, and maintain soil health through continuous root activity. This sets the stage for succession planting—which brings us to our next tip.

Succession Planting: What It Is and Why It Matters

Succession planting is the practice of planting new crops in intervals or in place of spent ones to extend your harvest over a longer period. Rather than sticking to one crop and one harvest, you can stagger your plantings or switch out varieties throughout the season.

This approach offers several benefits:

Extended harvest window: Instead of all your vegetables ripening at once, you’ll enjoy steady picking throughout the season.
Efficient space usage: You’re making the most of your available growing area, replanting as soon as something is done.
Less weed pressure: A full bed means less room for weeds to sprout and compete.
Improved soil structure: The constant presence of roots helps maintain aeration and reduce erosion.

As an example, replace early-spring spinach with summer squash, or follow lettuce with bush beans. By mid-July, you can even tuck in a few fast-growing crops like beets or carrots for a late-summer or fall harvest. With thoughtful timing and a willingness to experiment, succession planting gives you more vegetables and better results.

Why Rotate Crops Instead of Replanting the Same Thing

While it might be tempting to replant lettuce where lettuce once thrived, repeating the same crop in the same spot can result in soil fatigue and pest problems.

Crop rotation is the practice of growing different types of vegetables in a particular area each season. This strategy helps you:

• Avoid soil-borne diseases and pest buildup that can linger and worsen with repeated plantings.
• Balance nutrient use, since different crops draw and return different nutrients to the soil.
• Improve soil fertility, especially with legumes like bush beans, which help fix nitrogen and enrich the soil for future crops.

For example, following heavy feeders like spinach with nitrogen-fixing beans gives your soil a breather and supports long-term garden health. The bottom line: planting one crop over and over often leads to diminishing returns. Crop rotation can help your garden remain productive from season to season.

Best Crops for June: Bush Beans and Summer Squash

The warm soil and long daylight hours in June create ideal conditions for many vegetables. By selecting the right plant varieties suited to your region and with consistent care, you can enjoy a season-long supply of fresh vegetables from your garden to your table.

Bush Beans

Bush beans are a go-to for many gardeners in June. They don’t require staking, mature quickly—often within 50–60 days—and can be planted every couple of weeks for a steady supply. As a bonus, beans improve soil nitrogen levels, which benefits the crops that follow them.

Summer Squash

Summer squash—like zucchini or yellow crookneck—loves warm soil and full sun. It grows fast and produces abundantly, particularly when harvested regularly. While squash does take up more space, the payoff is well worth it if you have the room.

Other Candidates to Consider

If you’re looking to diversify, many vegetables can be planted in mid-June and continue producing through the entire growing season:

• Cucumbers – Quick-growing and perfect for salads or pickling.
• Sweet potatoes – Thrive in summer heat and mature by early fall.
• Peppers – Prefer transplanting in early to mid-June in warm climates.
• Carrots and beets – Especially smaller, quick-maturing varieties.
• Cabbages – Late June to early July planting sets up for fall harvest

Other plants like okra and eggplant can also tolerate summer conditions. When possible, using young transplants instead of starting from seed can help save time and give your crops a head start—especially important in warmer zones where high heat may stress tender seedlings.

Garden Care Essentials: Watering and Fertilizing for Success

Planting at the height of summer requires more attention to watering and nutrient care, especially in raised beds or sandy soil where moisture drains quickly. Help your plants thrive by watering deeply and consistently during the first few weeks after planting to encourage strong root growth. Applying mulch is another essential step—it helps keep the soil cool, conserves moisture, and suppresses weed growth. Water early in the day to minimize plant stress and reduce the risk of fungal problems that can arise in the heat and humidity of summer.

To give your plants a strong start, use a starter vegetable fertilizer like NutriPod® at the time of planting.

• It delivers 5-8-10 NPK in a slow-release formula

• It supports strong root and shoot development

• It feeds plants for up to 45 days

• It is easy to apply—just drop it into the hole when planting

Using NutriPod® provides your summer vegetables the necessary nutrients to grow fast, stay healthy, and produce abundantly.

Final Tips for a Productive June Garden

During summer, it's important to stay vigilant for common pests like squash vine borers, aphids, and flea beetles, which are usually more active in the heat. Maintain a steady supply of produce by practicing succession planting every two to three weeks with fast-growing crops like beans or cucumbers. Regular harvesting is also key—especially for prolific producers like bush beans and summer squash—as it encourages continued fruiting throughout the season. As you manage your summer garden, begin planning ahead for fall crops, such as cabbage, carrots, and beets, by mid-to-late summer to facilitate a seamless seasonal transition.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the best vegetable crops to plant in June?

Bush beans, summer squash, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peppers, carrots, and beets are great choices. These plants thrive in warm soil and continue to produce throughout the growing season.

Is it too late to plant in June?

Not at all! June is prime time for heat-tolerant vegetables, especially in warmer regions. Many vegetables can still be planted through mid-July and harvested before the end of the season.

Can I still plant tomatoes in June?

Yes, especially if you use healthy transplants and live in a warm climate. Look for early-maturing varieties, and be sure to water consistently and fertilize well.

Conclusion

If you’ve just pulled out your spring crops, don’t let your garden sit idle. Reclaim that space with fresh, fast-growing vegetables like bush beans and summer squash—two reliable favorites that shine in the summer heat. Take advantage of succession planting and crop rotation to get the most out of your garden beds, and don’t forget to prepare the soil with the right nutrients.

With a little planning and the help of products like NutriPod® fertilizer for veggies, your June garden can set the stage for a season-long harvest that keeps your table full and your plants thriving.

Visit the NutriPod® website today to learn more.