What to sow and plant in the vegetable garden in June?

By region

Tomato planting in May–June in the north, and April–May in the centre, is from Valle d'Aosta and Umbria's calendar; the 16 °C is from the RHS. French beans, with the close at the end of July, are from ARPA Umbria's sheet; the 16 °C and the 32 °C are from Cornell, and moving the pots out in early June is from the RHS. Basil, with 10 °C nights and 20 °C for sowing, is from the RHS, and the 18 °C soil figure is from University of Minnesota Extension. Potatoes on the valley floor, with tubers forming in May and June, are from the potato issue of the Informatore; 30 June is from Colfiorito; early May and late July are from Campania; August–September and October–November are from Sicily. Strawberries through to early summer are from the RHS. The June harvest of sets planted in October, and Cipollotto nocerino from March to June, are from Valle d'Aosta and Campania. Broad beans through early May are from the RHS. If the packet gives another window, the packet wins. May is in the May calendar, July in the July calendar, and the wider picture in the planting calendar.

Tomatoes and onions

In the north, June is the last written month for tomatoes in the open ground, and only once temperatures stay above 16 °C. In the centre the window closed in May. In the south you have been planting since April, at the same threshold, and no closing month is written. If nights are cold, the plant stays under cover. Peppers and aubergines close the Valle d'Aosta window in June, at their own thresholds, not the tomato's. Courgettes can still be planted out if nights have only just stayed above 15 °C. Lettuce and carrots are still sown: carrots close in early July. The pages are tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, courgettes, lettuce and carrots. On single-stem varieties, pinch out the side shoots while they are small: the method is in side shoots and pruning.

Onions, in June, are lifted if the sets went in during October, as Valle d'Aosta writes it. The May transplant is already done. In the south, Cipollotto nocerino finishes its harvest in June. The sowing windows are in when to plant onions.

French beans, broad beans and potatoes

Sow French beans once frost has passed and the soil is warm. Below about 16 °C, germination is poor. In Umbria the window runs to the end of July. In the south, towards 32 °C, pod set is poor. The RHS, in a cool climate, moves pot-grown plants outside in early June, one seed to a pot, without breaking the root ball. Depth and spacing are in when to plant French beans.

Broad beans are not sown in June. The RHS closed in early May; the other window is October or November, in mild areas, with hardy varieties. See peas and broad beans.

In Umbria, potatoes can still be planted, through to 30 June. On the valley floor, if you planted by 20 April, June is the month the tubers form. In Campania you wait until late July for the second crop, on the coast. In Sicily, June is not one of the two windows. The detail is in when to plant potatoes.

Basil and strawberries

Basil goes outside only once frost has passed, nights stay above 10 °C and the soil is about 18 °C. The month on its own is not enough. Indoors, sowing continues through July, at about 20 °C, with the seed on the surface. The page is when to plant basil.

Cold-stored runners are still planted, from spring to early summer, as soon as they arrive. In good conditions they fruit about 60 days later. The planting that lets plants root before next year's crop is August or September. Crown and spacing are in when to plant strawberries.

Jobs for the month

Water the soil, in the morning, not the leaves, and keep it even on tomatoes just planted out: swings split the fruit. How much is in watering. A mulch on soil that is already warm holds water: materials and depth are in mulching. A pot needs it more often, as in the container garden. Anyone still sowing indoors follows starting seeds indoors.