Although a lot of gardeners are starting a garden in June, many growers wonder what vegetables to plant in July to yield a harvest. There are many warm-season vegetables to grow in July and harvest in the fall. Despite popular gardening ideas that may contradict this statement, it is not too late to start a garden in July in the USA.
Many vegetables and herbs producing repeated harvests are planted in the middle of the summer for a bountiful harvest in the fall. While it may be too late for tomatoes in July, depending on where you live in the USDA zones, choose seeds to plant in July suited to your region.
By learning what can be planted in July, growers quickly start a new garden or fill in spaces in their existing one with veggies to plant in early July to achieve the best fall harvest. Early season plants and those preferring cool weather are often harvested by the beginning of summer, leaving open spaces in your home garden.
A Guide to What Vegetables to Plant in July
Discover what vegetables to plant in July to fill these spots to keep your vegetable garden producing at maximum capacity and increase the range of fresh produce you have access to throughout the season.
Don’t worry if you didn’t have time to plant a vegetable garden this spring. It is not too late for planting a vegetable garden. There’s still time to plant vegetables in July, and even August, for an abundant fall harvest.
“Days to maturity” on your seed packet or seedlings refers to how long it takes a plant to mature from seed to harvesting. Additional growth days are required to start the seed indoors and transplant it to the garden.
Ensure the proper number of days for plants to achieve maturity before a freeze occurs, or choose cold-hardy veggies when deciding what to plant. Knowing what vegetables to plant in July allows growers to select heat-tolerant vegetables to grow in July to either start a garden or fill open spaces from earlier harvested plants.
Knowing which hot weather or second crop veggies work well when planted in July, it’s simple to use the number of days left in the growing season to cultivate a fall garden and harvest in cool weather for almost year-round produce.
July Veggies – Leafy Greens
Some leafy greens are an excellent choice of vegetables to grow in July. Swiss chard, high in vitamins A and C, is a dark green vegetable perfect for a healthy diet. It’s full of vitamins and easy to cultivate, whether white, red, or yellow. Swiss chard is a beautiful vegetable in various colors and is a little crunchier than spinach yet more tender than kale.
This attractive and nutrient-dense vegetable thrives when the spring and fall temperatures are moderate. It still flourishes in the late summer, though it grows slightly slower because of the heat. Despite this, Swiss chard is an excellent example of vegetables to grow in July to harvest fall crops.
Arugula refers to leafy salad greens with spicy, aromatic leaves. Like other salad greens, it’s an annual variety that is a low-growing plant with dull green leaves. Arugula prefers cool weather and tolerates planting as early as April – in most areas in the USA, all you need are temperatures above 40℉ during the day.
Even cold after the first frost date won’t stop it. Arugula thrives in the sun, but it withstands moderate shade, significantly more as summer temperatures rise. This puts arugula and other greens like collards or cilantro at the top of the list when asking what vegetables to plant in July.
Vegetables to Plant in July – Turnips
Turnips and their cousins, kohlrabi, and rutabaga, are good vegetables to grow in July. Many people like growing turnips in their gardens, and these root veggies are a great example of vegetables to plant in July. It’s wise to harvest turnips before the first frost in early fall if you want to have turnips to preserve throughout the winter.
Turnips prefer full sunlight yet withstand partial shade, especially if the plant’s greens are to be harvested. When to best plant turnip seeds is really in the late fall because they are hardier and keep well in the refrigerator drawer or in a cool, dry spot to be used throughout the winter. Turnips are perfect veggies to plant in July.
Beans Thrive in the Summer Months
For growers still wondering what vegetables to plant in July, bush beans and other bush varieties, pole beans, and green beans are solid answers. Beans are a warm weather crop grown from seed directly in the garden. There’s no cause to worry about seed starting indoors and transplanting.
Wait until all risk of frost has passed before sowing these vegetable types; if you have a soil thermometer, let the soil get to around 60℉ before sowing to ensure germination. For the best results, choose a location with plenty of sunlight. Pole beans require a tall, sturdy trellis to climb.
What Vegetables to Plant in July – Summer Squash
Summer squash varieties are bushy plants with long vines requiring a lot of space. The excellent news is squash is a high-yielding crop, so it doesn’t take many plants to reap a large harvest. Because of their high productivity, the plants are heavy feeders that demand a constant supply of nutrients.
Zucchini, Crookneck, or Patty Pan squash planted in early to mid-July produce fruit by the end of the growing season. Although the harvest may be smaller than planting the plants in May, there are fewer difficulties with garden pests.
Brussels Sprouts – Tasty Slow-Growers
The ideal time to plant Brussel sprouts is in March in many growing zones. Brussels sprouts are a long-bearing, slow-growing crop typically planted in early spring or mid-to-late summer for a fall harvest. This second planting option makes them ideal to start in July and harvest from your fall garden. Cool, even lightly frosty weather is perfect for maturing tiny heads.
Sprouts developing in hot or dry July weather may be slightly bitter. Feed Brussels sprouts continuous-release plant food to ensure a plentiful harvest. Pick the sprouts when the heads are solid and green, about one to two inches in size, and enjoy a delicious autumn harvest.
Add Oniony Leeks to Your Summer Garden
Most growers produce a second crop of leeks by replanting in July, though starting with your first planting at this time works well and still provides a significant harvest.
Leeks are onion relatives with a softer, more herbaceous flavor that sweetens with cooking. Leeks are characterized by stiff, flat, bluish-green leaves wrapped around each other, creating a cylindrical base at one end and a fan of curled leaves.
They are best planted in the cold early spring or fall months, though growers may plant them in the summer for a fall harvest; after about three months of growing, harvest and use leeks as a fragrant vegetable in casseroles or soups.
Vegetables to Grow in July – Radishes
Radishes belong to the Brassicaceae family of annual vegetables. Note that the best time to plant radishes in zone 6 may be a little different than in zone 8 or 10. Plant them in the spring or late summer for a fall crop. You can also start planting seeds in fall, depending on your growing zone, for harvest before it gets too cold. They’re exceedingly fast-growing.
Some smaller cultivars reach maturity in as little as 20 days, while it takes up to 60 days for the larger types to mature. Radish is a cool-season vegetable that matures quickly and is simple to grow.
Garden radishes grow well in any location with enough sunlight and moist, healthy soil, even on the tiniest plots. Although early varieties thrive in the chilly days of early spring, plant certain later-maturing kinds in the summer to achieve a fall harvest.
Okra is Used to Hot Weather
Okra is a popular answer to what vegetables to plant in July. This blooming plant grows as an annual in most parts of the world, while it is a perennial in its native dry tropical climates. Because of its lovely blossoms, okra is occasionally used as a landscaping plant. Plant your okra seeds in July for harvesting in late August or early September.
It is, however, commonly planted as a vegetable crop because of the edible seed pods that develop after the blooms open. The plants grow swiftly and yield seed pods for harvest in about two months.
When cool-season vegetables like onions or broccoli are harvested and bed space becomes available, okra is a fantastic crop to follow. Okra planted in the garden in July yields a decent late-summer harvest.
Once you know what vegetables to plant in July, it’s easy to start a garden or cultivate a second crop for a delicious fall harvest, whether you’re in California or Long Island.
Tools like mulch and row covers help protect crops from hot weather and lower temperatures in the cool-season to ensure success. Select veggies that are hardy after sprouting and flourish within the temperature parameters of your local area.
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