10 Things to Plant this June in North Carolina

The end of planting season is officially over in North Carolina. For some people, that means they can start their gardens back up again. For others, they are thinking about a garden next year. It depends on how you want to do it. Some people consider the spring months to be planting season, and others consider June the start of new plantings. It is nice to be able to control when your garden starts, but in my opinion, it isn’t necessary.

I usually start thinking about planting in the fall because I like to block out the entire season. I might talk about things I want to grow in the spring, but other than that, it is all about planning a garden in advance when you have time. Sometimes plants are ready earlier than normal or can be started indoors to be planted in the spring. I haven’t ever done this, but it should work well for herbs or a few cool-weather crops.in this article, we are looking at the 10 Things to Plant this June in North Carolina.

1- Sweet Potatoes {Days to Harvest- 120 days}

Sweet potatoes are a staple crop in the South. They are an excellent source of vitamin A and are high in potassium and fiber. Plant sweet potatoes in spring, between April to May. There is a big difference between sweet potatoes grown commercially and those grown at home, so start looking into different varieties with different maturity times sweet potatoes are about 65% of the U.S. crop.

You can see them stretch for miles in central N.C. You can do this because they store well and are not subject to disease. The best way to store sweet potatoes is in a root cellar at 35-40 degrees F. This prevents any rotting of the tubers. When you have a good crop, you can give them away as gifts and still be getting some benefit. We grow them at home and have several different varieties to try.

2- Cucumbers {Days to harvest- 50-70 days}

Cucumbers are good for several things, and they are good to eat. They don’t produce a lot of leaves, so they don’t require much attention, but the fruit is important. The best way to grow cucumbers is in covered beds in the garden. We grow some that are pickling varieties, and some that are slicing varieties.

Cucumber plants will grow up into trees if you have a trellis and use poles to support them because it allows for more growth per sqft area than if you let them go free-standing on the ground. Be sure to mulch around the plants after each harvest so that your soil stays cooler and does not dry out easily.

3- Green Beans {Days to Harvest- 50-60 days}

Green beans are one of our favorite vegetables. We also grow pole beans, but they require a trellis to grow up, so they don’t get as tall. They do not need much water either, and if you want to harvest the pods, you can let them dry on the plants after each harvest and pick them up at a dry stage. As with cucurbits, don’t let plants sit in water. Keep a close watch on these plants for pests and animals will eat them if there is no one around to see them or catch them before it eats all your ripe beans.

4- Radishes {Days to harvest- 22-60 days}

Radishes should be planted in June to flower and turn into seed pods by summer. They will grow a few inches high and make a nice addition to most salads you will serve with dinner every night during the growing season if you harvest them as they go up. Radishes can be grown in less-than-ideal soil and harvested throughout the growing season. We plant ours above ground since we pick them off the vine when they are perfect and ready to go into our salads and other recipes.

5-Summer Squash {Days to harvest- 60 days}

Summer squash can be planted now or in early June. I recommend planting them by early March since they don’t have a long growing season. You can harvest the summer squashes as they sprout and reach 1 foot in height or keep them until the first hard frost of fall. They don’t begin to ripen until this time. Summer squash is easy to grow, and we use a variety of dark green skin with orange flesh inside, making them an easy addition to our salads when they are ready for harvest at different stages of maturity.

These varieties come in many different colors, such as yellow, black, orange, and red, so you can plant them next to each other for variety if you wish. As with all cucurbits, protect from insects and heavy rains, which will wash away organic matter from the soil, which could lead to problems for your plants.

6- Basil {Days to harvest- 50-75 days}

Basil is a member of the mint family, so we recommend starting tomatoes and peppers earlier so they will be ready to harvest when basil is. When the basil reaches 4 inches tall, it’s time to harvest and dry your own. With the aroma of anise, this easy herb has a flavor and light flavor that is perfect for seasoning soups, and pasta dishes, stuffing for squash or tomatoes, as a garnish for your salads, and much more.

Basil also makes an excellent tea when brewed with some lemon water. Basil is easy to grow from seedlings which can be started indoors or outdoors in the early spring on a sunny windowsill until they are large enough to protect them from rain for the summer months.

7- Tomatoes {Days to Harvest- 60-90 days}

The lifespan of a tomato plant is about 6 months to 1 year, and it can be grown from seedlings that can be started indoors or outdoors. In the spring, you will want to start your tomatoes indoors, which is an excellent way to preserve seeds for the following season. When starting seeds indoors, it’s important to provide them with 8 hours of light per day (or more, if possible) and place them on top of pebbles within an inch or two of each other. Tomatoes are easy to plant because you don’t have to buy new plants.

Cut off the suckers and plant the stem in the soil. Another great way to save seed is to grow tomatoes from last year’s seedlings, put the stem in water and keep them contained for a few days until it starts to root. This method is more effective than starting new plants from seed because you can start with plants that already have a solid root system.

8- Peppers (sweet & hot) {Days to harvest- 60-90 (sweet) & 150 days (hot)}

Peppers come in all sorts of colors, shapes, and sizes. They are great for attracting animals to your garden, so make sure to use a repellent when you’re planting them. Depending on the variety, peppers will grow from 3-10 feet tall and wide to consume a lot of space. Please ensure you include plenty of mulch around them, so they don’t get too hungry and start eating each other.

9- Watermelons {Days to Harvest- 80-90 days}

Watermelons are another great option to use for your community garden. Like tomatoes, if you don’t have room for a field of watermelons, you can start with some seedlings and plant them in the ground. Watermelons also grow fast, so ensuring you have enough room is key. Please make sure you use heavy mulch around the plants and make sure they have a good amount of sunlight.

10-Sweet Corn {Days to Harvest- 60-100 days}

Sweet corn is a great crop for your community garden because you don’t have to worry about bees and insects getting around it. Just make sure you plant sweet corn in the early spring, so it can get time to produce its harvest before summer. Another great thing about sweet corn is that some varieties will mature in just a few weeks, making it perfect for use as seedlings.

Conclusion

These are just some of the crops we recommend growing for your community garden. Customize your garden based on what you prefer to grow and what’s available. Sure, you could grow the same crops that everyone else has, but if you want to ensure that you’re growing the most nutritious and highest-yielding vegetables, start with these suggestions. Once you have a good grasp of planting and harvesting these crops, try some of our other plant suggestions listed below. And remember, if you’re interested in getting more information on these plants, feel free to comment below and ask any questions!