Minnesota & seasons
What to plant in June in Minnesota
June is the month everything goes in. After the first week, frost is off the table around East Bethel, the soil is warm, and the tender annuals and vegetables that stalled in May take off: impatiens, begonias, coleus, vinca, zinnias, marigolds, celosia, sweet potato vine, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, beans and corn. Perennials and shrubs plant fine too. It is not too late for anything; it is finally the right time for most of it.
Every year we hear “I missed the window” from someone on June 10, standing in a greenhouse full of plants that are happier going in that week than they would have been in cold May soil. Here is what to plant through June, what to start in July, and what to leave for fall.
Early June: the tender annuals
The one-in-ten late frost date near East Bethel is May 17, so by June 1 the risk is behind you and the soil has warmed past 60°F. That is what the heat-lovers were waiting for. Planted the first two weeks of June, they fill in by the Fourth of July.
Early June: the warm-season vegetables
| Crop | Plant by | How | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Plant byJune 15 | HowTransplants | NotesLater than that and big slicers run out of summer; cherry types still make it |
| Peppers | Plant byJune 15 | HowTransplants | NotesWant warm nights; mulch black plastic or just be patient |
| Cucumbers | Plant byJune 20 | HowSeed or transplant | NotesDirect-sown seed catches up fast in warm soil |
| Squash and zucchini | Plant byJune 20 | HowSeed or transplant | NotesThree seeds per hill, thin to the strongest |
| Beans | Plant byEarly July | HowSeed | NotesSow every two weeks through early July for a steady supply |
| Sweet corn | Plant byJune 15 | HowSeed | NotesPlant a block, not a row |
| Melons | Plant byJune 10 | HowTransplants | NotesThe warmest, sunniest spot you have |
| Lettuce, radishes, beets | Plant byAll month, then again in late July | HowSeed | NotesShort rows every two weeks; shade lettuce from afternoon sun |
| Basil | Plant byAll month | HowTransplants | NotesNever before June 1; one cold night ruins it |
All of June: perennials, shrubs and containers
Perennials and shrubs do not care what month it is as long as they get water. A June-planted coneflower or hydrangea needs a deep soak twice a week through August, and a 2-inch mulch to keep the roots cool. Plant in the evening if you can. Containers and hanging baskets can be planted or refreshed any time; by late June the baskets you planted in May want their first feeding, and the petunias might be ready for a haircut.
June chores that pay off later
- Mulch everything. Two to three inches of shredded bark or chopped leaves on beds now means half the watering and almost no weeding in July.
- Stake and cage before plants need it. Tomatoes, dahlias, delphiniums and peonies that flop in July were waiting for a stake in June.
- Pinch mums and asters. Pinch garden mums back by a third around the Fourth of July for a compact, late-blooming plant. Our mum guide has the schedule.
- Watch for Japanese beetles. They arrive the last week of June. The morning bucket routine in our beetle guide works best started early.
- Deadhead and feed. Petunias, geraniums and marigolds bloom more when spent flowers come off. Containers want liquid feed every one to two weeks from now on.
What to plant in July and August
July is for the fall vegetable garden: carrots, beets and broccoli transplants in mid-July; lettuce, spinach, radishes, kohlrabi and turnips in early August. Kale sown in July keeps going until the temperature drops near 20°F. Flowers planted in July — annuals or perennials — are fine with water, though a hot-week planting is harder on them than a June one. Hold the garden mums and fall pansies for September; planted in July they bloom early and are finished by the time you want them.
Common questions
Is June too late to plant annuals in Minnesota?
No. June is the month to plant tender annuals — impatiens, vinca, zinnias, begonias, coleus, marigolds, celosia — because the soil has finally warmed up. Plants put in during the first half of June catch up to May plantings within a few weeks. We are open through early July for exactly this reason.
Is it too late to plant perennials in June?
Not at all. Perennials can go in any time the ground isn’t frozen; June plantings just need watering through their first summer. Plant on a cloudy day or in the evening, water deeply twice a week, and mulch. Fall is the other good window; see our fall planting guide.
What vegetables can I still plant in June?
Beans, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, pumpkins, melons and sweet corn go in by seed the first half of June. Tomato and pepper transplants are fine through about June 15. Sow a second round of lettuce, radishes and beets early in the month, then again in late July for fall.
What should I plant in July in Minnesota?
Fall crops: sow carrots, beets and broccoli in mid-July, and lettuce, spinach, radishes and kohlrabi in early August. July is also fine for perennials, shrubs and container refreshes, with extra water. Plant garden mums in September, not July, if you want them to bloom in fall.