What To Plant In June Zone 9

June in Zone 9 is the official start of the deep summer heat, but that doesn’t mean your gardening has to stop. Knowing what to plant in June Zone 9 is the key to keeping your garden productive and vibrant through the hottest months. The secret is to focus on plants that thrive on warmth and can handle the intense sun. With the right choices, you can enjoy a bounty of harvests well into fall.

This list focuses on vegetables, herbs, and flowers that are well-suited for June planting in our climate. The soil is wonderfully warm now, promoting rapid germination and growth for heat-loving species.

Warm-Season Vegetables for June Planting

These vegetables are built for the heat. They’ll grow quickly and produce reliably if given consistent water.

Southern Peas (Cowpeas): A classic choice. Varieties like Black-Eyed, Crowder, and Cream peas are incredibly heat and drought tolerant. They also improve your soil by fixing nitrogen.
Okra: The hotter it gets, the better okra performs. Harvest the pods when they are young and tender, every other day, to keep the plant producing.
Sweet Potatoes: June is perfect for planting sweet potato slips. They need a long, warm growing season and will reward you with a large harvest in the fall.
Malabar Spinach: Not a true spinach, but a vining plant that provides a delicious, heat-tolerant green. It thrives when temperatures would cause regular spinach to bolt.
Hot Peppers & Eggplant: These solanaceous crops love heat. You can still plant transplants of varieties like jalapeños, habaneros, and long Asian eggplants for a late summer to fall harvest.

Quick-Harvest Crops from Seed

You can still sow seeds for fast-growing crops that will mature before the peak summer stress or that can handle the conditions.

Summer Squash: Zucchini and yellow squash grow astonishingly fast. Direct sow seeds now for a harvest in about 45-55 days. Just watch out for squash vine borers.
Beans: Choose heat-tolerant bush bean or pole bean varieties. They germinate quickly in warm soil and provide a continuous harvest if you pick regularly.
Cucumbers: Opt for vining types and provide a trellis. They appreciate the heat but need deep, consistent watering to avoid bitter fruit.
Root Crops: You can try heat-adapted varieties of carrots and beets, but they’ll need extra attention to moisture. Loosen your soil deeply so the roots can expand easily.

Herbs That Love the Heat

Many herbs are Mediterranean natives, making them perfect for a Zone 9 June.

Basil: This is the ideal time to plant basil. It needs full sun and warmth to develop its full flavor. Pinch off flower buds to encourage leafy growth.
Rosemary, Thyme, & Oregano: These perennial woody herbs are very drought tolerant once established. You can plant transplants now, though they’ll need careful watering at first.
Mexican Tarragon: A wonderful substitute for French tarragon in hot climates. It has a similar anise flavor and produces cheerful yellow flowers in late summer.

Flowers for Summer Color & Pollinators

Don’t forget the flowers! They bring beauty and attract beneficial insects to your vegetable garden.

Sunflowers: They live up to their name. Choose branching varieties for continuous blooms or single-stem types for massive flower heads.
Zinnias: Possibly the best summer cut flower. They are easy from seed, bloom non-stop, and are a butterfly magnet. Deadhead spent flowers to promote more blooms.
Portulaca (Moss Rose): This low-growing succulent thrives in poor, dry soil and blistering sun. It’s perfect for garden edges or containers.
Marigolds: A reliable garden workhorse. Their pungent scent can help deter some pests, and they bloom relentlessly in the heat.

Essential Planting Tips for June Success

Planting in the summer heat requires a different strategy than spring planting. Follow these steps to give your new plants the best start.

1. Prepare the Soil First

Warm soil can dry out and become hard. Take time to prepare your beds properly.

Moisten the planting area a day before you plant. Don’t work with bone-dry soil.
Loosen the soil to a depth of at least 8-12 inches. Mix in a 2-3 inch layer of compost or well-rotted manure. This improves moisture retention and provides nutrients.
Add a balanced, slow-release organic fertilizer according to package instructions to support strong growth.

2. Master the Watering Schedule

This is the most critical factor for June planting. New seeds and transplants are very vulnerable.

Seeds: Water the seeded area gently but deeply immediately after planting. You must keep the soil surface consistently moist (not soggy) until germination occurs. This may require light watering twice a day.
Transplants: Water the transplant hole before placing the plant. After planting, water deeply to settle the soil. For the first week, water daily, preferably in the early morning. Then, you can gradually transition to deeper, less frequent watering to encourage strong roots.
Consider using soaker hoses or drip irrigation to deliver water directly to the roots and minimize evaporation.

3. Provide Immediate Shade & Mulch

Protecting new plants from the harsh afternoon sun for the first 3-5 days can prevent transplant shock.

Use a shade cloth, an old window screen, or even a propped-up cardboard box to create temporary shade.
After watering, apply a 3-4 inch layer of organic mulch (like straw, pine bark, or shredded leaves) around your plants. This keeps the soil cool, conserves moisture, and suppresses weeds. Keep mulch a few inches away from plant stems to prevent rot.

4. Choose the Right Time of Day

Never plant at midday. The best time to plant in June is in the late afternoon or on a cloudy day. This gives the plant the cool of the evening to start recovering before facing the next day’s sun.

What to Avoid Planting in June

Just as important as knowing what to plant is knowing what to skip. Cool-season crops will struggle and bolt (go to seed) immediately in the June heat.

Lettuce (except maybe heat-tolerant varieties like ‘Jericho’ in partial shade)
Spinach
Kale
Broccoli
Cilantro (it will bolt quickly)
Peas

Save these for your fall planting schedule, which will start in just a couple of months.

FAQs: June Gardening in Zone 9

What can I plant in late June in Zone 9?

All the crops listed above are still suitable for late June planting. Focus especially on the quick-harvest items like beans, squash, and cucumbers, and long-season heat-lovers like sweet potatoes and okra. Herbs and flowers are also great for late June.

Is it too late to plant a garden in June?

Absolutely not! In Zone 9, June is prime time for many crops. The long growing season means you have plenty of time for plants to mature before first frost, which may not come until December or later. You’re right on schedule for a summer garden.

How often should I water my garden in June?

There’s no single answer, as it depends on your soil and weather. The key is deep, infrequent watering to encourage deep roots. A general rule is 1-2 inches of water per week, but during a heatwave, plants may need more. Always check the soil moisture a few inches down—if it’s dry, it’s time to water. Early morning is the best time.

What are the best flowers for full sun in Zone 9?

The flowers listed earlier are all excellent: zinnias, sunflowers, portulaca, and marigolds. Also consider vinca (Catharanthus), gomphrena, and angelonia for non-stop, heat-tolerant color that lasts until frost.

Can I plant fruit trees in June?

It’s not ideal. The best times to plant trees in Zone 9 are fall and early spring. Planting a tree in June’s heat puts tremendous stress on it, requiring very careful and constant watering. If you must, choose a container-grown tree, plant it in the evening, and be prepared to provide shade and daily water. It’s generally better to wait.

June gardening in Zone 9 is all about embracing the heat. By selecting the right plants and adjusting your care routine to protect them from the most intense sun, you can have a flourishing and productive garden all summer long. Your efforts now will lead to a rewarding harvest and beautiful blooms in the coming months. Remember to mulch well, water wisely, and enjoy the process of growing in this unique climate.