In The Vegetable Garden This June

June is one of the busiest and most rewarding months in the vegetable garden. Soil is warm, growth accelerates quickly, and pests become more active. Here are the most useful jobs and tips for this month:

🥕Sow little and often

Instead of sowing everything at once, make small sowings every 1–2 weeks for continuous harvests.

Good June sowings include:

• Lettuce
• Rocket
• Radishes
• Beetroot
• Spring onions
• Carrots
• French beans
• Peas (early June)
• Chard

You can also direct sow:

• Courgettes
• Sweetcorn
• Outdoor cucumbers
• Squash and pumpkins (in warmer areas)

💧Water deeply, not frequently

As temperatures rise:

• Water thoroughly a few times a week rather than lightly every day.
• Early morning is best.
• Focus on roots, not leaves.
• Mulch around plants to retain moisture.

Good mulches:

• Compost
• Straw
• Grass clippings (thin layers)
• Leaf mould

🥔Earth up potatoes

Pull soil up around potato stems to:

• Prevent green potatoes
• Increase yields
• Protect against late frosts early in the month

Keep an eye out for potato blight later in June, especially in wet weather.

🪢Support climbing crops early

Install supports before plants get large:

• Peas
• Runner beans
• Climbing French beans
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers

Tying plants in early prevents stem damage later.

🍅Pinch out tomatoes

For cordon tomato varieties:

• Remove side shoots regularly.
• Feed weekly once flowers appear.
• Water consistently to avoid blossom end rot.

Bush tomatoes usually do not need pinching out.

🥬Thin seedlings ruthlessly

It feels harsh, but crowded crops stay weak and disease-prone.

Especially important for:

• Carrots
• Beetroot
• Parsnips
• Lettuce

Thin in the evening to reduce carrot fly problems.

🐛Watch for pests daily

June is peak time for:

• Slugs and snails
• Aphids
• Cabbage white caterpillars
• Carrot fly

Helpful approaches:

• Net brassicas and carrots
• Encourage birds and frogs
• Hand-pick caterpillars
• Use beer traps or wool pellets for slugs

🧺Harvest regularly

Frequent picking encourages more production.

Pick often:

• Courgettes (small is best)
• Beans
• Peas
• Lettuce leaves
• Herbs

If courgettes are left too long, plants slow down dramatically.

🌱Feed hungry crops

Heavy feeders need nutrients now:

• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Courgettes
• Pumpkins
• Sweetcorn

Use:

• Liquid tomato feed
• Seaweed feed

🥦Give brassicas space and protection

Cabbages, kale, broccoli, and sprouts need:

• Firm soil
• Plenty of spacing
• Netting against pigeons and butterflies

Water well in dry spells to avoid bolting.

🌿Keep hoeing weeds

Warm weather means weeds appear quickly.

• Hoe on dry sunny days
• Remove weeds before they seed
• Mulch to help suppress regrowth

📅Plan ahead for autumn and winter

June is a good time to sow:

• Sprouting broccoli
• Kale
• Leeks
• Winter cabbage
• Swede

These crops need a long growing season.