What to plant in June in zone 4
USDA zone 4 has winter lows of -30 to -20°F, a typical last spring frost around May 10 and first fall frost around Sep 25, roughly 135 frost-free days. June is the "peak growing season" there.
53 crops have a sowing or planting window this month, including basil, bell pepper, bitter melon, cantaloupe / muskmelon, chili pepper, cucamelon - and 29 of those windows close during June.
Dates come from the typical frost dates of USDA zone 4 (last frost May 10, first frost Sep 25). A zone covers many climates, so for dates tuned to your town use the planting calendar, or pick your state below.
Zone 4: planting activity through the year
Last chance in June
Basil (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Bell Pepper (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Bitter Melon (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Cantaloupe / Muskmelon (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Chili Pepper (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Cucamelon (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Cucumber (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Luffa (Loofah Gourd) (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Malabar Spinach (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Okra (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Watermelon (transplant outdoors, by Jun 3) · Basil (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Bitter Melon (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Cantaloupe / Muskmelon (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Chayote (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Cucamelon (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Cucumber (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Lima Bean (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Luffa (Loofah Gourd) (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Malabar Spinach (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Okra (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Peanut (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Southern Pea (Cowpea) (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Watermelon (direct sow (spring), by Jun 7) · Eggplant (transplant outdoors, by Jun 10) · Ginger (transplant outdoors, by Jun 10) · Sweet Potato (transplant outdoors, by Jun 10) · Turmeric (transplant outdoors, by Jun 10) · Brussels Sprouts (start transplants for fall, by Jun 12)
Sow or plant outdoors in June (28)
Direct sowing and transplanting windows that fall in June, most urgent first. Windows are one-to-two-week bands around the ideal date.
| Crop | What to do | Window | This month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Bell Pepper | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Bitter Melon | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Cantaloupe / Muskmelon | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Chili Pepper | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Cucamelon | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Cucumber | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Luffa (Loofah Gourd) | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Malabar Spinach | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Okra | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Watermelon | Transplant outdoors | May 17 – Jun 3 | Last chance - ends Jun 3 |
| Basil | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Bitter Melon | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Cantaloupe / Muskmelon | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Chayote | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Cucamelon | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Cucumber | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Lima Bean | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Luffa (Loofah Gourd) | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Malabar Spinach | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Okra | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Peanut | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Southern Pea (Cowpea) | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Watermelon | Direct sow (spring) | May 19 – Jun 7 | Last chance - ends Jun 7 |
| Eggplant | Transplant outdoors | May 24 – Jun 10 | Last chance - ends Jun 10 |
| Ginger | Transplant outdoors | May 24 – Jun 10 | Last chance - ends Jun 10 |
| Sweet Potato | Transplant outdoors | May 24 – Jun 10 | Last chance - ends Jun 10 |
| Turmeric | Transplant outdoors | May 24 – Jun 10 | Last chance - ends Jun 10 |
For fall and winter harvests (12)
Sowings counted back from zone 4's first fall frost, so the crop matures before the cold - or, for garlic and similar, planted after it.
| Crop | What to do | Window | This month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brussels Sprouts | Start transplants for fall | May 26 – Jun 12 | Last chance - ends Jun 12 |
| Rutabaga | Sow for a fall crop | Jun 9 – Jun 26 | Jun 9 – Jun 26 |
| Broccoli | Start transplants for fall | Jun 16 – Jul 3 | Opens Jun 16 |
| Cabbage | Start transplants for fall | Jun 16 – Jul 3 | Opens Jun 16 |
| Cauliflower | Start transplants for fall | Jun 16 – Jul 3 | Opens Jun 16 |
| Cucumber | Sow for a fall crop | Jun 23 – Jul 10 | Opens Jun 23 |
| Fennel (Bulb) | Sow for a fall crop | Jun 23 – Jul 10 | Opens Jun 23 |
| Zucchini / Summer Squash | Sow for a fall crop | Jun 23 – Jul 10 | Opens Jun 23 |
| Bush Bean | Sow for a fall crop | Jun 30 – Jul 17 | Opens Jun 30 |
| Carrot | Sow for a fall crop | Jun 30 – Jul 17 | Opens Jun 30 |
| Kale | Sow for a fall crop | Jun 30 – Jul 17 | Opens Jun 30 |
| Radicchio | Sow for a fall crop | Jun 30 – Jul 17 | Opens Jun 30 |
Harvesting in June
First harvests expected this month from crops sown or planted on time earlier in the season.
Peak growing season: June garden jobs in zone 4
- Water deeply two or three times a week rather than a little every day - about an inch a week, more in heat. See watering a vegetable garden.
- 15 weeks until the average first frost (September 25). Fall crops start now: brussels sprouts, rutabaga, broccoli, cabbage. See the fall and winter garden guide.
- Check the undersides of leaves twice a week - catching pests early is most of the battle (pest identification guide).
- Harvest often: tatsoi, mustard greens, mache (corn salad), lettuce should be coming in. Picking regularly keeps beans, squash and cucumbers producing.
Questions gardeners ask
What can I plant in zone 4 in June?
53 crops have a window in June: basil, bell pepper, bitter melon, cantaloupe / muskmelon, chili pepper, cucamelon, cucumber, luffa (loofah gourd), malabar spinach, okra and more. The tables above give the exact dates for each.
When are the last and first frost in zone 4?
The typical last spring frost is around May 10 and the first fall frost around Sep 25. These are broad zone averages, so your own town can be a week or two either side: look yours up by ZIP code in the planting calendar.
What can I harvest in zone 4 in June?
From plantings made on time: tatsoi, mustard greens, mache (corn salad), lettuce, turnip, rapini (broccoli raab), chervil, pea, bok choy / pak choi, beet.
June in states with land in zone 4
Zone 4 in other months
What to plant in June in other zones
Dates are computed from the zone’s typical frost dates and each crop’s timing in our crop database. Your garden may be a week or two either side.