5 Vegetables You Can Still Plant in June | For Those Who Think It's Too Late

Vegetables to save you from a summer shortage of greens and some slightly unusual sowing candidates

When June arrives, there is a period where you might feel a bit anxious about your home garden.

You've already planted tomatoes.
You've planted eggplants and bell peppers too.
You've even planted cucumbers, just in case.

So, is there anything new you can plant or sow from now on?

Is it too late?

Some people might think so.

However, June is not the end yet.
In fact, there are some vegetables that are just getting started.

I especially recommend vegetables that will make up for the shortage of greens during the summer.

In the middle of summer, it becomes difficult to grow cool-season leafy vegetables like lettuce and spinach.
On the other hand, heat-tolerant leafy vegetables are just hitting their stride now.

Mr. Musher Aomu also says this while looking at the leaves:

This time, I will introduce the following 5 vegetables that are easy to plant or sow even from June.

It's quite a unique lineup, but all of them are candidates precisely because it is June.

Molokhia.
Water spinach.
Okahijiki (saltwort).
Peanuts.
And carrots, with an eye toward a winter harvest.

1. Molokhia

A sticky leafy vegetable that saves you from a summer shortage of greens

The first candidate I want to include is Molokhia.

Molokhia is heat-tolerant and is a leafy vegetable that grows well even in midsummer.
Since you can harvest by picking the leaves, you can enjoy it for a long time once it starts growing.

In the summer, leafy vegetables tend to be scarce.

While lettuce, komatsuna, and spinach are healthy in the spring, it becomes difficult all at once when the temperature rises.
That is where heat-tolerant leafy vegetables like Molokhia come into play.

Ohitashi, soup, miso soup, or chopped and served over rice.
They are surprisingly versatile.

Mr. Musher says:

However, there are some points to keep in mind.

For Molokhia, you basically eat the young leaves and stems.
Since the seeds and pods contain components not suitable for consumption, the standard practice in home gardening is to harvest and enjoy the young, tender parts before the plant flowers and sets fruit.

If you treat it as a 'leafy vegetable to pick and eat,' you are less likely to fail.

2. Water Spinach (En-tsai)

A summer vegetable you'll want to grow even if you've never eaten it

Next is water spinach.

It's a vegetable you hear about often lately, but many people may have never eaten it.
In Chinese cuisine, it is often used in stir-fries with garlic.

As the name suggests, it is characterized by the hollow center of its stems.
It is heat-tolerant, loves water, and grows well during the summer.

In home gardening, if you harvest by pinching off the tips, side shoots will grow, allowing for multiple harvests.

It is a very reliable leafy vegetable for the summer.

However, water spinach loves water.
It can easily lose its vigor in planters that dry out too much, so be careful about water levels in midsummer.

Mr. Musher is a bit serious about this part, too.

Since it is a vegetable suited for stir-frying, simply stir-fry it with garlic once harvested.
This is enough to enjoy it fully.

Since it is not often seen in supermarkets in some regions, there is a good reason to grow it in a home garden.

3. Okahijiki (Land Seaweed)

A slightly unusual leafy green with a delicious, crunchy texture

One I'd like to include as an unusual option is okahijiki (saltwort).

Although it has "hijiki" in its name, it is not a seaweed.
It is a vegetable that grows on land.

It's called okahijiki because it looks thin and a bit like hijiki.
However, the impression is quite different when you eat it.

Its appeal is, above all, its crunchy texture.

It's great blanched, or quickly boiled and served as a dressed salad.
It doesn't have an overpowering flavor, so it's surprisingly easy to eat.

Sowing in June can be cutting it close depending on the region and temperature, but it's still possible.
To help with germination, it's a good idea to soak the seeds in water for one or two nights before sowing.

However, don't leave them too long, as soaking them too much can cause them to spoil.
Once they have absorbed water, sow them promptly without letting them dry out.

Mr. Musher is a little confused when he sees okahijiki.

Okahijiki is not a vegetable you can buy at the supermarket all the time.
That's exactly why it's an interesting type to grow in a home garden.

"I want to try growing unusual vegetables."
"But I want something that is actually delicious to eat."

It is very well-suited for people like that.

4. Peanuts

A major name, but a very strange ecology

Peanuts are another vegetable you should consider for June.

Everyone knows the name peanut.
Many people have probably eaten them as peanuts.

However, surprisingly few people may know how the fruit is formed.

After a peanut flower blooms, a part called the peg extends and dives toward the ground.
Then, the fruit grows underground.

In other words, even though the flowers bloom above ground, the fruit is formed underground.

It has a very unusual ecology.

Mr. Musher would probably say this too when seeing it for the first time.

Peanuts are also a very interesting vegetable for children to observe.

It flowers. It grows from there toward the ground. The fruit forms inside the soil. When you dig in the autumn, peanuts appear.

This process is perfect for observation.

If it's June, it's easier to start with seedlings rather than seeds.
If you are growing them in a planter, choose one with some depth and width rather than one that is too shallow.

Since peanut pegs grow from the base of the plant into the soil, it is not good if the soil surface is too hard.
You want to grow them in fluffy soil with plenty of space around the base of the plant.

5. Carrots

Actually a winter vegetable with a reason for being sown during the rainy season

Finally, there are carrots.

Some people might think, “Carrots in June?”

However, if you are looking ahead to a winter harvest, sowing seeds from late June to July is definitely a viable option.

Moreover, carrots have a major problem.

Germination.

Carrots are known as a vegetable that is difficult to germinate.
The seeds are small, it takes time to germinate, and it is easy to fail if the soil surface dries out during that time.

In other words, carrots are a vegetable that is sometimes said to be “half successful once they germinate.”

This is where the rainy season comes in handy.

During the rainy season, the soil surface is less likely to dry out and the humidity is high.
Of course, there is a risk that the seeds will be washed away by heavy rain, but in terms of not drying out, it is a very convenient time for carrot germination.

Mr. Musher would nod at this point.

When sowing carrots, do not cover them with too much soil.
Since the seeds are small, cover them with a thin layer of soil and manage them so they do not dry out.

There are also ways to prevent drying out by using non-woven fabric or rice husks.

However, you need to be careful when the rain is too heavy.
The seeds might wash away, or the surface might harden.

The rainy season is a chance for carrots, but it doesn't mean you'll definitely succeed by leaving them alone.

If you are sowing in June, it is easier to choose based on your purpose.

If you are unsure what to plant in June, it becomes easier to think about it if you categorize by purpose.

If you want to make up for a lack of summer greens

Molokhia.
Water spinach.
Saltwort.

These three are candidates to supplement the shortage of leafy greens in the summer.

In particular, Molokhia and water spinach are heat-resistant and will add green leaves to your summer dining table.

Saltwort is a bit of an unusual choice, but its crunchy texture is appealing.
Although it is not very well-known, it is a delicious vegetable to eat.

If you want to grow something interesting to observe

Peanuts.

Flowers bloom, they dive into the soil, and the fruit forms underground.
This process is quite interesting even within the context of home gardening.

It is also suitable for observing with children.

If you want to prepare for an autumn/winter harvest

Carrots.

Sowing seeds in June is not for vegetables to eat right away, but preparation for winter.

Using the moisture of the rainy season to overcome the difficult hurdle of germination.
Thinking of it that way, sowing carrots in June makes perfect sense.

Summary

June is not 'too late,' it's time to re-select your vegetables

When June arrives, it feels like the spring planting season has ended.

But it doesn't end there.

Leafy greens that are heat-tolerant. Root vegetables that can take advantage of the rainy season's moisture. Unique varieties that are fun to observe.

In June, there are vegetables specifically suited for the month.

Here are my five recommendations.

Jew's mallow. Water spinach. Saltwort. Peanuts. Carrots.

Each of these has a unique appeal that sets them apart from standard summer vegetables.

Mr. Musher said this while nibbling on a leaf at the end.

Home gardening in June. There are still things to sow. In fact, this is when vegetables that thrive in the summer get their turn.