Welcome to June—where stepping outside in Zone 9 feels like walking into a sauna with no off switch. With the rising temperatures, mosquito swarms, and three family birthdays (my daughter and twin boys), June is busy. Really busy. And if you’re a gardener in this heat? Whew. This month will truly test your will.
Are you going to stick it out and nurture your garden through the scorching summer months? Or are you throwing in the trowel and telling yourself you’ll try again when the fall weather arrives with a bit of mercy?
Let’s be honest: summer in Zone 9 doesn’t play fair and isn’t for everyone.
What It Really Feels Like
Technically, the average temperature in June hovers between 75°F and 95°F. But personally? I haven’t seen a cool 75° in June since Beyoncé dropped her first solo album. It’s hot, y’all. We even broke a record on the very first day of June this year.
Summer is officially here, and that means two things:
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Your planting options are limited.
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Watering becomes absolutely essential to your plant’s survival.
Hopefully, you managed to get your spring crops planted on time, because we're now deep into the season of harvesting, maintaining, and protecting what you’ve already established.
Harvest Mode: ON
This is when things really start to pop. My spring-planted tomatoes are producing fruit like crazy. The cucumbers are putting on a fantastic show. And the herbs? Wild. I’m talking oregano, thyme, basil overload in the best way possible.
My father’s peach tree was full—past tense—because we’ve been harvesting weekly. My fig trees are loaded, too, slowly ripening under the summer sun. My squash? Some made it, but, as always, vine borers took out the majority of the plants. I tried to outsmart them by planting extras around the garden. I thought maybe I’d get lucky with one or two, but the borers laughed at my optimism and had plans of their own.
Peppers are slowly transforming from green to glorious shades of red, orange, and yellow. So yeah, we’re eating well now, but that also means we’re planting less. Summer isn’t the season of abundance when it comes to putting new things in the ground. However, that doesn’t mean you should stop planting altogether.
What I’m Planting in June
Basil (Still): Like clockwork, I’m still planting basil. I’ve been on a sweet basil kick lately, trying to stockpile enough to get me through winter with fresh pesto dreams. In this heat, it’s crucial to keep your seed-starting area moist. That means I’m misting those basil babies in the morning and again at night until they sprout. Once they do, I give them one solid watering each day, plus an extra drink on days when my irrigation system runs.
Cantaloupe: Last year, I waited too long to harvest my cantaloupe—a rookie mistake. That fresh melon smell attracted all kinds of garden visitors who were eating my melons at night before I had the chance. This year, I’m not playing games. I’m planting ‘Hale’s Best Jumbo’ again, and I plan to outsmart the possums and feral cats to get to the prize first. These melons will be ready by late July or early August, provided I harvest them before my competitors.
Cucumbers (Suyo Long): The cucumbers I planted in April and May are thriving—both pickling and slicing varieties. But now I’m introducing the heavy hitter: the Suyo Long cucumber. If you live in a place like Houston, this variety should be your top choice. It thrives in the heat and continues to produce through summer and into fall. I’ll plant a batch now and another in late July to ensure a steady harvest.
Sunflowers: Sunflowers are sprouting around the garden's perimeter. They add beauty and attract pollinators—and let’s be real, you can never have too many bees. I don’t even know the variety I’m planting because I skipped the seed packets and bought a 5-lb. bag of sunflower feed from my local feed store. Affordable. Effective. Glorious.
Pigeon Peas: Out of all the legumes I grow—bush beans, pole beans, yard-long beans—pigeon peas are my favorite. They absolutely thrive in our heat. Additionally, they’re the key ingredient in Jamaican rice and peas, a staple dish in my household and culture. Reliable and delicious? Yes, please.
Other Options (That I Skip)
Could I plant okra, black-eyed peas, Malabar spinach, or even pumpkins right now? Absolutely—especially pumpkins! Now’s the time to start them if you want Halloween-ready jack-o’-lanterns. However, my garden space is limited, and I don’t believe in growing things I won’t eat. If I had more room, sure, I’d experiment. But I’d rather dedicate space to what I love and leave the rest for flowers and pollinators.
That’s your permission slip: If you’re not going to eat it, then don’t grow it.
The Most Important Task: Watering
Let’s talk about the real MVP of summer gardening in Zone 9: water.
Without proper watering, it doesn’t matter what you plant; it won’t survive this heat. Plants are just like us in this weather: stressed and thirsty.
Here’s how I stay on top of it:
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I hand water in the mornings. Yes, I have drip irrigation, but hand-watering keeps me in tune with the garden. I can spot pests, catch disease symptoms early, and give special attention to stressed-out plants.
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I water deeply. Don’t just wet the surface. A quick spray won’t cut it in this heat—it’ll just evaporate before reaching the roots. You want a slow, deep soak that encourages roots to grow downward where the soil stays cooler.
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I schedule irrigation to run early in the morning. That reduces water loss and gives plants a fresh start before the sun becomes too intense.
If you’re not watering deeply and consistently, you’re not gardening—you’re gambling.
Final Thoughts
June in Zone 9 is not for the faint of heart. However, if you lean in, stay hydrated (both you and the plants), and adjust your expectations, it can be one of the most rewarding times in the garden.
To everyone who reads these posts, thank you. Gardening has been my constant through life’s chaos, and sharing it with y’all is a blessing.
Until next month, stay cool, water deeply, grow what you love, and Plant Plants.
