What You Can Still Plant In the Summer: It's Not Too Late!

Planting in June or July? Here’s What’s Still Totally Worth Growing

If you’re just now thinking about planting, it might feel like you showed up to the garden party just as everyone else is showing off their zucchini hauls—and here you are, seed packets in hand, wondering if you missed the boat. But let me tell you: you didn’t. You’re right on time for summer’s second act.

Summer planting can actually be one of the easiest, most satisfying ways to sneak in a garden. Whether spring was a total blur (raises hand) or life just got in the way, there’s still plenty of growing season left to dig in and grow something good.

In this post, I’m sharing what you can still plant, what we’re tucking into our GreenStalk planters, and some tips we’ve picked up from jumping into gardening a little later than planned.

Ripe and unripe cherry tomatoes growing on a vine in a summer garden.

Figuring Out What to Plant

Here are two things to check before you start dropping seeds:

How many growing days do you have left?

Google “first frost date” for your zip code and count how many days are left. For us, it’s usually about 120 days from early July to the end of October. That’s plenty of time for warm-season crops to do their thing.

Stick with plants that actually like the heat.

Forget the picky stuff and go for the plants that live for hot weather—beans, cucumbers, squash, peppers, eggplant, cherry tomatoes. These aren’t just okay with warm soil and long days—they love it. Give them full sun, a little water, and they’ll take off like they’ve been waiting for summer all year.

Why Container Gardening Works So Well Right Now

If you’re planting late, containers make it easier. I especially love our GreenStalk planters because:

I can grow a TON in a little space
They’re easy to move for more sun or shade
I barely have to weed
I get to control the soil, water, and spacing

Cherry tomato plants growing in fabric grow bags in a thriving summer container garden.

What We’re Growing This Summer (and Why)

Here’s what’s going in our towers this year, plus why we love them:

1. Peppers

Jalapeno Mucho Nacho, Bell, Sweet Banana, Cayenne, Shishito
Peppers love the heat and grow like champs in containers. Ours thrive in the GreenStalks. A little fertilizer once a month keeps them happy.

Pile of freshly harvested green and red peppers, including bell, poblano, and cayenne varieties.

2. Squash & Okra

Green Griller
Yellow and White Scallop
Small Wonder Spaghetti
Sugar Pie Pumpkins
Cajun Jewel Okra

These smaller varieties fit great in containers and love hot weather. Trailing types go on the bottom so they can sprawl out over mulch.

Freshly sautéed okra, jalapeños, and yellow squash on a skillet, showing popular heat-loving summer vegetables.

3. Heat-Tolerant Greens

Swiss Chard
Galilee Spinach
Red Malabar Spinach

You can still grow greens in summer—just the right kinds. These hold up well and don’t get bitter in the heat. A little afternoon shade helps too.

Freshly harvested rainbow chard with vibrant red, yellow, orange, and white stems resting on a garden ledge.

4. Cucumbers & Gherkins

Spacemaster
Bet Alpha
Mexican Sour Gherkins

Compact and super productive. The cucamelons are fun for kids and perfect for snacking.

Crisp green cucumbers growing on a vine with bright yellow blossoms in a lush summer garden.

5. Tomatoes

Orange Hat
Micro Tom

These mini varieties are quick to mature and packed with flavor. Ideal if you’re short on space or time.

Close-up of unripe green cherry tomatoes growing on the vine with a soft green background.

6. Eggplant

Thai Green Frog Fingers
Rosa Bianca
Listada de Gandia

Eggplant loves full sun. Ours do best with regular feeding—fish emulsion every couple of weeks does the trick.

Person holding a wooden crate filled with freshly harvested eggplants from the garden.

7. Beans

Contender
Green Blaze
Rattlesnake Snap
Jade, Red Swan
Edamame
Purple Hull Peas

Beans grow fast, produce a lot, and improve the soil. We mix in bush and pole types for variety.

A hand gently harvesting fresh green beans from a lush garden plant.

8. Culinary Herbs

Basil
Oregano
Rosemary
Thyme
Lavender
Pineapple Sage

I tuck herbs into every spare pocket I can find. They’re the garden’s overachievers—pretty, fragrant, total pollinator magnets, and full of flavor. And let’s be real—snipping a handful of basil for dinner just makes me feel like I kinda have it together.

Freshly harvested bundles of sage, thyme, dill, and basil tied with string on a rustic wooden board.

Tips for Making the Most of a Late Start

Check the clearance plant rack—you might score some amazing deals
Use mulch to hold in moisture and protect the roots
Shade cloth or row cover helps beat the heat
Jot down notes in a garden planner (your future self will thank you)
Be flexible. Some plants will thrive, some won’t—and that’s okay

Why We Love Our GreenStalks

Honestly, they’ve changed how we garden. Even when we start late (which happens more than I’d like to admit), we can still grow a ton of food without sacrificing our whole yard. The vertical setup saves space, makes watering easy, and harvesting a breeze.

Let’s Get Growing

If you’re starting your garden a little later this year, don’t stress. Grab what you can, plant what you love, and let it be fun. There’s still time to toss some seeds in the dirt and get a harvest before fall—promise.

What about you—what are you planting this summer? I’d honestly love to hear what’s going on in your garden. And if homegrown meals, fresh flour, or rows of canning jars make your heart sing too, feel free to hang out and poke around. There’s a lot more where this came from.

Here’s to fresh starts and good dirt,

—Kristy

What You Can Still Plant In the Summer: It’s Not Too Late!

Figuring Out What to Plant

Why Container Gardening Works So Well Right Now