What to plant in June: zone 3a

Fall kale window opens. Sow trays any time in the next four weeks.

Seedlings need 5 weeks before they go out for a fall harvest.

Seedlings need 4 weeks before they go out for a fall harvest.

Fall parsley window opens. Sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.

Fall bush bean window opens. Sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.

Succession sowing 3 of 3. Sow every 21 days for a steady cut.

Fall pea window opens. Sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.

Succession sowing 3 of 3. Sow every 21 days for a steady cut.

Fall carrot window opens. Sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.

Fall beet window opens. Sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.

Fall dill window opens. Sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.

Soil is ready 1 weeks after last frost.

Soil is ready 1 weeks after last frost.

Soil is ready 1 weeks after last frost.

Soil is ready 1 weeks after last frost.

Soil is ready 1 weeks after last frost.

Soil is ready 2 weeks after last frost.

Soil is ready 2 weeks after last frost.

Soil is ready 2 weeks after last frost.

Warm soil: first summer sowing of bush bean.

Warm soil: first summer sowing of basil.

Warm soil: first summer sowing of beet.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Bury 2/3 of the transplant stem. Roots form along the buried stem for a stronger plant.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Pinch flower spikes the moment you see them: leaves stay sweet all season.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. This is a fall crop: frost is what turns the sprouts sweet. Around 4 weeks before harvest, top the growing tip so the plant pushes size into the sprouts.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Count back 100 days from your first frost to time a Halloween harvest. Cure cut pumpkins in the sun for 10 days and leave 3 in of stem so they store for months.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Harvest just before flowering for the best flavor, then shear the whole plant back for a second flush.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Grows 4-6 ft tall once established; give it the back of the bed and divide the crown every few years to keep it productive.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Fence it off if cats roam the neighborhood: they'll flatten the plant and any seedlings around it rolling in the scent.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Plant two different cultivars for better fruit set; cut clusters when berries turn deep purple-black and cook before eating, never raw.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Check state rules before planting: currants can be restricted near white pine stands due to blister rust; resistant cultivars exist where it's allowed.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Prune to an open vase shape each dormant season; good airflow through the center is the best defense against mildew.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Fruit looks ripe well before it's ready; wait until berries turn nearly black and soften slightly to avoid the sharp astringency of early picking.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Plant two different cultivars for pollination; it flowers and fruits earlier than almost any other berry, often before strawberries.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Needs one male plant for every 6-8 females to fruit; the branches are thorny, so many growers cut whole fruited branches to harvest rather than pick berry by berry.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Needs boggy, acidic soil, pH 4-5; without a naturally wet, peaty spot, grow it in a lined bed you can flood periodically.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Mulch with pine needles or peat to hold the acidic soil pH it needs; it can produce two crops a year in longer seasons.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Netting is close to mandatory: birds often strip a tree bare within a day or two of the berries ripening.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Leaves, twigs, and pits contain cyanogenic compounds and are toxic to people and livestock. Use only the cooked, strained pulp, and keep wilted prunings away from animals.

Safe to set out 2 weeks after last frost. Fruit is sour and best after frost; buy the American species rather than the European lookalike, whose fruit is bitter and far less useful.

Safe to set out 3 weeks after last frost. Plant rooted slips, not seed. Wait until soil holds 65F, then let vines sprawl and cure roots at 80F for 10 days before storage: that curing step is what makes them sweet.

3-4 in of straw or leaves now holds water, blocks weeds, and cools roots for the whole summer.

Switch to fewer, longer soaks (1-1.5 in/week at the root) instead of daily sprinkles.

Sowing 2: replant every 14 days so one planting never has to feed you all season.