June Gardening Calendar for Zone 9: Embrace the Heat!

Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I only recommend products I genuinely trust and believe will bring value to my readers. Also, some of the content was created with strategic use of AI tools. For more information, please visit the Privacy Policy page. Thank you for supporting my blog and helping me continue to provide valuable content.

June arrives in a blaze of sunlight—and suddenly, everything is growing faster than we can keep up with. The tomatoes are starting to blush, the basil is fragrant and full, and if you planted early, you may already be picking peppers, cucumbers, or even the first okra.

It’s the season of abundance—but also of overwhelm. The heat is real, the weeds are relentless, and the garden feels a little wild. This is where we pause, breathe deep, and remember: the goal isn’t perfection—it’s presence. We don’t have to do it all. Just enough.

So here’s what I’m focusing on in my Zone 9 garden this June—along with a few gentle reminders to slow down, water well (the garden and your soul), and savor the blessings as they come.

🍅 What’s Growing in June

If your garden went in early, you’re likely seeing the fruits of your labor now—literally. Early summer brings:

• Tomatoes beginning to ripen (watch for pests and cracking)
• Peppers sizing up—pick them small for tender crunch, or wait for full color
• Okra popping up fast—harvest every day or two for best flavor
• Cucumbers galore (check often; they hide well!)
• Basil, thyme, and other herbs ready for clipping and drying
• Melons starting to run—baby fruit may be forming on the vines

This is also the month when warm-weather crops hit their stride. Squash are blooming (watch for borers), and corn starts shooting up if you planted early. Some beds might look like jungles. That’s okay.

🧑‍🌾 What I’m Doing in the Garden This Month

Instead of launching big new projects, I think of June as a maintenance month—a time to tend, tidy, and tweak.

Here’s what’s on my list:

• Mulch generously to keep moisture in and weeds out
• Water deeply, especially after windy days or hot spells
• Prune tomatoes and trellis anything that’s starting to sprawl
• Deadhead flowers to keep blooms coming
• Harvest often to encourage more growth (especially okra, cucumbers, and beans)
• Check for pests daily—hornworms and squash bugs show up strong this month
• Fertilize mid-month if plants are fruiting heavily

And honestly? I’m also trying to leave a little room for imperfection. A garden can be messy and still be deeply good.

🌱 Still Planting? Yes—Here’s What You Can Sow in June

If you’ve got space, you can still succession plant summer favorites like:

• Southern peas
• Okra
• Basil and other herbs
• Pumpkins and winter squash (early in the month)
• Heat-tolerant greens like Malabar spinach

📌 Need more? Visit our full 15-Minute Gardening Calendar!

Don’t forget: what you do now sets the stage for fall, too. I like to start planning my brassica seedlings toward the end of June so I’m not scrambling come August.

☀️ Grace for the Gardener

This month, I’m leaning into the rhythms of creation. Some days I wake up early and walk barefoot through the dew to harvest herbs. Other days, the heat wins and I hide inside with iced coffee and garden books. Both are valid. Both are good.

If your garden feels behind, messy, or overgrown—take heart. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re growing in real time, in real life.

And remember: the Gardener never wastes a season. Even the slow-growing, half-wilted ones can yield something beautiful.

🌼 A Final Word for June

Whether you’re pulling weeds in the morning light or sitting on the porch admiring a few hardy zinnias, I hope this month brings you both fruit and rest. There’s so much to notice, so much to enjoy—if we slow down enough to see it.

You don’t have to do it all. Just plant what you can. Harvest what’s ready. And give thanks for the process.

“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” — 1 Corinthians 3:7