Zone 6 · July · 13 weeks after last frost
What to plant in July in Zone 6
Typical last frost in zone 6 is around Apr 15, and first frost around Oct 15. Peak heat. Cool-season crops fail now, warm-season crops need daily water, and the smart move is to sow the autumn crop in shade.
Start indoors this month
Seed trays indoors, under a light or in the brightest window you have. These are slow crops that need a head start on the season.
Nothing in our dataset needs an indoor start this month in this zone.
Set out into the final container
Transplants go into the pot they will finish in. Hardening them off for four to five days first prevents most transplant shock.
No transplanting window is open this month here.
Direct sow
Sow straight into the final pot. These crops resent root disturbance, and transplanting them usually costs more time than it saves.
No direct-sowing window this month in this zone.
Sow for autumn
A second sowing timed backwards from first frost. Fewer pests, less watering, and better flavour in most cool crops.
No autumn sowing window opens this month in this zone.
Harvesting this month
- Cherry Tomato — harvest from Jun 26 (5 gal, 12" deep)
- Bush Bean — harvest from Jun 16 (3 gal, 9" deep)
- Basil — harvest from Jul 8 (2 gal, 8" deep)
- Bush Cucumber — harvest from Jun 16 (5 gal, 12" deep)
- Zucchini — harvest from Jun 11 (7 gal, 14" deep)
- Hot Pepper — harvest from Jul 18 (3 gal, 12" deep)
- Carrot — harvest from Jun 10 (3 gal, 12" deep)
Not this month
- Radish — next window opens in September. Starting it now means 2 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
Zone 6 at a glance
Zone 6 gives about 160 frost-free days and is the easiest zone for container growing — long enough for peppers, short enough that midsummer heat rarely sterilises pollen.
Next and previous
June in zone 6 · —