10 Tasty Veggies You Should Plant In July Before It's Too Late

Whether you're getting a late start growing warm-season crops or are hoping to expand your vegetable garden, it may not be too late to plant veggies in July, depending on your location. Many crops flourish in summer, providing a wide selection of crops to plant if you act fast. However, when you're looking for warm-season vegetables you can plant in the middle of summer, it's important to make sure the plants will have enough time to produce a harvest.

First, find out your first average frost date. How many days are left between now and that date? Next, find the estimated days to maturity for the plant variety you'd like to grow, then add 15 days to the estimated growing time, since growth slows in fall. Now compare the number of days remaining in your growing season and the amount of time to maturity — and you'll know whether you still have time to grow that crop.

Gardeners should also consider that when sowing or transplanting veggies in the middle of summer, frequent watering may be necessary since hot conditions will cause the soil to dry quickly. If your location is undergoing a heatwave, you may want to delay planting in favor of cooler conditions if time permits, since temperatures over 90°F can cause stress in plants and may end up causing disappointment. Keeping this in mind, with some planning and attention to water needs, the following selections provide a delicious assortment of veggies to plant in July.

Beans grow quickly, making them one of those warm-season crops you can plant from seed in the middle of summer, even if your growing season is on the short side. However, if you're crunched for time, be sure to choose bush varieties of these veggies to plant in your July garden rather than pole types, which can take twice as long to mature.

If you're hoping to add homegrown corn on the cob to your summer barbecues, it may not be too late for you to fulfill that craving. Corn is one of the veggies you might be able to sow in July if you haven't done so yet. You can grow sweet corn in your garden for a tasty golden harvest, but you may want to choose carefully before you sow seeds — some corn varieties mature in just 60 days, while others need 3 months or more of warm weather.

Cucumbers are veggies that help keep everyone cool when summer's heating up, yet these vining garden plants prefer warm weather, so can be transplanted or sown in July. Some cucumber types will produce a harvest in as few as 50 days, so choose one of these early maturing varieties if you're fearful of autumn weather arriving early and dashing your plans for homemade salads, gazpachos, or tzatzikis.

When growing from transplants, July isn't too late to plant eggplant either, if you're hoping to round out your summer menu with some baba ghanoush. Eggplants thrive in hot summer conditions, so if you can snag some eggplant at your local nursery, don't hesitate to bring them home to the garden. And if your garden real estate is limited, you can even grow eggplants in container gardens. Just keep in mind that these delicious veggies will need up to 80 days to mature after planting seedlings.

Okra is another warm-season crop that doesn't shy away from hot weather, so this veggie can easily be added to the garden in July. Plus, there are many okra varieties that need only 50 to 60 days to reach maturity if fall weather is just around the corner for you. If you've never tried growing these veggies before, follow our tips for growing tasty okra in the garden, such as making sure to provide these plants with full sun.

Although it's too late to start these members of the nightshade family from seed, in July, it's not too late to plant pepper transplants. Peppers grow best in warm temperatures, making them compatible for a July intro to your garden. Some types produce harvestable peppers in around 60 days, so choose one of those early pepper varieties unless you have a very long growing season.

Although many types of pumpkins require a long, warm growing season, there are some types of these veggies that you can plant in July as well, and they prefer warm weather for good growth. Choose smaller types with shorter times to maturity if you are running against the clock in your garden — some small types will produce a harvest in just 75 to 80 days.

If you were too busy to garden in early summer, you may worry it's too late to grow squash. Thankfully, there are many types of quick-maturing summer squash to choose from if you haven't yet planted these veggies now that it's July. You can grow summer squash from seed for a bountiful harvest even when getting a late start. Look for varieties that produce a harvest in around 45 to 50 days for a faster harvest of yellow crooknecks or zucchinis.

If you have a long, warm growing season, it may not be too late for you to plant sweet potatoes. The fastest-maturing sweet potatoes are harvestable in around 90 days, so if you expect at least three more months of hot or warm weather in your location, put these sweet spuds on your July gardening list. You might even be able to regrow sweet potatoes from the grocery store.

July can be a good time to take advantage of your local nursery's sales. Local plant nurseries might want to empty their shelves of leggy tomato seedlings in midsummer, giving you the opportunity to grab a great deal for your homegrown tomato patch. Some of the earliest maturing tomatoes need just 60 days, so setting these types of transplants into your garden in July will assure you a crop by September.