What to plant in summer: a UK guide

Updated June 2026 · 5 min read

Think you've missed the boat because it's already summer? Not at all. June, July and August are still prime time to sow plenty of fast crops and fill any gaps — and successional sowing now keeps your harvest going right into autumn. Here's what to plant.

Vegetables to sow in summer

Warm soil means seeds germinate fast. These crops are happy sown direct outdoors through the summer months:

• Beetroot — quick, reliable, and you can eat the leaves too.
• Carrots — keep sowing for tender roots into autumn.
• French & runner beans — early summer sowings still have time to crop.
• Courgettes — a June sowing will catch up fast in the heat.
• Spring onions & radishes — ready in weeks; sow little and often.
• Turnips & kohlrabi — fast brassicas for late summer.
• Peas — a summer sowing gives an autumn pick.

Salads & leaves all summer

Salad is the ultimate summer crop — fast, cut-and-come-again, and perfect for filling gaps. Sow a short row every couple of weeks for a constant supply:

• Lettuce (choose heat-tolerant varieties to avoid bolting)
• Rocket, mizuna and other quick leaves
• Spinach and chard
• Herbs like coriander, dill and basil

Flowers to plant in summer

It's not too late for colour and pollinators either:

• Biennials like foxgloves, wallflowers and sweet williams — sow now to flower next year.
• Fast annuals such as calendula and nasturtium for late-summer blooms.
• Autumn bulbs — get planning; you'll be planting daffodils and crocus from September.

Plant out & keep going

Summer isn't only for sowing — plant out any tender crops still in pots (tomatoes, courgettes, squash), keep harvesting beans and courgettes regularly so they keep producing, and feed fruiting plants weekly. The single biggest summer job is watering: containers can need it daily in hot weather. See our watering guide to get it right.

Want the full year? Our month-by-month UK planting calendar covers every season.