July is the month to keep the garden going despite the heat. Warm-season crops are in full production but need consistent watering, mulching, and pest monitoring to stay healthy through the hottest stretch of the year. New planting is limited — most crops struggle to establish in July's heat — but a few heat-tolerant options can still go in early in the month. More importantly, July is when fall gardening begins: Brassica transplants started indoors now will be ready to go outside in August and September, putting them on track for a productive fall season.
Indoors (fresh harvests):
- Microgreens: peas, broccoli, sunflowers, arugula
- Sprouts: alfalfa, broccoli, radish, mung
- Herbs & greens under lights: chives, parsley, mint
Start indoors now for fall transplant: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, kale — start these in late July to have transplants ready for outdoor planting in late August and September.
Crops that can be directly sown outdoors in July: corn, okra, cowpeas, yard-long beans, Malabar spinach, sweet potato slips (early in the month). In cooler microclimates, succession-sow beans and summer squash early July.
Cover crops: cowpeas, sunn hemp, buckwheat, sorghum-sudangrass.
Tip: An Olympia, WA zone 8 is very different from a Jackson, MS zone 8. Consider checking with your state Extension Service office for more specific recommendations and guidelines.
Use your USDA zone as a guide. Microclimates matter — coastal/urban spots run warmer; high elevation runs colder.
