What to Plant in June | with Charles Dowding & Liz Zorab!

Chives are a basic yet brilliant plant that is very easy to grow, affordable, and can be bought as plants or seeds. They provide lovely purple allium flowers that attract pollinators, are great for culinary use with a mild oniony flavor, and come back every year as they are perennial. They also contribute to garden biodiversity, and even the flowers are edible and can be used to infuse oils and vinegars.

Beetroot is a fantastic vegetable to sow in June because it grows well in half a season. The old-fashioned beetroot variety called 'Cheltenham Green Top' is notable for its extra tasty green leaves and long-shaped root which provides some frost protection. It is also sweeter in flavor, making it an excellent option for sowing earlier in June to harvest in late autumn or early winter.

Annuals, like calendula or cosmos, grow from seed, flower, and die all in one year. Biennials have a two-year life cycle where they grow and strengthen up in the first year, flower in the second year, and then die after flowering. Perennials are plants that come back year after year.

Biennials are plants that have a two-year lifecycle – they are sown one year to grow and put on leaves, and then they flower and die the following year. Some top biennial plants to start in June include foxgloves, lunaria (honesty), and wallflowers.

Winter squashes, including pumpkins, have hard skins that allow them to be stored for about a year if cured and stored properly. The first couple of weeks in June are ideal for sowing squash seeds. As they grow, they can sprawl out as ground cover or grow vertically up supports. Winter squashes are hungry and thirsty plants, so they need plenty of well-rotted manure and water, and they will be ready to harvest before the first frosts in autumn.

Irises are bold and structurally interesting, offering diverse colors and forms. They range from ones that enjoy direct sun and dry conditions to those that thrive in aquatic and marginal conditions. Irises provide stunning flowers that may not last long but are very productive, and they are often best bought as plants or obtained as divisions from friends or relatives. They are a good investment for the garden, adding structural form and captivating blooms.

No, the recommendations are based on an Irish climate. If your climate is warmer, you may be ahead in your planting schedule, and if it's cooler, you may be a bit behind. Adjustments should be made based on your specific climate conditions.