Enjoying A June Harvest

If you have been working hard to create an edible garden over the last few months then you will now be reaping the rewards. June is a time of bounty, when we begin to enjoy far more food from the garden. You may not have all the crops mentioned this year but if not, this list should act as an inspiration to show you what is possible for you to grow next year:


First EarliesHarvesting from the Vegetable Patch


One of the staples of the June harvest is first early potatoes. These potatoes will be ready for harvest as soon as the flowers come out, when the plant switches its energy from tuber production. First early potatoes are a real treat in June and will go well with other produce that could come from the garden at this time. You will be able to enjoy the potatoes with mange tout and garden peas, the first broad beans, Pak choipak choi, and cut and come again salad crops such as a range of lettuces, chard and baby leaf spinach. You may also have some radishes, kohlrabi and baby beetroot for those salads, and tiny carrots which you thin out to allow the others to grow to full size.


StrawberryHarvesting from the Fruit Garden


This is also an exciting month in the fruit garden. The headline fruit crop in June is the strawberries. You will likely be harvesting some of the first strawberries outside around the summer solstice. In June you may also perhaps some red currants, some early cherries or gooseberries, though next month will be the peak period for harvest of these latter fruits. There may also still be some rhubarb to harvest – this month is your last chance to enjoy rhubarb this year, so make the most of it.


MintHerbs and Edible Flowers


Mint will be thriving this month and is the perfect accompaniment to the first early potatoes and for your peas. You will probably also have parsley that will likely have survived throughout the year. Chives will be in flower and the flowers and stems can be used in the kitchen. New Mediterranean herbs sewn or bought earlier in the year can be utilised to add some vibrant flavours to your cooking. Your herb garden could be brimming by now with delicious herbs. Nasturtiums may not all be in flower yet but their leaves can be eaten and the flowers when these do appear also add a peppery note to mixed salads. Other edible flowers may also be found amongst your bedding plants.


One of the joys of June is being able to make your own delicious meals from the crops growing in your garden.