July is the best time to get any last-minute seeds sown so you can grow a final crop this fall.

But since it’s such a short time frame, it’s easier to make sure you are planting seeds that are actually useful and will come to full maturity before the season ends.

Let’s Dive In…

Useful Seeds to Plant in July for an Autumn Garden

No need for seed starting trays, you can directly sow these seeds right into the dirt outside.

You also don’t have to build anything new; these crops are meant to fill in empty spaces in the garden or replace things that are ready to harvest now.

Simply add a bit more compost or fertilizer to the soil and weed before starting your second round of seeds and you are good to go!

Vegetables:

Lettuce
Kale
Swiss Chard
Mustard
Small Cabbages
Broccoli
Green Onions
Carrots
Beets
Radishes
Parsnips
Cucumbers
Summer Squash

Herbs:

Cilantro
Basil
Dill
Any perennial herb can also be transplanted or started from seed at this time; chives, thyme, oregano, etc

Annual Flowers:

Sunflowers
Marigolds
Zinnias
Cosmos
Any biannual flowers such as hollyhocks, mulleins, foxgloves.

The only real rule you need to be aware of is looking at the days until maturity on your seed packets.

Simply count how many days left you have until your first autumn frost.

Your seed packet should show a ‘days until maturity’ box.

So long as the days on the seed packet are less than the time you have, you are good.

That’s It!

Don’t give up yet, there’s still plenty of time to get a good kick out of gardening this summer.

Remember this list is tailored to starting with seeds and assuming you are planting them in the month of July, before any October or November frosts hits.

Enjoy!