JULY PRODUCE GUIDE: What’s freshest now + what needs to be planted?

Is there anything more quintessentially summer than a bowl of fresh fruit? Some of my fondest childhood summer memories involve fruit— dad cutting up watermelons at the neighborhood pool, picking my own blueberries for cobbler and making DIY raspberry popsicles with my mom.

But growing your own fresh fruits and veggies for those summertime memories can be overwhelming. That’s where we come in, with some planting and fresh produce advice.

Keep reading to learn the freshest fruits in Alabama right now and what needs to be put in the ground for your fall harvest.

What to put on your farmers market list

According to the Alabama Cooperative Extension (ACES), Summer is peak time for lots of tasty fruits and veggies in Alabama, like:

• Apples
• Blueberries
• Corn
• Figs
• Grapes
• Muscadines
• Scuppernongs
• Nectarines
• Okra
• Peaches
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

Looking for a farmers market? Start here.

What needs planting now

If you’re tending to a summer garden in Alabama, these are the plants you should start now, according to ACES:

• Pumpkins
• Southern Beans
• Squash
• Cucumber

There are a few plants you’ll want to start sprouting inside this month, including:

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Collards
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Mustard
• Radishes
• Spinach

ACES says that second list of veggies shouldn’t be planted in your garden until next month.

More resources

Starting a garden in Alabama? Here are a few stories that may help:

• Your guide to 7 of the best gardens Alabama
• No yard? No problem! 8 community gardens across Alabama
• Gardening Made Easy— your guide to Spring Plant Sales + more In Lower Alabama

What’s in your summer garden? Let us know on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.