Seeds to Sow in July

It’s Hotter in July! 🥵 But seeds can still be planted, especially for a second wave of warm weather crop harvests in late Autumn.

In Napa County, we’ve got a heat wave on with temperatures well above the upper-80s. Seeds started in spring we can now see are putting on leaves, flowers, and fruit fast! Watch these and other plants closely; water them in cool early morning hours so they can take this midday heat.

As of this writing, the outdoor seed library annexes are closed so you’ll have to wait until temps cool down , but as soon as they do, come get some!

So which *seeds* are great to sow in July in Zone 9b? Mostly the same ones planted in June, check out the list below. Pro Tip: the “shoulder season” (July, August) is a perfect time to put your garden on hold while you play elsewhere. If you’ve harvested garlic, onions, beets, etc. and have empty spaces, seed them with cover crop before you go. By keeping your soil conditioned with nutrient-rich, water-saving, weed-controlling crops like legumes and grasses, your fall and winter crops will thank you when you return.

Cover Crops 🌾🌾🌾
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Chickpea
Chichories
Cowpea
Lablab
Millet
Mung bean
Okra
Pigeon pea
Safflower
Sunn hemp

Veggies 🍆🌽🍉
Amaranth
Beans
Corn
Cowpea
Eggplant
Melon
Okra
Pigeon pea
Pumpkin and winter squash
Spinach (tropical: New Zealand, Malabar, etc.)

Flowers 🌼🪻🌻
Flax
Nasturtium
Marigold
Milkweed
Sunflower
Tithonia

If you want a video version of seeds to sow in July (remember they are much the same as for June), check out the video linked below.