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Home » Eat what's in season » The practical produce guide - June 2025

The practical produce guide - June 2025

March 26, 2025

I made this summer produce guide to help you enjoy fruits & vegetables in season during June. Ideally, you can find the sweetest, tastiest peaches, sweetest berries, and buttery corn at a local farmers market (but even that isn't guaranteed).

If you do end up with some bland produce, I've still got you covered. It happens, but most of the time a subpar fruit or vegetable can be saved. Berries can be cooked and reduced into a concentrated sauce for ice cream. Corn can absorb a smoked flavor from the grill then slathered in an herb butter. Watermelons can be sprinkled with a chile lime salt.

Kabobs over the grill with text, "produce & recipe guide for June"

I'll cover the top level, most practical tips for produce in season this month. For more information and recipes, check out the guide dedicated to each specific fruit and vegetable.

Fruits

  • Cherries
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Blackberries
  • Raspberries
  • Apricots
  • Peaches
  • Nectarines
  • Plums
  • Figs
  • Grapes
  • Melons

Vegetables

  • Artichokes
  • Asparagus
  • Corn
  • Cucumbers
  • Eggplant
  • Green beans
  • Peas
  • Rhubarb
  • Bell peppers
  • Sweet onions
  • Tomatoes
  • Zucchini & summer squash
Jump to:
  • June seasonal fruits
  • June vegetable season
  • More seasonal guides
A chart of fruit in season during June

June seasonal fruits

Summer fruit season starts in June, with cherries and strawberries being abundant in almost every region of the US. Early peaches, plums, and apricots are available now, even in the cooler northern states, and they are at their peak in the hotter southern climates.

To get the best tasting fruit this summer, go to a U-Pick or farmers market. The fruit is usually picked fully ripe the morning of the market - guaranteeing the best quality.

When delivered to a grocery store, fragile fruit like strawberries, raspberries, peaches (etc), have to be picked while still hard to survive transport and storage. Once picked, these fruits stop developing flavor but will still soften and turn color. This makes it really difficult to pick out a good tasting, fully tree (or vine) ripened fruit.

Cherries

Cherry season is actually quite short, so keep an eye out for them at the farmers market in June. In warmer climates, they were available last month and into this month.

However their peak season can be as late as June or early July in cooler climates. In the heart of Midwest's cherry region, the Traverse Cherry Festival in Michigan happens over the 4th of July weekend.

They'll be available at grocery stores nationwide because they ship fairly well compared to most fruit. This means that cherries imported from other states will still have good flavor. Don't get me wrong, when left to fully ripen on the tree, they are even better, but it isn't as dramatic as some of the other summer fruits.

Sour cherries are great for pies and are generally available in June & July where they are grown. They have a small growing region and most of the national producers are in Michigan and Wisconsin.

  • Cherries are in season from mid-spring to mid-summer. Pick the best ones and store them right with these tips (and recipes!)
    Cherries
  • A sour cherry tart with almond cream on a table.
    Sour cherry tart with almond cream & a french cookie crust
  • sweet and sour cherries on a table to promote cherry recipes
    50 cherry recipes to catch your interest (cheese plates & pies to salads & steak)
  • Sweet and tart sour cherry pies on a table
    Cherry pie: are sweet or sour cherries best?

Strawberries

June marks peak strawberry season for most of the US and I highly encourage you to buy them at the farmers market. Strawberries don't ship well when fully ripe, so they are picked when still mostly white and hard. The berries continue to turn red but don't get sweeter or more flavorful.

Farmers market vendors often also pick them a bit early, but not as early as commercial growers. If you've ever picked your own perfectly ripe berry, you know how fragile they are. To survive transport, even market growers can't wait until they are fully ripe. If the farmers allow it, sample a strawberry before purchasing.

I've started to grow my own after years of disappointing strawberries. Farmers markets generally sell pretty good ones, but not the outstanding ones I had from my parents garden as a kid. I'm currently growing several varieties in my backyard: mara des bois, fairfax, sparkle, and a few others.

If you get strawberries without flavor, they can still be useful. Cook them down into a concentrated syrup for ice cream, add them to a lightly flavored salad dressing, roast them to bring out their sugars, or any other ideas in this strawberry recipe collection.

  • A flourless chocolate torte (also a flourless chocolate cake), topped with roasted strawberries. A recipe that makes 4 servings.
    Flourless chocolate torte with roasted strawberries
  • Strawberry rhubarb bars with fresh rhubarb and strawberries in the foreground
    Strawberry rhubarb oatmeal bars with fresh fruit
  • Homemade strawberry rhubarb cream cheese spread on a bagel, next to other bagels and fresh fruit.
    Strawberry rhubarb cream cheese
  • A strawberry spinach salad with feta on a plate, on a summer picnic table
    Strawberry spinach salad with feta & fried rosemary
  • Strawberry salad dressing with poppy seeds on a table
    Strawberry salad dressing with poppy seeds
  • A jar of strawberry rhubarb jam made without pectin, next to fresh strawberries and rhubarb stalks
    Strawberry rhubarb jam (without pectin)
Strawberry recipes: from shortcakes to BBQ sauce
Over 75 mouthwatering strawberry recipes: 8 different versions of strawberry shortcake, a dozen frozen dessert ideas, tiramisus, cakes, salads, and so much more.
Check it out
strawberry recipes - bread

Pineberries

Pineberries are a light pink or white-ish variety of strawberries. Their flavor is very similar, sometimes having a hint of tropical notes (although I personally haven't noticed that in their flavor). It's possible that's because they've been picked to early, so I am growing a few in my yard and will report back.

I've seen these show up on grocery store shelves as early as the beginning of April. The commercial growers for pineberries are in warmer climates and they seem to be reliably stocked at Whole Foods and occasionally found at Trader Joes and other national chains.

They are usually more expensive than regular strawberries, but are worth it if you're looking for a cute pink presentation.

  • Pink pineberries in season
    Pineberries
  • Pineberry bruschetta (crosini) appetizer toasts with goat cheese and honey, on a gray tabletop
    Pineberry bruschetta with goat cheese & honey

Blueberries

Blueberries have a shorter season than strawberries and other summer berries. They usually show up in May (or April in much warmer areas), and last until August. June and July tends to be the peak season for most of the country.

Ripe blueberries are highly perishable, so you are unlikely to find the best ones at a supermarket. Unripe berries have hints of red or green, however after a few days they will turn blue (but not get sweeter). This makes the quality hard to determine without a taste test.

Luckily, they grow well in most parts of the US, so you can usually find them at a nearby farmers' market in summer or even a u-pick farm. Blueberries that have been left to fully ripen taste divine. Farmers market blueberries taste much better than grocery store options, but home grown blows them all away!

Blueberries on a paper towel, stains show deterioration

Farmers market blueberries can be pricey - so eat them right away or store them properly. When you bring blueberries home, store them in a single layer, on a tray lined with paper towel. A bad blueberry will ooze purple juice onto the paper towel. This makes them easy to spot so you can throw them away.

Browse the recipes below or a collection of 75 blueberry recipes.

  • Blueberry syrup in a jar, on top of a pile of fresh blueberries.
    Blueberry syrup recipe (with canning instructions)
  • A blueberry cheesecake bar cut in half to show the cream cheese filling and graham cracker crust. Set on top of fresh blueberries.
    Blueberry cheesecake bars with graham cracker crust
  • A picture of blueberry muffins in the tin
    Blueberry swirl muffins
  • A summer Cobb salad recipe with chicken, bacon, eggs, cheese, tomatoes, zucchini, corn, and blueberries
    Summer Cobb salad with corn & blueberries

Blackberries

Fully ripe blackberries are sweet and flavorful. However, when harvested too early, they often taste bitter. Seek them out at a farmers market for your best chance at getting high quality, vine ripened blackberries this month.

If the ones you have are bitter, you can try a few things to fix them: add sugar, fat, salt, or simply cook them to break down some of the bitter compounds.

  • Blackberries in season from late spring through mid fall
    Blackberries
  • 2 blackberries, close up
    Why blackberries are bitter & how to fix it
  • Ripe blackberries in a bowl on a purple napkin
    Blackberry recipes: from cocktails to BBQs

Raspberries

Raspberries are probably the most fragile and perishable summer fruit. It can be worthwhile to buy them in the morning at a farmers market, as opposed to the afternoon, because a hot June day can quickly reduce the shelf life of harvested berries.

When you get them home, put them in the fridge right away. Ideally, spread them out on a paper towel-lined plate, which will catch any juices and slow down mold formation. Ripe raspberries will last 24 hours in the fridge, or up to a few days if you are lucky.

Raspberry flavor pairings & recipes
Raspberry recipes perfect for June: pair them with white chocolate, coffee, lemon, lime - the list goes on!
Check it out
Raspberries in a container

Peaches, plums & nectarines

Summer stone fruit starts to hit peak production in June in warmer climates. In cooler climates, the earlier varieties start becoming available, but later varieties (in general) have more flavor. Stone fruit are the ones with pits, including apricots, peaches, plums, nectarines, as well as cherries.

A peach that has fully ripened on the tree is so flavorful and juicy, it's not something you forget. The ones at farmers markets are more ripe than grocery store options. However, for a fully ripened peaches (etc), you'll have to grow them yourselves or be BFFs with a neighbor who does.

Fully ripened peaches and nectarines are incredibly fragile. They bruise with the slightest touch and the skin easily breaks open. I grow them myself and can see how it would be practically impossible for even a market farmer to provide ones this ripe.

When at the farmers market, ask for a sample before buying, if they allow it. And don't squeeze them to pick one that is ripe - that will bruise each fruit. Ask the farmer or buy what you see and they will soften on the counter within a day or two.

  • Peaches are in season from late spring through mid fall
    Peaches
  • Nectarines are in season from late spring into early fall
    Nectarines
  • Plums are in season from late spring into mid-fall
    Plums
  • Apricots in season
    Apricots
  • dozens of fresh peaches ready
    75+ peach recipes & flavor pairings
  • Difference between peaches and nectarines
    Substituting nectarines & peaches: what's the difference?
  • santa rosa plums - to be used in recipes
    Plum recipes: from pies to chicken wings
  • apricot pairings: blackberries, nuts, and basil
    Apricot recipes: floral, nutty, berry, and corny

Currants

If you're interested in farmers market-exclusive fruits, keep an eye out for currants starting this month. They have a 2-3 week harvest window depending on the variety, found from June through August.

June fruit guides

The guides below provide practical tips and recipes for all of the fruit in season in June. I didn't cover all of them specifically in this article, so be sure to check out the other available fruits, including figs, grapes, and melons.

Apricots in season
Apricots
Blackberries in season from late spring through mid fall
Blackberries
Blueberries are in season in late spring through summer
Blueberries
Cherries are in season from mid-spring to mid-summer. Pick the best ones and store them right with these tips (and recipes!)
Cherries
currants in season on stems
Currants
Ripe figs in season
Figs
Red and green grapes in season
Grapes
Nectarines are in season from late spring into early fall
Nectarines
Peaches are in season from late spring through mid fall
Peaches
Pink pineberries in season
Pineberries
Plums are in season from late spring into mid-fall
Plums
Raspberries are in season from late spring into fall
Raspberries
Strawberries are in season from mid-spring through summer and into early-fall.
Strawberries
Sour cherries when in season in summer
Tart (sour) cherries
Watermelons, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons in season
Watermelons, cantaloupe, and honeydew melons

June vegetable season

Pretty much every summer vegetable shows up this month: early June for hotter climates, and later in the month for everyone else. Most will be at their peak in July and August.

Unlike fruit, most of these vegetables ship quite well, so they should be high quality even at the grocery store. While I love supporting local farmers at the market, it isn't always practical.

Tomatoes are the one exception. They don't ship well and will taste better when picked up from a farmers market or CSA box. (They are scientifically a fruit, along with a few other 'vegetables', but are classified as a vegetable for culinary purposes).

I want to highlight a few vegetables perfect for June.

A chart of vegetables in season during June

Corn

Fresh picked, in-season corn is sweet with a ceamy-crisp texture. The old saying that you should "have a pot of water boiling before you pick your corn" used to apply to the old types of corn. This is because the corn would convert half of its sugar to starch within 24 hours of harvest.

Modern types of corn start with 2-3 times more sugar in the first place and it converts to starch very slowly. Their quality can last a week or more in your fridge. The tradeoff has been more sugar or less corn flavor.

The only type of corn you can buy, even at a farmers market, is one of the modern varieties. If you want that old timey corn flavor, you'll have to grow it yourself, or hunt around for a specialty seller. If that interests you, look for "Standard (su)" corn.

When buying fresh corn, look for ones with fresh husks that aren't dried out. That indicates the corn is fresher. If there are black spots on the husks, that's normal. The silks will likely be brown, which is totally normal as this happens when they become ready to harvest.

If the tips of the cobs are missing kernels, that is totally okay and not an indication of quality. It just means the last of the corn silks didn't get pollinated.

Different types of corn
This article gets into the weeds a bit as I explain the different types of corn. Feel free to geek out with me!
Check it out
Sweet corn varieties & seeds: golden bantham (su), sugar buns (se), and Sweetness (sh2)

Zucchini & summer squash

Zucchini have to be the most abundant, affordable, and versatile summer vegetables. They can be used to make a creamy soup base, stuffed, grilled, and even made into pickles.

Try a new zucchini recipe this month. Pretty much any summer squash are interchangeable with zucchini in recipes.

  • Stuffed zucchini boats - recipes to use up zucchini
    100 zucchini recipes to celebrate its versatility
  • A zucchini bread loaf next to garden zucchini and summer squash
    20 Zucchini bread recipes (& other baked goods)
  • What to do with a lot of zucchini: make 3 soups in 2 hours, or make quiches and quick breads.
    5 recipes that use up A LOT of zucchini
  • Zucchini quiche with garden zucchini
    Zucchini quiche with cheddar & herbs

Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are the first to arrive in summer, usually around June for most climates. In hotter areas and in greenhouses, they ripen a lot earlier. Medium sized and larger beefsteak tomatoes ripen a bit later, often not until July for most climates, or even August for the coolest areas.

For salads, I prefer cherry tomatoes because I've found them to have the most reliable flavor. They are almost always bright, acidic, with at least a noticeable tomato flavor. Larger beefsteak tomatoes can be great or incredibly bland and it's near impossible to figure that out without tasting them.

Bland tomatoes can be cooked down into a thick sauce or roasted in the oven with herbs to concentrate their flavor. If tomatoes are too acidic, try mixing them with a lower acid vegetable like zucchini or eggplant.

  • Tomatoes
  • A bowl of Italian tomato zucchini soup on a table with eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes.
    Italian tomato, zucchini, and eggplant soup
  • A bowl of roasted tomato soup topped with fresh basil leaves
    Tomato soup with fresh tomatoes & basil
  • Fregola pasta with fresh vegetables.
    Pasta with fresh tomatoes, corn, and peppers

Bell peppers & other sweet peppers

Peppers ship and store well, so we are lucky enough to enjoy them year round. But when they show up at local farmers markets in June (for most of the country, or earlier in hot climates), I like to use them as a featured ingredient in recipes.

Green bell peppers are unripe orange, yellow, red, or even purple peppers. Because they aren't fully ripe, they have a more vegetable and sometimes bitter flavor. When let to ripen, their flavor sweetens and turns slightly citrusy.

Don't overlook other sweet pepper options. Sweet peppers don't necessarily taste sweet - instead, they lack any significant amount of spiciness. One of my favorite summer peppers are Jimmy Nardellos, perfect for pizza. You might find them at a farmers market, but not likely at a grocery store.

  • Chopped bell peppers
    Bell pepper recipes
  • Bell peppers are in season in summer and last through fall
    Dealing with bitter bell peppers

June vegetable produce guides

Summer produce ramps up in June and continues to be abundant throughout July and August. For more tips and recipes, check out the other guides for what's in season this month.

Artichokes are in season
Artichokes
asparagus in season
Asparagus
When is corn in season
Corn
Cucumbers are in season in summer. Learn how to pick cucumbers and store them, along with seasonal recipes
Cucumbers
Eggplants are in season during summer and into fall.
Eggplant
Fresh green beans in season
Green beans
Sugar snap and shelling peas are in season in spring, summer and fall. Get more info on picking the best ones, storing them and of course, recipes.
Peas
Rhubarb is in season from April through July.
Rhubarb
Bell peppers are in season in summer and last through fall
Sweet & bell peppers
sweet onions (vidalia, walla walla), in season
Sweet onions
Tomatoes
Eat in season - summer squash and zucchini are in season starting around June.
Zucchini & other summer squash

More seasonal guides

Seasonal guides
Get the month-by-month list of seasonal produce
Check it out
Apples in season, on a wood table

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About the Food Geek

Welcome, I'm Veronica, your resident food geek - experienced recipe developer and gardener. My goal is to help you enjoy eating at home by knowing what fruits & vegetables are currently in season and the best ways to use them. To do that, I've put together seasonal produce guides and recipes with practical advice.

More about me

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