Arizona Summer Vegetables

collage of 3 Warm-season veggies: peppers growing in garden, a selection of summer melons on a wooden table, and fresh green beans on a wooden table

Summer Vegetables

There is nothing more rewarding than harvesting summer vegetables fresh from your own vegetable garden.

At SummerWinds Nursery, we can help you find the best vegetables for your summer harvest, as well as information on current vegetables in season.  In general, most fruiting plants are considered spring/warm season vegetables.  In the Greater Phoenix Metro Area, most warm season vegetables are planted in the spring and harvested in the summer, or protected through the summer for an early fall harvest.

While summer vegetables thrive in the heat, temperatures that are too high will reduce the quality of your crops. Your summer garden will do best when the evening temperatures are cooler. For a summer garden, mid-February is the ideal time for seed transplanting. These plants will survive the summer heat with plenty of water and TLC. When the temperatures finally drop, the summer vegetables will stop producing.

Below is a list of warm season vegetables that you can find seasonally at SummerWinds Nursery.

Warm Season Vegetables A - Z

2 images: a variety of eggplants in a bowl and on a wooden table, and fresh-pulled rainbow carrots on a wooden table

  • Artichokes, Globe – (Cynara scolymus) & Jerusalem – (Helianthus tuberosus) Note: Once established, this plant is a perennial.
  • Beans, Snap/Bush/Green* – (Phaseolus vulgaris)
  • Beans – (Lima, Pinto & Yardlong)
  • Black-eyed Peas – (Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata)
  • Carrots – (Daucus carota)
  • Corn, Sweet – (Maize)
  • Cucumbers* – (Cucumis sativus)
  • 3 cucumbers with leaves from their plant on a wooden tableEggplant* – (Solanum melongena)
  • Fennel – (Foeniculum vulgare)
  • Melon, Muskmelon*: includes some Cantaloupes but not all – (Cucumis melo)
  • Melon, Watermelon* – (Citrullus lanatus)
  • Okra* – (Abelmoschus esculentus)
  • Onions, Green/Scallions – (Allium wakegi)
  • Onions, Shallots – (Allium cepa var. aggregatum)
  • Peanuts – (Arachis hypogaea)
  • Peppers* – (Capsicum)
  • 2 images: a closeup of a corn stalk in the garden and radishes growing in the gardenPotatoes, Sweet – (Ipomoea batatas)
  • Pumpkins* – (Cucurbita)
  • Radishes – (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus) Note: Bitter in hot weather.
  • Squash, Summer*: e.g., Zucchini – (Many varieties of Cucurbita pepo)
  • Squash, Winter*: e.g., Butternut, Acorn, Spaghetti – (Cucurbita maxima)
  • Tomatillos* – (Physalis philadelphica)

* - While often thought of as vegetables, these edible plants are technically fruits!

Warm Season Companion Plants
2 images - asparagus growing and a closeup of a marigold flower

  • Asparagus – (Asparagus officinalis)
  • Basil – (Ocimum basilicum)
  • Broccoli – (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
  • Chard – (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris)
  • Kale – (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica)
  • Marigolds – (Tagetes)
  • Parsley – (Petroselinum crispum)
  • Strawberries – (Fragaria × ananassa) Note: shade in hottest months
  • Sunflower – (Helianthus)
  • Tarragon – (Artemisia dracunculus)

To get the most out of your summer garden harvest, visit your local SummerWinds Nursery and let our Trusted Garden Advisors help you select the best vegetables and the right time to plant.  For additional tips, download the Maricopa County Garden Planting Calendar for Annual Fruits and Vegetables.

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