July Planting Guide for Arizona’s Low Desert

Are you wondering what to plant in July in Arizona? I’ll show you which seeds to start indoors and what you can plant outside in July. Planting in July means giving yourself an extra round of your favorite warm-season crops and, if you time it right, the best tomatoes of the year. This article will tell you what to plant in July and how to be successful.  

For a printable checklist and information about July gardening tasks for the low desert, read this article.

Article Outline:

• Key Guidelines for Planting in July in Arizona
• Harvesting Tips for July
• What Can You Harvest in July?
• What’s Blooming in July?
• What to Plant Outside in July: Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit
• Which Seeds to Start Indoors in July: Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit
• What to Plant Outside in July: Flowers
• Which Seeds to Start Indoors in July: Flowers

Key Guidelines for Planting in July

July is typically the hottest month of the year in the low desert. Monsoons may bring humidity and moisture, but they may not. If  you’re going to plant in July in the low desert, you must: 

• Plant seeds a little deeper; soil is cooler, and they won’t dry out as quickly. Most seeds will sprout quickly in the warm soil.  
• Plant crops that are adapted to high temperatures.
• Provide shade if needed. (Read more in this blog post)
• Water correctly. (Read more here)
• Have good soil. (Read more in this blog post)
• Mulch well. (Read more here)

For more information about how to have a successful summer garden in Arizona, read this article.

Harvesting Tips for July

Harvest crops early in the day when temperatures are cooler and their moisture content is higher. Bring harvests inside right away to prolong storage life and increase food quality.

Here’s a tip for cucumbers after harvesting: Immediately immerse them in cold water to disperse “field heat” to increase storage life and keep cucumbers crisp. 

Want more information about gardening in Arizona? This blog post shares seven tips for how to grow a vegetable garden in Arizona. 

What can you harvest in July in the low desert of Arizona?

We can garden year-round here in the low desert, and it seems there is always something to plant and harvest. Weather patterns vary, and some years higher than average heat and lack of rain can make gardening more challenging. However, If you’re following my planting guide, here are some of the vegetables it’s possible to harvest during July. I’d love for you to leave a comment and let me know what you’re harvesting right now.

(click on the link to read “How to Grow” articles about each crop)

Vegetables:

Amaranth, Armenian Cucumbers,  Asparagus Beans, Beans, Borlotti Beans, Butternut Squash, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Malabar spinach, Okra, Peppers, Sunflower Seeds, Summer Squash, Tomatillos, Tomatoes 

Herbs:

Basil, Dill Seeds, Lemongrass, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Mint, Oregano, Parsley Seeds, Sage, Stevia, Rosemary, Thyme

Fruit:

Apples, Blackberries, Cantaloupe, Chichiquelite, Figs, Grapes, Ground Cherries, Passionfruit, Watermelon

What’s Blooming in July in the Low Desert of Arizona?

(Click on the link for each flower’s “How to Grow” blog post.)

Angelonia, Bee Balm, Celosia, Coleus, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Desert Milkweed, Echinacea, Four O’Clock, Gaillardia, Gazania, Gomphrena, Lisianthus, Passionflower, Portulaca, Ratibida, Rudbeckia, Salvia, Scabiosa, Shasta Daisy, Skyflower, Statice, Strawflower, Sunflower, Tithonia, Vanity Verbena, Vinca, Yarrow, Zinnia

What to Plant Outside in July in Arizona: Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit

After July 15 (or when monsoon season begins)

• Eggplant (T)
• Ground Cherry (T)
• Pepper (T)
• Tomatillo (T)
• Tomato (T)

SEED, TRANSPLANT, OR BOTH? S = Seed / T= Transplant

Arizona Vegetable Planting Guide helps you learn when to plant vegetables in Arizona and whether to plant seeds or transplants.

Which Seeds to Start Indoors in July: Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit

(Click the link for seed sources.)

Arizona Vegetable Planting Guide helps you learn when to plant vegetables in Arizona and whether to plant seeds or transplants.

Here’s a link to my favorite seed-starting supplies on Amazon.

What to Plant Outside in July in Arizona: Flowers

(Click the link to read “How to Grow” articles on my website.)

• Angelonia (T)
• Cosmos (sulfur) (S)
• Gomphrena* thru the 15th (T)
• Purslane/Portulaca (ST)
• Sunflower (S)
• Vinca (T)
• Zinnia (ST)

SEED, TRANSPLANT, OR BOTH? S = Seed / T= Transplant

Which Seeds to Start Indoors in July: Flowers

(Click the link for seed sources.)

The Arizona Annual Flowers Planting guide helps you learn when to plant flowers in Arizona and whether to plant seeds or transplants. This blog post explains how to start seeds indoors.

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