Most of us have heard of elderflower cordial or syrup, but have you ever tasted elderflower jelly? Let me show you how you can make this simple yet wonderfully floral preserve, which captures the scent of early summer.
For centuries, people have used elderflowers to flavour milk, cream, vinegar, honey, and later syrups and cordials. Elderflower jelly is another delicious way to preserve that fleeting fragrance and enjoy it long after the blossoms have faded.
Here, I want to show you a quick recipe for elderflower jelly that captures the essence of early summer in a jar. It not only tastes delicious on toast, scones and pancakes but is also an unusual but very tasty addition to a cheese board.
If you’ve never tasted elderflower before, imagine a combination of honey, pear, citrus blossom, and summer sunshine.
Now, elderflower jelly tastes floral but not perfumed and has a honey-like sweetness. At the same time, it has subtle citrus notes that are a zesty counterpart to the sweetness.
All in all, elderflower jelly tastes very light and elegant compared to berry jams, for example.
Harvesting Elderflowers for Jelly
Elderflowers have creamy white flower heads that grow in an umbrella-like form with diameters of up to 30 centimetres (12 inches).
The numerous tiny single flowers form the panicles, and each of these flowers consists of five petals and yellow stamens.
When you spot them, take a basket and garden shears and head out to forage them.
Only gather umbels that grow far away from streets, at the edge of the woods, on field paths or in gardens. At those places, you can be sure that they are not polluted by exhaust fumes or other environmental toxins.
Always cut the elderflower umbels with garden shears or scissors. That way, you won’t shake the flowers too much and lose their valuable pollen and flavour.
Make sure to forage only elderflowers that are in full bloom and still fresh, meaning that the little flowers don’t fall off when shaking them. The best time for harvesting is the late morning of a sunny day. Ideally, it has been sunny for several days because that’s when the fragrance is strongest, and there are hardly any insects in the flowers.
A basket is best for carrying the harvested elderflowers home, because they lie lightly and airily without being pressed too much together.
One important request: don’t overpick! Never take more than a third of umbels per bush to leave enough for bees and birds! And to come back in autumn and harvest the elderberries 😉
Do not wash the elderflowers! Their flavour lies in the pollen, and if you wash them, the pollen – and with it the flavour – would be rinsed off. Instead, simply shake them gently to remove any insects.
Elderflower Jelly Recipe
This simple recipe for elderflower jelly requires few ingredients, and you’ll probably already have all the necessary equipment at home. See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Elderflower Jelly
This delicate floral jelly captures the fragrance of early summer and tastes wonderful on toast, scones, pancakes, or served with soft cheeses.
Shake the elderflower umbels carefully to remove insects. If you want to be absolutely sure that no insects are left, leave the flowers outside in a dry and shady place for about 20 minutes. That way, the insects can wander off.Do not wash the elderflowers! Their flavour lies in the pollen, and if you wash them, the pollen – and with it the flavour – would be rinsed off.Once the elderflowers are clean, cut off the thick stems.
Put the elderflowers in a bowl. Boil the water and pour it over the elderflowers and let them steep for about 24 hours.
Step 2: Strain the Liquid
Lay a cheesecloth into a strainer. Now put the strainer into a pot and carefully strain the liquid through it into the pot. Squeeze the elderflowers out.
Step 3: Cook the Jelly
Add the lemon juice and preserving sugar to the infused liquid and stir it until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring it to a rolling boil and let it cook for 4 minutes.
Step 4: Test for Setting Point
To check if the jelly is ready, pour a few drops onto a chilled plate. Now tilt the plate: when the jelly is still running, let it cook for another 1 - 2 minutes; when it thickens, it's ready.
Step 5: Fill the Jars
Pour the jelly into sterilised jars and immediately seal them with the lid.
Put the filled and sealed jars upside down onto a kitchen towel for about 15 minutes. Flip them back and let them cool down.
Love Preserving Seasonal Flavours?
Variations
Instead of just making pure elderflower jelly, as I described in the recipe, you can mix it with other flavours:
Simply follow the pectin manufacturer’s instructions for the amount required.
Elderflower and Lemon Jelly
If you like it more tangy, use 200 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice and reduce the amount of water to 800 ml. Additionally, add lemon zest to the liquid before boiling.
When you’ve filled the jelly into jars and sealed them, flip the jars every 10 – 15 minutes. That way, the zest distributes more evenly in the jelly before it sets.
Elderflowers and gooseberries make a great flavour team! Mix 500 g pureed gooseberries with 500 ml infused elderflower water or syrup, add sugar (in case of the infused water) and make a tasty jam!
How to Use Elderflower Jelly
The classic use for elderflower jelly is, of course, to spread it thickly on toast and bread and enjoy it for a lovely breakfast. But it’s much more versatile than just that!
You can enjoy it on
freshly-baked scones
crunchy croissants
in or on your pancakes
in a yoghurt
as a cheesecake glaze
with soft cheeses
with roast pork or chicken
Storage
Sealed tightly and stored in a dark place at room temperature, elderflower jelly can be stored for up to one year.
Once a jar is opened, store it in the fridge and consume it within two weeks.
Always use a clean spoon to get it out of the jar. That way, bacteria won’t contaminate the jelly, which would lead to fast spoilage.
Common Problems and Solutions
My Jelly Didn’t Set
This can be due to too little pectin or boiling it too shortly. Add some more pectin and boil it for another 2 minutes, and test again if it sets by pouring a few drops on a chilled plate.
My Jelly Is Cloudy
That’s normal because some of the pollen remains in the liquid.
My Jelly Is Too Sweet
That’s probably due to using jam or preserving sugar 1:1 instead. Next time, use a 2:1 sugar and add more lemon juice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Freeze Elderflower Jelly?
Yes, you can freeze elderflower jelly, but it’s not necessary. Proper boiling and hot sealing in jars is enough.
Can I Use Dried Elderflowers?
Yes, you can use dried elderflowers, but fresh ones make a better flavour.
Can I Make Elderflower Jelly Without Preserving Sugar?
Yes, that’s possible, but then you must add pectin separately.
How Long Does Elderflower Jelly Last?
Up to a year when properly sealed.
What is the difference between elderflower jelly and elderflower syrup?
Elderflower syrup or cordial is a liquid concentrate used for drinks, desserts, and baking, whereas elderflower jelly is a spreadable preserve that can be served on bread, scones, or alongside cheese.
Early Summer Flowers in a Jar
Elderflower season lasts only a few short weeks, but a few jars of homemade elderflower jelly allow you to preserve its delicate fragrance for months to come. Whether spread on warm toast or served alongside a cheese board, this simple recipe is a lovely way to bring a little taste of early summer into your kitchen.
Want more recipes for homemade jams and preserves? Look at these:
You wanna start fermenting and dread what you have to buy for it? No worries! The cool thing about fermentation is that you don’t need any fancy fermentation equipment. After all, people have been fermenting food for thousands of years using very simple tools.
Do You Need Special Equipment to Ferment Food?
When we look at how people in the olden days fermented vegetables, they had only very simple tools. And that means that we can, too.
Don’t get me wrong: Good equipment makes fermentation easier and more reliable. If you’re beginning, though, you can start with surprisingly little.
You can successfully ferment vegetables with:
A jar
Salt
Water
A weight
A lid
Everything else is optional.
Common Fermentation Problems and the Equipment That Prevents Them
Problem
Helpful Equipment
Vegetables floating
Fermentation Weight
Mould on surface
Weight + proper lid
Brine overflow
Larger jar
Inconsistent results
Kitchen scale
Too much oxygen
Airlock or proper lid
Ready to start your first ferment?
Download my free Fermentation Starter Checklist and make sure you have everything you need before you begin. It includes essential equipment, basic ingredients, hygiene tips, and key steps for successful vegetable ferments.
Quick overview of fermentation equipment
In this chart, I’ll show you all the tools for fermentation and whether they’re absolutely necessary or just a nice-to-have:
Equipment
Essential?
Beginner-Friendly?
Approx. Cost
Jar with lid
Yes
Yes
€
Weight
Yes
Yes
€
Airlock
No
Yes
€€
Crock
No
Later
€€
pH Meter
No
Advanced
€€€
Before we talk about jars, crocks, weights, and airlocks, however, there’s one thing that’s even more important than the equipment itself: cleanliness.
Hygiene Matters More Than Equipment
The good news is that vegetable fermentation doesn’t require the same level of sterilisation as canning. You don’t need to boil every utensil or work in laboratory conditions.
However, you should always:
Wash your hands thoroughly
Clean jars, lids, bowls, and utensils before use
Remove any damaged or mouldy parts from vegetables
Use fresh, good-quality ingredients
Good hygiene gives the beneficial microorganisms the best possible start and reduces the risk of spoilage.
Now that we’ve cleared that matter, let’s have a look at the basic fermentation equipment you need and some of the fancy stuff you might want to buy later.
Fermentation equipment
Containers
First of all, avoid metal containers and unknown or non-food-grade plastics for fermentation. Metal reacts with acid, which can lead to the dissolution of metals into the brine. This can affect both the safety and quality of your ferment.
The same applies to plastic: not all plastics are acid-resistant. The softer the material, the stronger it reacts to acid. If you use freezer bags as weights, make sure they don’t contain PVC or BPA.
Glass jars and lids
I usually use twist-off or flip-top jars. They are cheaper than crocks, and you can ferment smaller portions. Additionally, you can see through the glass what’s going on inside. It doesn’t matter if you use Mason, Weck, Kilner or Fido jars; they’re equally good.
What’s more important, or rather what makes a jar a good fermentation jar, is
a wide opening: the best jars are the ones with a straight opening
easy cleaning: jars with a straight opening can be cleaned more easily than jars with indented openings
food-safe materials: glass jars are ideal because glass is non-reactive, easy to clean, and perfectly suited to acidic ferments
appropriate size: I usually use jars of 500 ml, 1 litre and a large crock pot of 3 litres, especially when I make a large batch of fermented gherkins.
Fermentation Weights
Vegetables must always stay submerged under the brine during fermentation, or else they would mould. To ensure that nothing pokes through the surface, we use weights.
Fermentation crocks usually come with suitable weights, but if you don’t have any, you can use a dish, for example.
You can also use stones, but depending on their lime content, they might react with the acid. You should at least boil them for 10 minutes before using them.
There are also great glass weights out there. I especially love that they can be so easily cleaned and sterilised. On the downside, they’re comparatively expensive.
DIY Weight options: Freezer bags
For beginners, I recommend using freezer bags. Fill them with brine or (clean) pebbles and put them onto the covering (e.g. a cabbage leaf) to keep the veggies under the brine. The reason I recommend filling them with brine is that in the (unlikely, yet possible) event that the bag gets damaged, it’s not water flowing into the glass and watering down the brine there.
My favourite DIY fermentation weight
After years of using freezer bags, I made my own glazed clay weights. They’re inexpensive, reusable, easy to clean, and fit my jars perfectly. They’ve become one of my most-used fermentation tools.
I cut out circles of a 1 cm thick slice of clay, making their diameter slightly less than the opening of my jars. Then I cut a hole in the middle and glazed and baked the clay weights.
During baking, they shrank a bit further, and now their size is perfect for my jars.
You can also make weights from hardwood that doesn’t secrete resin, like walnut. Keep in mind, though, that wood swells in brine! Saw a circle with a diameter of one centimetre less than the opening and drill a hole into the middle where the brine could get through. Put the wooden weight into water for one to two days and look how much it swells before you use it. I’ve never used them, as I find the clay weights perfect for my needs, but go ahead and try making wooden weights if you like.
Fermentation Lids and Airlocks
Lactic acid fermentation needs an anaerobic environment, that is, without oxygen. For that reason, we need to cover the jars so that no air gets into them. On the other hand, the bacteria and yeasts involved in the process produce carbon dioxide that needs to get out of the jar.
So, we need a system that lets carbon dioxide get out while at the same time prevents air from flowing in.
Standard lids: they’re cheap and easy to use, but can be too tight to let the carbon dioxide get out. Through experience, however, I’ve found out that when you screw the lid on, but not too tightly, the gases can get out from under the rim. Occasional burping, which is sometimes recommended, is not necessary.
Airlock Systems: An airlock lid looks a bit like a unicorn with its horn. Airlock systems grow in popularity because they make things a lot easier. With an airlock, you can leave the jars to themselves. Just make sure that you leave enough space from the top of the brine to the top of the glass jar, at least 2 – 3 fingerbreadths.
That said, airlocks are convenient, but not really necessary.
Note: I know that many people just use a clean cloth to cover their jars or open the jars every day during fermentation, but the risk of mould-forming is so much higher with these methods! I always use the lid and – in case of twist-off jars – secure it loosely or – in case of flip-top jars – secure it tightly. The gases can leak out either under the lid or the rubber ring, and you minimise the risk of mould-building.
Kitchen Scale
While I have nothing against measuring in cups and spoons, in the case of fermentation it’s more reliable to measure the weight, not the volume of the vegetables. When we’ve sliced or grated the vegetables we want to ferment, we weigh them first. This weight is the basis for our salt calculation. In this fermentation for beginners guide, I explain how you can calculate the amount of salt you’ll need for your fermentation. And you can download a cheat sheet there that shows examples for salt ratios. Just saying.
Salt
Strictly speaking, salt isn’t equipment but an ingredient. Since no fermentation setup is complete without it, though, it’s worth mentioning here.
Salt suppresses undesirable microorganisms and helps the vegetables to release water. Furthermore, it creates a favourable environment for lactic acid bacteria so they can thrive, and it contributes to the flavour and texture of the ferments.
The best salt types to use for fermentation are sea salt, special pickling salt or pure rock salt.
Don’t use salts that contain anti-caking agents or any strongly flavoured speciality salts.
Apart from the right containers and coverings, there are a few tools that are really helpful when you want to ferment.
Cutting devices
A sharp knife plus a wooden board or grater will do just fine for slicing the vegetables you want to ferment. But this list wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention the wonderful invention of a cabbage slicer. As the name indicates, it’s especially great for cabbage slicing (you can use it for any other veggies, though), and it’s one of my favourite tools for making my homemade sauerkraut.
If you’re just starting, however, you don’t need a slicer, as you can also do the job with a knife and a cutting board.
Note: I know that some people use the cutting or grating device of their kitchen machine. Go ahead if you like, but make sure that the slices are not too thin and mushy.
Large Mixing Bowl
When you want to make fermented vegetables, a large mixing bowl comes in handy. We usually slice or grate the veggies and mix them with salt, and that’s where the bowl comes in. You can use bowls made of glass, metal or plastic in which you gather all your sliced vegetables and mix them with salt.
Yes, I know, earlier I said that you should avoid metal or plastic containers, but that’s only for the actual fermentation process. For mixing the vegetables with salt and letting them sit for a while until brine forms, metal or plastic are just fine. After all, the time the salt is in there is too short to induce a reaction.
Vegetable Tamper or Pounder
This is a convenient tool for pressing the vegetables tightly into the jars. Especially a wooden cabbage tamper (yep, I got one) is a great help to squeeze the vegetables tightly into the jars. Cool as a tamper is, though, it’s not really necessary when you start fermenting. You can always use your hands or a (clean!) empty bottle to press the vegetables into your containers.
Funnel
I find it easier to get the vegetables into the jar with the help of a funnel. The only requirement is that the funnel has a wide opening.
Labels and Marker Pens
Labelling the jars is unfortunately often overlooked. And before you think I’m exaggerating, let me tell you the story when I wanted to cook sauerkraut and ended up with a pot full of fermented kohlrabi instead. Just because I thought I could distinguish them easily and couldn’t be bothered with putting labels on the jars.
Don’t make the same mistake and always write clearly what’s in the jar. You’ll thank yourself later.
If you like or want to compare different recipes, also add the start date, the salt percentage and batch notes.
Optional Equipment for Serious Fermenters
Once fermentation becomes a regular part of your kitchen routine, you may enjoy some specialised tools.
Fermentation crocks
Traditional fermentation crocks made of stoneware have proved their worth as they store the vegetables dark and cool. If you buy a new one, check out its net weight, as they are usually very heavy. Then add the weight of the vegetables and brine and check if you can lift it when it’s full.
Another great advantage of crocks is that they have a water-seal in the form of a trough around the rim. When the vegetables are packed into the crock, we put the lid on top, and it fits right into the trough. Next, we fill the trough with water. That way, the gases that form during the fermentation process can get out (and you’ll hear a cute blubber), while at the same time air can’t get in.
pH Meter
Fermentation needs specific pH ranges in which the bacteria and yeasts can do their work. Checking the pH level makes sure that we have just the right environment for the microorganisms to thrive. In acidic conditions, they’ll happily go about their work. When the pH gets too high, though, the risk of spoilage increases.
Checking pH can be useful for consistency and food safety, but most home fermenters (like me) never use a pH meter and rely on established recipes and proper salt concentrations.
Temperature Monitoring
To start the fermentation process, we need temperatures between 18 and 24 °C. Later, temperatures must be lower to slow down the process.
A simple room thermometer is often enough to show us where in the house the temperatures are ideal for the different stages of fermentation.
Dedicated Fermentation Fridge or Chamber
This is a device that I only recommend for enthusiasts. I have the incredible luck of having a relatively cool basement where I can store all my ferments safely. Temperatures are just within the right range to make sure that the fermentation process slows down considerably and thus that the ferments don’t get too sour.
Most people, however, don’t have that luxury. If you fall among that group and intend to make many, many ferments, a fridge for storing them may be a good investment.
If you – like me – want to make ferments like koji that require very specific temperatures and humidity, a fermentation chamber might come in handy. But that’s really advanced and nothing a beginner should be troubled with.
Equipment You Can Skip as a Beginner
If you’re like me, you’re trying to convince yourself now that you need everything I mentioned. Or that it’s too much of a bother to get all those tools before starting. But really, if you just want to dip your toe into the fermentation sea and see if it’s right for you or if you’ve been fermenting quite some time but on a small scale, you can easily do without the following things:
Expensive crocks: Glass jars with lids will do perfectly
pH meters: Most vegetable ferments can be assessed by following a trusted recipe and paying attention to their smell, appearance, and taste.
Fancy airlock systems: Just don’t screw the lid tightly and the gases can get out
Fermentation chambers: Too expensive, need too much space, too much bother
Start simple. In fact, starting simple is miles better than not starting at all just because you think you need something fancy. When later you’re hooked on fermentation (and I’m confident you will), you can always upgrade and invest in more specialised equipment.
My Recommended Beginner Fermentation Setup
For beginners, the following equipment is what I’d recommend:
1-litre jar
Weight
Bowl
Kitchen scale
Salt
Most likely, you’ll already have all that at home. And honestly, you can make a lot of ferments just with that basic equipment.
When you want to do more, you can eventually invest in some of the following tools:
More jars, maybe in different sizes
Airlocks
Glass weights
Crock
My Beginner Fermentation Shopping List
If you had to buy everything from scratch:
2 x 1-litre jars
glass or DIY weight
kitchen scale
sea salt
Total cost: roughly €15–25
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ferment vegetables in ordinary jars?
Absolutely, as long as you’ve got the appropriate lid. In fact, ordinary jars are what most fermentistas have started with.
Are airlock lids necessary?
No. You can use twist-off or flip-top jars as well. As long as you don’t screw the lid too tightly, gases can get out, and air is prevented from getting in.
Do I need a fermentation crock?
No, glass jars will do nicely.
Are plastic containers safe for fermentation?
Avoid unknown or non-food-grade plastics. Food-grade HDPE fermentation buckets are commonly used and generally considered safe for fermentation.
How many jars should a beginner buy?
One is enough if you just want to give fermentation a try. You can always buy more later.
Do fermentation jars need to be airtight?
Not completely. Fermentation produces carbon dioxide, which must be able to escape. That’s why loosely fitted lids, flip-top jars, or airlock systems work well.
Final Thoughts
The most important thing with fermentation is to get started. Don’t let equipment stop you from making your first batch of sauerkraut or fermented gherkins! Or why not try out fermented radishes?
Simple tools that you probably have already at home are enough to make safe, delicious fermented foods. After all, our ancestors didn’t have fancy equipment when they fermented vegetables thousands of years ago. And you can always add the fancy things to your next birthday wish list 😏.
Focusing on understanding how fermentation works is much more essential than buying any fancy gadgets right now. So, get some vegetables, whip out the jar, bowl and weight and get started. Happy fermenting!
Wanna learn more about preserving? No problem: in my preserving hub you’ll find guides and recipes for fermentation, pickles, jams and more.
Fermentation may sound mysterious, but it’s one of the simplest and oldest ways to preserve food. With very little effort, you can create delicious, probiotic-rich foods right in your kitchen. In this beginner’s guide, I’ll show you exactly how fermentation works, how to do it safely, and which easy ferments to start with.
But what exactly is fermentation, and how can you ferment vegetables?
Question
Quick Answer
What is fermentation?
Preservation using beneficial microbes
Is it safe?
Yes, when basic rules are followed
How much salt?
Usually 2–3% by weight
How long does it take?
5 - 14 days
Best beginner ferment?
Sauerkraut
What Is Fermentation?
The (originally Latin) word „fermentation“ means „transformation of a substance“. This transformation is carried out by the smallest creatures called microorganisms or microbes, for example, bacteria and yeasts. Microorganisms transform organic substances, for example sugars, into alcohol and acids, depending on the kind of fermentation.
In simple terms, fermentation is a preservation method that uses beneficial microorganisms to transform and protect food.
Fermentation is NOT the same as pickling. In fact, those are two very different ways to preserve food.
Fermentation vs Pickling
While fermentation is carried out by live bacteria and takes time to develop, pickling relies on vinegar or another preserving medium to preserve food quickly. Harmful microorganisms are killed by briefly cooking the vegetables (or showering them with boiling water). Afterwards, the products are preserved in vinegar, salt brine, oil or alcohol. Pickled vegetables, therefore, have a sharper flavour, while the taste of fermented food is more complex.
Maybe you’ve heard the story of Captain Cook, who prevented scurvy by making his crew eat sauerkraut every day. We know today that scurvy is caused by a severe vitamin C deficiency due to a limited diet. We also know now that the vitamin C content of vegetables increases through fermenting, as well as the content of other vitamins and minerals. Fermented foods can contribute valuable nutrients and beneficial microbes to the diet.
Science has also found that the iron content in lacto-fermented vegetable juices is, to a certain extent, more soluble than that in raw juice.
Some fermented foods may contain small amounts of B vitamins, depending on the ingredients and fermentation process. As the only other sources for these nutrients are of animal origin, this is especially interesting for vegetarians and vegans.
While adding all this good stuff, at the same time, fermentation eliminates various toxins such as polyphenols and tannins.
But that’s not all.
Emerging research suggests that there is a connection between the ingestion of probiotics through fermented food and a reduction in blood pressure.
Some studies indicate that fermented food can also help regulate inflammation in the gut and boost anti-inflammatory cytokines.
And, last but not least, fermented goods are said to improve digestion.
So you see: the question should not be why we should eat fermented food but rather why not more often?
Improved flavour
Fermentation adds more depth and creates new nuances to the original product. As a ferment contains live microorganisms, the flavour keeps changing slightly over time.
Preserving seasonal harvests
Living seasonally has always included preserving abundance for leaner months, and fermentation is one way of doing that.
If you have a garden or a patio, a balcony or even just a south-facing windowsill, you can grow vegetables. Sometimes the harvest is more than we can eat, and that’s where preserving comes in. Why not cut that cabbage head into thin slices and make sauerkraut from it for the winter? Or let’s grate these carrots and parsnips and ferment them? Later in the year, when fresh vegetables are just a distant memory, this ferment will make a delicious and healthy side dish and provide us with all the good stuff I told you earlier about.
Reduced food waste
Despite all the amenities of modern life, such as freezers, fridges, and canners, one-third (!) of food is still thrown away, most of it in the Western world. According to studies, 90 kilograms of food are thrown away per capita in Western Europe.
Look, I’m guilty, too. That half head of broccoli, the two spears of leek that couldn’t fit into the soup any more or that bunch of radishes you harvested but no one wanted them that day, and then they had wilted and gone wizened – I had my share of vegetables I let go to waste.
Had I been a fermentista back then already, none of these presents from Mother Nature would have been thrown out. I’d definitely have them fermented.
Environmental benefits
Most fermentation processes don’t require electricity, neither in the making nor for storing. You don’t need a freezer, fridge (although it might come in handy) or a canner. All the energy you need is a bit of muscle to chop and slice the vegetables and press them into a jar.
At the same time, when you ferment vegetables that you have grown yourself or bought locally, you make sure to keep transportation routes short. That said, fermentation is the most sustainable way to preserve. Isn’t that cool? Fermentation is seasonal living in a jar!
Inexpensive
The fact that you neither need electricity nor fancy equipment (although I don’t say you couldn’t), makes fermentation a very low-budget way to preserve food. Even more so, when you cultivate the vegetables or fruits you use for fermentation by yourself.
I don’t know about you, but to me, fermentation sounds perfect: it provides nourishing, healthy food for the winter months, reduces food waste, is sustainable and doesn’t cost much. Above all, it’s a deeply satisfying, traditional preservation skill. So, where’s the flaw? You might ask. Let’s have a look at the question, most people ask themselves before starting to ferment anything:
Is Fermentation Safe?
The short answer is: Yes, BUT you must observe some basic rules
The golden rules of safe fermentation
Fermentation Safety Checklist:
✓ use clean equipment
✓ use correct salt ratios
✓ keep food submerged
✓ avoid contaminated ingredients
✓ trust smell + visual cues
✓ use tested methods
Use clean equipment: Thoroughly wash jars, lids and utensils with hot water and soap.
Use the correct salt ratios: You may think that all that salt in a ferment can’t be good for your health, and you’d rather take a smaller amount. That’s a sure way to a spoiled ferment! The salt is necessary to keep harmful bacteria out and create an acidic environment where only beneficial microorganisms can grow. Besides, we only use 2 – 5 % salt, which is less than, for example, in some sausages.
Keep the food submerged. When food swims on the surface, it can spoil and destroy the whole jar. As long as everything stays under the brine surface, all is fine.
Avoid contaminated ingredients: never use mouldy, rotten or otherwise contaminated products. You can only make something good from something good.
Trust your nose and eyes: Before you taste a ferment, check the smell and appearance. When it looks and smells fine (see the next point), it’s safe to eat.
Use tested methods: Fermentation hasn’t changed much over the course of millennia – not because people weren’t creative, but because tried and tested methods lead to great results.
Signs a ferment is going well
As I said before, the eyes and nose are good agents to check if a ferment is going well.
Within a few days, a new ferment should be bubbling; that’s a sure sign of microbial activity and exactly what we want.
Some days later, the brine will change and become cloudy. That’s perfectly normal and a sign of maturing.
Now, check the smell: it should smell, of course, sour and a bit tangy. It should NOT smell mouldy, fishy or rotten.
If everything’s fine, taste your ferment. The vegetables should have softened but still have some crunch. They should smell sour, tangy and a lot more complex than in their original state.
Signs something went wrong
Some indicators will tell you that, alas, something’s gone wrong with your ferment:
The first indicator is the appearance: when fuzzy mould, pink or orange slime or some black growth has formed on the surface, it’s a sure sign of spoilage. Throw the whole jar out.
Even when there are no visual clues, the smell usually gives away that there’s something rotten in the state of Denmark – or rather your jar: It should NOT smell mouldy, fishy or rotten.
Our senses will warn us when something’s off.
If you’ve never fermented anything before, don’t worry. Thousands of people successfully make their first ferment every year with nothing more than a jar, vegetables, salt, and a little patience.
Your First Ferment in 6 Steps
1. Prepare the vegetables
Whatever vegetable(s) you choose, wash them thoroughly to remove any dirt. If necessary, peel them and then either slice or grate them.
2. Salt correctly
Weigh the prepared vegetables in grams/kilograms or pounds. It doesn’t do to measure the volume in cups! When you’ve determined the weight, you can calculate the amount of salt you’ll need. Let me give you an example:
Let’s assume we’ve got 750 g of grated carrots and need a salt ratio of 2 %. Divide the weight by 100 to get one per cent and multiply it by 2. That makes
750 / 100 = 7.5
7.5 * 2: 15
For 750 g of carrots, we need 15 g of salt.
3. Knead in the salt
Mix the salt and vegetables thoroughly in a bowl and knead them strongly. Then let it rest for a few minutes so that the brine forms.
4. Pack tightly
Put the vegetables in a jar, handful by handful, and press them tightly so that all air is removed.
If necessary, fill the jar with brine so that everything is covered, and there’s about an inch between the brine surface and the jar rim.
5. Keep submerged
Now put a weight on top of the vegetables to keep them submerged. This is a critical point, as only under the brine, that is, in anaerobic conditions, can the beneficial bacteria do their work.
6. Ferment at room temperature
Close the lid slightly and put the jar in a place without direct sunlight and at room temperature. After 1 – 3 days, you should see the first bubbles, and the brine may even be pressed out from under the lid.
7. Taste and store
After about 7 days, when bubbling has visibly slowed down, it’s time to taste the ferment. When you’re satisfied, put the jar in a cooler place, for example, a cool basement or the fridge, to slow down the fermentation process.
If it’s not yet to your liking, let it ferment for another few days. Taste it daily to see if it’s ready.
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5 Easy Ferments for Beginners
You know all the theory now, so let me show you some beginner-friendly ferments you can try your hand at.
Easy Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is the most widely known ferment in Europe and the US, and it’s very easy to make. A classic ferment that’s done in no time, yet tastes wonderful!
Fermented carrots can be eaten as a quick, ready-made salad or on a bagel with cream cheese.
Fermented Garlic Honey
A slightly different ferment, as it’s made with honey instead of salt. An epiphany for the taste buds!
Fermented Lemons
Wonderfully salty and tangy, fermented lemons are a must-have for oriental cuisine, but also add an interesting flavour to salads, couscous and rice dishes.
When you stick to the step-by-step description, nothing should go wrong. But as a beginner, you may come across several issues you’ll want to know about.
How Fermentation Works (Simple Science)
Fermentation describes the microbial or enzymatic transformation of organic substances into acids, gases or alcohol. We either ferment by adding bacteria, fungi or other microbial cultures or by adding enzymes. These microorganisms are partly already on the initial product, inducing a wild fermentation.
When it comes to fermentation, we need certain bacteria and must prevent others. In the case of lacto-acid fermentation, the most important of the beneficial bacteria we need is called Lactobacillus. Several species of lactic acid bacteria work together during fermentation, creating the acidic environment that preserves food.
Lactic acid bacteria are practically everywhere: on vegetables, on our skin, and in our house, which is great for wild fermentation. During this process, they transform carbs into lactic acid and carbon dioxide (CO2) and prevent harmful bacteria from growing.
Think of fermentation as creating the perfect home for good microbes while making life difficult for the bad ones.
There are two methods of lacto-fermentation
The brine method
Here, chopped or whole vegetables like carrots and cucumber sticks or cauliflower roses are put into a jar, which is then filled with brine until the vegetables are completely covered. Brine is essentially a water-salt solution with 25 – 50 g salt per litre of water, depending on the vegetables. Put the containers in a place without direct sunlight and temperatures between 13 and 24 °C, and let the contents ferment. If necessary, fill up with brine. The time of fermentation depends on the recipe.
The dry-salting method
Despite the name, this process is not dry. The vegetables are sliced as thin as possible and mixed with salt. Slicing breaks up the cell structure so that the salt can act more effectively and draw water out from the vegetables that gather as brine. Tightly press the vegetables into your containers and fill up with the remaining brine. Leave the containers in a place without direct sunlight at a temperature between 13 and 24 °C. The time of fermentation depends on the recipe.
Lacto-Fermentation for Beginners
Lacto-fermentation is not the only type of fermentation, though. Let me show you some other variants.
What are the different types of fermentation?
Here’s an overview of the most important types of fermentation:
In this guide, we’ll focus on lactic acid fermentation because it’s the easiest place for beginners to start.
Although we don’t need much to start our first ferment, there are some basic things we can’t do without.
Equipment You Need to Start Fermenting
The good news is that you can buy fancy equipment, but it’s not a must. In fact, if you just want to start, you probably have all you need already at home. I have written a comprehensive article on fermentation equipment, but let’s have a quick look at the basics :
Glass jars: Twist-off jars, mason jars, or Weck jars with rubbers and clips are equally fine
Weights: There are really cool fermentation weights you can buy, but to start, simple freezer bags filled with water will work just fine
Lids/airlocks: You need to cover the jars with lids, but you don’t necessarily need airlocks. The gases that form during fermentation will get out as long as you don’t twist the lids too tightly.
Digital kitchen scale
Non-iodised salt: Iodine will slow down or prevent fermentation
Cutting board
Knife
Apart from good starter products and equipment, there are a few conditions that fermentation needs to work.
Fermentation conditions
There are a few factors that are crucial for a successful fermentation:
Hygiene
Before you start fermenting, wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap. Don’t use antibacterial soap, as this could inhibit the fermentation process – especially if you knead the cabbage. Wash your vegetables just with cold (!) water and don’t sterilise your equipment as this could kill our lactic acid bacteria. Just warm water and a bit of soap are enough to clean your equipment.
Temperature
I recommend a temperature between 13 and 24 °C for fermentation, as this is the range where lactic acid bacteria thrive. It’s important to keep the temperature constant. The warmer it is, the faster acid is produced. If it’s too warm, however, the microorganisms can’t develop quickly enough, and the taste will suffer.
If it’s too cold (especially at the beginning), the lactic acid bacteria can’t increase fast enough, which may lead to spoilage.
Light
A dark place is ideal for fermentation. This doesn’t mean that you have to store your fermentation crock in a pitch-dark hole, but it should also not be in direct sunlight. A shadowy corner in your kitchen or pantry where you can keep an eye on it is great.
Oxygen
As talked about earlier, fermentation happens without oxygen, so we must make sure that the vegetables are always under the brine. With the brine technique, this can mean that we have to add brine after several days. When applying the dry-salting technique, we can make sure that our veggies are constantly covered with brine by putting a weight on them and pressing them down.
Time
So, how long does it take until the fermentation process is complete and you can eat your fermented veggies? That depends, mostly on the kind of vegetables, but also on other factors like temperature and season. Technically speaking, veggies are fermented when they have reached a pH of under 4.6 (a pH of 7 is neutral, and the lower the pH, the more acidic the medium). If you want to determine the pH, go ahead and put a pH test strip into the brine. But you can also just rely on your taste buds: try your fermented food and eat it when you like the taste.
Ready to get started? Here’s a list of beginner-friendly fermentation recipes.
Best Ferments for Complete Beginners
Difficulty
Ferment
Very Easy
Sauerkraut
Very Easy
Carrots
Easy
Radishes
Easy
Garlic
Medium
Fermented lemons
The role of salt in fermentation
Salt can preserve fresh vegetables, including all their vitamins, for months or even years. It removes water from the cells, which gathers as brine in the fermentation crock. Brine again is important as lactic acid bacteria live anaerobically, i.e. without oxygen, which lots of other microbes need. To prevent the growth of those unwanted microbes, fermentations happen under the exclusion of oxygen, that is: in brine.
Salt also improves the consistency of the vegetables. It hardens the cells’ pectin so that they stay more stable and thus “crunchy”.
It may come as a surprise, but salt makes things salty and thus adds to the taste.
It also helps to keep unwanted bacteria and yeasts in check that are more sensitive to a salty environment than lactic acid bacteria.
Without salt, there could be an increase of yeasts that transform sugar not into lactic acid but into alcohol.
The best salts for fermentation are rock salt, sea salt and kosher salt. Always make sure that the salt you use doesn’t contain iodine, as this substance may slow down or even prevent fermentation.
Where to store fermented food
Storing fermented foods in the fridge slows fermentation almost to a standstill and helps preserve the flavour you enjoy.
If you are lucky and have a cool (below 10 °C but above 0°C) basement or even a root cellar, this is a great storage place for your fermented food! In that case, I recommend fermenting in larger containers because the food lasts longer the larger the container is. It is no coincidence that people used large fermentation crocks in the past.
Alternatively, you may preserve your fermented food in a water bath. With this method, you must be aware that precious vitamins and nutrients may be destroyed by the heat.
My basement is luckily very cool, and I can store all my fermented food there. If your cellar is too warm for that, I recommend a second fridge.
Common Fermentation Problems & Fixes
Here’s a short overview of common problems. For more detailed explanations, read my guide about fermentation problems and what to do.
Why is my ferment cloudy?
It’s perfectly normal that in the course of fermentation, the brine gets cloudy. You can eat it.
Is kahm yeast safe?
Kahm yeast is a thin white film on the brine surface that gets destroyed when you stir it slightly. Although it looks a bit suspicious, it’s safe.
Why do no bubbles form?
The most likely reason is that it’s too cold. Fermentation is best carried out at room temperature.
Why is it too salty?
Either you’ve added too much salt (stick to the ratio indicated in the recipe), or it’s too early, and you need to let it ferment a bit longer.
Why is my ferment mushy?
When you add too little salt, the fermented vegetables get mushy. Another reason would be that the ferment is older than a year.
Why is mould forming?
Most likely because the vegetables are not completely covered by brine. Lactic acid fermentation must be anaerobic.
Fermentation FAQ
How long does fermentation take?
That depends on the product you want to make and the type of fermentation. Lactic acid fermentation, for example, takes 5 – 10 days, while maturing a vinegar can take years.
Can fermentation happen without salt?
Salt is only necessary for lactic acid fermentation. Other types of fermentation don’t need salt.
Can I use tap water?
Yes, as long as it’s clean and unchlorinated.
Do fermented foods contain alcohol?
Some do, for example, beer, cider, and wine, which are fermented by yeasts. Other ferments like sauerkraut, sourdough or koji don’t contain alcohol.
Can I ferment fruit?
Yes, but it takes way shorter and should be eaten within 2 weeks. Due to the high sugar content, it can produce more bubbles and even become alcoholic.
Should fermentation smell bad?
To some people, cheese or sauerkraut smells “bad”, so that’s a very subjective term. As a rule of thumb, when you don’t like the smell, don’t eat it.
Can I ferment in metal containers?
No, as salt and acid will react with the metal over time.
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Let’s revive a wonderful traditional preservation method
Fermentation connects beautifully with seasonal living because it teaches patience, trust, and making the most of abundance.
And it’s easier than you might have thought!
Our ancestors did it without any modern equipment – and you can do it, too. The most important thing: Just start. Your first sauerkraut needn’t be perfect, but with every new project you’ll gain experience.
Fermentation is more than a preservation technique. It’s a way of slowing down, working with nature instead of against it, and turning seasonal abundance into nourishing food for months to come. Start with a simple jar of sauerkraut and see where the journey takes you.
Welcome to the world of fermentation!
Continue Your Fermentation Journey
If you’re ready to start fermenting, these beginner-friendly guides will help you take the next step:
Originally published June 2024 • Updated June 2026 with expanded planting guides, FAQs, and seasonal garden resources.
Many beginner gardeners think the sowing season ends in spring, but June is actually one of the best months for keeping the vegetable garden productive through summer and autumn. In this June planting guide, I’ll show you which vegetables you can sow and plant now.
June offers us gardeners the perfect opportunity to maximise our growing season with strategic plantings. If you want to harvest fresh produce all year round, this month presents ideal conditions for both cool-season succession plantings and warm-season varieties that thrive in the longer, sunnier days ahead.
The key idea here is succession planting. After all, we don’t want to have an overwhelming harvest once and afterwards only empty patches. Smart planning this month sets the foundation for a productive garden that bridges the gap between spring’s early greens and summer’s abundance.
Quick List: What to Sow and Plant in June
Here’s a cheatsheet of what you can sow and plant in June:
Sow indoors
Direct-sow outdoors
Plant outdoors
Kale
Carrots
Pumpkins
Broccoli
Beans
Zucchini
Brussels sprouts
Beetroot
Celery
Lettuce
Radishes
Leek
Cauliflower
Swiss chard
Brassicas
Rocket
Tomatoes
🌱 Prefer a printable version?
Download the free June Garden Checklist & Planting Guide — a calm, practical companion for what to sow, plant, and harvest this month.
✔️ Printable sowing chart ✔️ June garden task checklist ✔️ Seasonal garden reminders ✔️ Designed for temperate gardens (Zones 6–8)
Exact sowing times depend on your climate and last frost dates. These recommendations are based on a temperate Central European climate, hardiness zones 6 – 8, similar to my garden in Bavaria.
Vegetables to Seed-Start Indoors in June
If you’re new to seed-starting, you may want to learn more in my beginner’s guide to seed starting. Also, as it’s warm enough now and I like to have my windowsills back to normal, I usually seed-start now in the greenhouse. Let’s have a look at what can be sown indoors in June
Brassica
I know it’s just the middle of the year, but we must plan our winter harvest now. Late brassicas should be sown indoors now so that they are ready to plant out when the first spring vegetables like spinach, peas, or lettuce have been harvested, and you have some space in your beds again.
Good brassicas to start in June are
Kale
Palm kale
Black cabbage (also a kale variety)
Savoy cabbage
White and red cabbage (late varieties for making sauerkraut and storing)
Kohlrabi
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Summer squash
It’s a good idea to seed-start a second batch of zucchini now and transplant them outside when the first batch gets slow and/or becomes infected with diseases, especially mildew. This is often the case during dry periods, and then it’s great to have some zucchinis ready to plant outside.
Lettuce
It’s good to seed-start lettuce indoors every four weeks. That way, we have a continuous supply of plants and will never run out of fresh lettuce during the growing season. Seeing that temperatures increase, however, we want to choose varieties that like warmer weather, like, for example, iceberg and oak leaf lettuce.
Sowing out lettuce every 3 – 4 weeks is not only a good method for a constant harvest but also makes sure that the beds are always covered.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip
Keep a few seed trays going throughout June.
Succession planting becomes much easier when young seedlings are always ready to fill empty gaps.
Vegetables to sow directly outdoors in June
Carrots
Now we can sow carrots for storing. Make sure you choose later varieties that are robust against low temperatures. Carrot seeds dry out quickly, so keep the soil evenly moist until germination.
Parsnips
Parsnips are related to carrots, and they can also be sown directly into the patches now for a late autumn harvest and for storage.
Beans
Both bush and runner beans can still be sown in June, either as a gap filler when some other vegetables are harvested or between heavy feeders like cabbages, cucumbers or tomatoes. Beans sown in June will often begin producing within 8–10 weeks.
Spinach, Swiss chard
Both vegetables are wonderful gap fillers that grow fast and thus cover the ground. Additionally, they taste delicious and – mostly in the case of the Swiss chard – are a very pretty sight.
Kohlrabi
You can either seed-start Kohlrabi now and plant them out later. Or, if you’ve got room now, sow them directly into the bed.
Lettuce
To fill your salad bowl regularly, you must continually sow and plant out lettuce. Now, we choose summer-proof varieties that are bolt-resistant. Lettuce usually takes about 8 weeks from sowing to harvest.
Rocket salad
Sow it, watch it grow quickly, harvest the leaves and let it bloom. That way, it will spread across your garden.
Radishes
If you have radish varieties that are bolt-resistant, you can sow them out now. The early varieties, however, will not work anymore as they’ll only produce flowers and seeds now.
Radishes need only a few days to germinate and just 4 weeks to be ready to harvest. They not only show us the row but are a yummy vegetable for salads or as a ferment.
Beetroot
In spring, we’ve sown only a few beetroots for immediate consumption, but now we can throw out handfuls of beetroot seeds for a large harvest in autumn. Beetroots can easily be preserved by freezing, pickling or fermenting.
No matter if you’ve seed-started vegetables in your living room or in the greenhouse, the seedlings must be hardened off before they can be transplanted outdoors. Start by putting your plants outside for 2 – 3 hours at first and gradually increase that time over a week. That way, you make sure that your veggies are healthy and sturdy enough for outdoor conditions.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip:
Keep a few spare seedlings in pots as “gap fillers.”
When early crops finish, or plants fail, you’ll already have replacements ready to transplant into empty spaces.
Brassica
All the cabbage plants we seed-started earlier that year are now ready to get outside. All brassica seedlings we have started indoors in April, like kohlrabi, Savoy cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, as well as white and red cabbage, can be planted outdoors in June. Leave plenty of space between the seedlings so that you can plant celery in between later. Cabbage and celery are great companions in the patch and repel each other’s pests.
As in the weeks before, our monthly batch of lettuce wants to be planted outside.
Leek
Winter leek can be planted outside in June. A great place would be next to the carrots you can now sow directly into the patch. Leek and carrot are a great combination as they keep each other’s pests away. Alternate leek and carrot rows to get the best protection.
Fruit vegetables
If you still have pumpkin seedlings, transplant them out now. Also, if you have seed-started a second batch of cucumbers, peppers/chillies, zucchini and eggplants, transplant them now in June to fill the gap if any of the plants you’ve already got in the garden get weak or infected by diseases.
When you prune tomatoes now, don’t throw away the side shoots, but put them in a glass with water. They’ll build new roots, and you get additional tomato plants that you can transplant now!
What Not to Sow in June
Some cool-season vegetables struggle in June heat and tend to bolt quickly, especially in warmer climates. Avoid sowing:
early spinach varieties
spring radishes
peas
lamb’s lettuce
Instead, wait until late summer or early autumn.
Frequently Asked Questions
What vegetables can I sow in June?
Carrots, beetroot, beans, lettuce, Swiss chard, radishes, kale, cucumbers, and many more vegetables can still be sown successfully in June.
Is June too late to plant vegetables?
Not at all. June is ideal for succession sowing, warm-season crops, and fast-growing vegetables that can still produce harvests later in summer and autumn.
Can I still plant tomatoes in June?
Yes — especially if you already have seedlings. In cooler climates, planting should happen as early in June as possible to ensure fruits ripen before autumn.
What is succession planting?
Succession planting means sowing small batches of vegetables regularly instead of all at once. This creates continuous harvests throughout the growing season.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip:
Sow small batches every 2–3 weeks instead of all at once.
This keeps harvests manageable and ensures you always have fresh vegetables coming in throughout summer and autumn.
Should I seed-start indoors in June?
Yes. Many brassicas and lettuces benefit from indoor seed-starting in June, especially for autumn and winter harvests.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip:
Don’t be discouraged if your June garden already looks a little chaotic.
Early summer is a time of explosive growth, constant harvesting, and succession sowing.
A productive garden rarely looks perfectly tidy.
🌿 Keeping track of all the June garden jobs?
You can download my free printable June Garden Checklist to keep beside you in the garden or greenhouse.
Mulch all plants larger than 10 cm / 4 inches. Mulching means you cover the soil with organic material like grass clippings, leaves, straw or wood chips. By mulching, you make sure that less water evaporates. Additionally, mulch suppresses weeds and thus your “weeding time” will be reduced considerably 🙂
Harvest whatever is ready in your garden. June is also the perfect time to harvest and dry herbs for later use. By the way, drying is not the only way to preserve herbs as you can see in this article about six ways to preserve herbs.
Fertilise heavy feeders like cabbage plants, tomatoes, pumpkins and zucchini that were planted in May. Ideally, you have given them basic fertilisation when you planted them. Now it’s time for maintenance fertilisation. A great homemade fertiliser with plenty of nitrogen for hungry veggies is nettle manure. It’s free and easy to make. You’ll find a detailed description on how to make nettle manure here.
June Planting Summary
June reminds us that the garden is never static. There is always something to sow, harvest, observe, or simply enjoy. If you’d like to explore the slower and more reflective side of this season, you may also enjoy my June reflections.
June is one of the most generous months in the vegetable garden. Every harvested lettuce creates room for new seedlings, and every empty patch becomes another opportunity to extend the season. A little planning now means baskets full of fresh vegetables far into autumn.
🌞 Want seasonal guidance like this every month?
Download the free June Garden Checklist & join the Seasonal Garden Newsletter for monthly planting guides, seasonal reflections, and gentle reminders aligned with nature’s rhythm.
Still not enough garden talk? Then these posts may interest you:
Originally published June 2024 • Updated June 2026 with expanded June garden task and FAQs.
The promises of May are kept in June! Forgotten is the doom of night frosts, and it’s time to fertilise, mulch and even harvest the first vegetables. Summer solstice is around the corner, and the days are long, hot and busy (read more about June in my June reflections). Even if you’re a beginner gardener, June is one of the most rewarding months in the vegetable garden. Small, consistent tasks now make a huge difference later in the summer.
With June, we’ve reached early summer, and we’re called upon to tend to the garden in a more intense way. In my garden in Bavaria, there’s a lot to do right now. Weeding, mulching, harvesting and filling the gaps with new vegetables keep me busy.
The most important June garden tasks are watering deeply, mulching beds, feeding heavy-feeding vegetables, monitoring pests, sowing succession crops, and harvesting regularly.
Let’s break down gardening jobs we can do in June:
June Garden Checklist: Essential Tasks at a Glance
If you only have time for a few things, focus on these essential June garden tasks:
Protect your vegetables from pests
Water sufficiently
Sow and plant vegetables outdoors
Stake and prune tomatoes
Fertilise vegetables
Mulch beds
Harvest and preserve
Here’s a quick overview of the most important garden tasks to tackle in June:
Garden Task
Best Time in June
Priority
Harvesting
When plants are ripe
High
Watering
When soil is dry
Medium
Mulching
When plants are about 10 cm (4 in) high
Medium
Sowing and planting
After gaps form due to harvesting
High
Checking for pests and diseases
Every second day
High
Weeding
Twice a week
Medium
Fertilising
Every 4 weeks
High
Pruning tomatoes
As soon as suckers form
High
Saving seeds
When seeds are ripe and dry
Low
If you’re transitioning from late spring preparation, you might also want to revisit the tasks from May. Many jobs started last month continue now — especially fertilising and mulching. → Continue from last month with my May Garden Tasks checklist.
What to Sow and Plant in June
1. Harvesting and preserving
✔️ Why it matters: Eat fresh vegetables or preserve them for winter
Many veggies that we sowed and planted earlier that year can now be harvested in June. Apart from lettuce, which we have already been harvesting for weeks, we can now yield sweet peas, broad beans, kohlrabi and our second batch of spinach and Swiss chard.
The strawberries are finally ripe (honestly, what’s in strawberries? I can never get enough of them!), and we’ll get busy cooking strawberry jam, the first jam of the season. If you happen to have elder bushes in the vicinity, you can harvest the flowers now and make elderflower syrup at home. It’s not only a tasty ingredient for drinks or in yoghurt, but can also be mixed with strawberries to make an interestingly flavoured jam. You’ll find more inspiration in this list of recipes for strawberry jam with a twist.
🌿Gardener’s Tip: Don’t wait too long to harvest your veggies.
One of the biggest issues in June is water. With rising temperatures, the soil dries out faster.
2. Watering
✔️ Why it matters: Plants and seeds need water to grow.
Watering is one of the most important garden tasks in June. So far, this year has been bone dry here in Bavaria. We had almost no rain in spring and only occasional rainfall in May, just enough to keep the plants alive. While I’m not a great fan of watering, it’s essential to support freshly sown or transplanted plants. Mulching (see next step) and hoeing are good additional methods to ensure that the soil stays moist.
🌿Gardener’s tip: The best time for watering is in the morning.
When we protect the soil, though, we don’t need so much water.
3. Mulching
✔️ Why it matters: Mulching keeps the soil moist and suppresses weeds
As soon as my plants are about 10 – 15 cm (4 – 6 inches) high, I cover the soil between them with mulch. I either use (dry!) grass clippings, (old) hay, straw or leaves. Other good mulch material is wood chips that have the additional advantage of being avoided by snails and slugs.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Add dry grass clippings, hay, straw or leaves as mulch.
4. Sowing and planting
✔️ Why it matters: Let’s close the gaps in harvested plants
Wherever we harvest, we should sow or plant afterwards to fill up the gaps in the patches. That way, we cannot only harvest continually but also keep the soil covered. This will suppress weeds and keep the soil moist. For a quick overview on what to sow now, check the list above or read this comprehensive list of vegetables we can sow and plant in June in our garden beds.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Keep seed-starting indoors so that you have ready plants when gaps arise.
5. Monitoring for pests and diseases
✔️ Why it matters: Pests and diseases can destroy your plants
One of the greatest garden “tasks” in June is taking a daily stroll through the garden. First of all, because it’s good for the soul. Is there anything more satisfying than witnessing how everything we planned and prepared earlier that year comes to life and works out? I can’t think of one.
While we are there to enjoy our bountiful garden, we should also watch out for pests and diseases like a hawk. We haven’t invested all that time and energy to see our babies be either eaten off overnight or die from some disease. The earlier we detect possible harm, the better the chances of protection.
Snails and slugs, for example, are some dreaded pests, especially when it’s moist or wet, but even during dry spells, we should check for them under the mulch. A good way to keep those pests off our seedlings is to put snail collars around them, which they can’t overcome. Or you get out in the wee hours of the morning or the evening with a bucket and collect them. Choose your way, but I prefer the collars.
Other common pests are aphids, especially when the weather is dry. If aphids are already appearing on your beans or peppers, this guide on natural aphid control shows exactly what to do.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Check regularly for pests and diseases
Apart from pests and diseases, weeds must also be prevented.
6. Weeding
✔️ Why it matters: Weeds compete for nutrients.
Mulch is a good way to suppress weeds, but sometimes it’s not enough, and we have to weed regularly before dandelion, couch grass, and nettles get the upper hand. As plenty of weeds are edible, you should consider making a pesto from them (for more, see this article). From nettle, dandelions and horsetail (and some more), you can make liquid manure as a fertiliser for your plants. Read here how to make nettle manure.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Rip weeds out as soon as they occur.
When we’ve removed weeds, let’s feed our vegetables.
7. Fertilising vegetables
✔️ Why it matters: Plants need nutrients to grow optimally.
June is when hungry plants suddenly start demanding far more nutrients. Depending on what parts oft he plants we want to harvest, we have to use different fertilisers: brassicas, for example, where we harvest the leaves, need mostly nitrogen to build large heads. Tomatoes and cucumbers, on the other hand, where we harvest the fruits from, need more phosphorus and potassium to build many large fruits.
Fertilise your heavy-feeders every 3- 4 weeks and the medium-feeders every 4 – 6 weeks.
A nitrogen-rich fertiliser that you can easily make yourself is nettle manure.
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8. Fertilising and mulching berry shrubs
✔️ Why it matters: Berries need nutrients, too.
We’ve talked mainly about vegetables, but our berry shrubs, like raspberries, gooseberries, currants, blackberries, and so on, need food as well. So, another garden task you should do in June is to fertilise your berry shrubs and fruit trees. They’ll profit as well from a healthy dose of that liquid manure from stinging nettles I mentioned above and will reward you with a large harvest. Additionally, you should cover the soil under the bushes and shrubs now with mulch.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Although perennial, berry shrubs and fruit trees need care, too.
While cabbages and lettuce are relatively easy to care for, tomatoes need a bit more attention.
9. Pruning tomatoes
✔️ Why it matters: Pruning helps tomatoes form more fruits and stay healthy.
Every time we turn our backs on our gardens, even if it’s only for a second, our tomatoes seem to shoot out new suckers from their leaf axils. If you want to induce the plant to produce many fruits instead of leaves, you must remove these suckers before they get too large. Over here, you’ll find a detailed guide on how to grow tomatoes.
You can put the pruned suckers into water, and they will soon form roots. If you want to and have some room left, you can transplant these new tomato plants in a few weeks into the patch.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Put the suckers in water; they’ll grow roots, and you can plant them out as well.
10. Saving seeds
✔️ Why it matters: Saving seeds saves money and preserves heirloom varieties.
If you still have some vegetables from last year in your garden, they’ll be blooming by now, which attracts beneficial insects. In a few weeks, these blooms will turn into seeds that we can harvest and store for the next gardening season. The plants from those seeds are usually more robust and better adapted to your (micro)climate. Best of all: gaining our own seeds helps us save heirloom varieties and makes us (at least partly) independent from large seed companies.
🌿 Gardener’s Tip: Save seeds on a dry day.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gardening in June
What vegetables can I still plant in June?
Many fast-growing vegetables can still be sown in June, including carrots, beetroot, lettuce, radishes, bush beans, cucumbers, zucchini, kale, and Swiss chard. June is also ideal for succession sowing to extend harvests into autumn.
How often should I water my garden in June?
Most vegetable gardens benefit from deep watering one to three times per week, depending on rainfall, soil type, and temperature. Newly planted seedlings and container plants may need water daily during hot weather.
Should I fertilise vegetables in June?
Yes. June is one of the most important months for fertilising because vegetables enter a phase of rapid growth. Heavy feeders like tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, and cabbage especially benefit from regular feeding.
Is mulching necessary in summer?
Mulching becomes extremely valuable in June because it helps retain moisture, suppresses weeds, and protects soil life during rising temperatures. Grass clippings, straw, hay, and leaves all work well as natural mulch materials.
What pests appear in the garden in June?
Common June garden pests include aphids, slugs, snails, flea beetles, and cabbage white caterpillars. Regular inspections help catch infestations early before plants are seriously damaged.
Can I still sow seeds in June?
Absolutely. June is an excellent month for sowing many vegetables directly outdoors, especially quick-growing crops and succession plantings for continuous harvests later in the season.
Why are my tomato plants producing so many side shoots?
Tomatoes naturally produce suckers between the main stem and leaf axils. Removing these shoots helps indeterminate tomato varieties focus energy on producing fruits instead of excess foliage.
Common June Gardening Mistakes
Mistakes can happen, even when you’re an experienced gardener. To help you prevent them, I’ve listed the most common mistakes:
Overwatering in heat
Watering is important, especially when the weather is hot and dry, but much is not always best. Water deeply every 2 – 3 days instead of watering every day, which could lead to waterlogging.
Forgetting succession sowing
When we harvest, we’re often so delighted with it that we completely forget to fill the gaps that are created by ripping out the veggies. But that’s an important step for a) enhancing our harvest and b) keeping the soil covered.
Letting weeds seed
This is a common problem in June: one day, the weeds are tiny and barely visible, letting us think that “within the next few days” we’ll tackle them. Just to see that ONE DAY LATER they’ve grown exponentially and also produced seeds. Which will immediately seed and produce even more weeds. In short: weed as early as you see them.
Fertilising too late
In June, our vegetables get hungry and need nutrients to grow and thrive. If you fertilise them too late, they’ve already run on low, and either need more time to ripen or stay smaller and produce less fruit.
Ignoring pests until damage spreads
Target pests as soon as you see them. The earlier you get rid of them, the less damage they can cause and the less the chances of exponential reproduction.
Harvesting too late
Guilty of that one! Ripe vegetables are such a great sight that we sometimes want to prolong it. And miss the right time to harvest. The result: vegetables that have lost part of their flavour or have become fibrous. Watch your vegetables like a hawk and harvest them as soon as they’re ripe.
🌿 June Gardening Summary
In June, focus on:
Planting warm-season vegetables
Protecting seedlings from pests and weather
Establishing watering routines
Feeding and mulching actively growing plants
Each month builds on the previous one in the garden, and following seasonal rhythms makes gardening simpler and more productive year after year.
Why June Garden Tasks Matter
June is a bit like a summer camp – everything’s growing, thriving, and probably getting a little wild when you’re not looking. Between watering, weeding, and wondering why your tomatoes are taking their sweet time, remember that gardening is part science, part art, and part wishful thinking. Your plants don’t need perfection; they need care, consistency, and maybe the occasional pep talk. So grab your watering can, embrace the dirt under your fingernails, and enjoy watching your little green kingdom flourish. After all, every master gardener started with one slightly wonky seedling!
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