What fruit and vegetables are in season right now? Full guide to seasonal British crops

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Most fruit and vegetables can be bought all year round with few supermarket shelves empty as the seasons change. Summer berries, green vegetables and fresh salad items are all easy to get hold of in the UK, but when are these staple items actually in season? Which fruits and vegetables are in season right now? Here’s a full list of British crops that can be harvested in June and July.

There are several benefits to eating seasonally, and perhaps the most important one is the taste of the food.

In-season produce is fresher and better-tasting when it has naturally ripened and is often more nutritious than if it was grown and harvested outside of the intended growing period.

As most fruits and vegetables are being grown somewhere in the world at any one time, eating seasonally more specifically concerns eating produce that’s being grown right now – locally.

So which items are considered to be in season right now across the UK?

Seasonal fruits

June is almost over but there’s still time to enjoy plenty of seasonal fruits which are at their tastiest right now.

These include:

Apricots

These small sweet fruits are in season from May to September, so there’s still a few months left before the harvest ends.

An apricot’s colour is not always a reliable guide to flavour, but steer clear of very pale varieties, and always avoid wrinkled or blemished skins.

Blueberries

In the UK, blueberry season normally starts in the second half of July and continues through most of August – often into September.

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the berries start to ripen from mid-summer onwards, changing from green to dusky blue when ready to pick.

Cherries

Cherry season is notoriously short, with most of these deep red berries ready to pick from mid-June to mid-September. Late season cherries are often found in Scotland.

Raspberries

Raspberry season is already in full swing, with plenty of British raspberries widely available from mid-June.

A combination of Summer and autumn-fruiting varieties can be harvested from June to October according to the RHS.

Strawberries

The UK is totally self-sufficient in strawberries for the entire summer season which runs from May to October.

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Tomatoes

British tomato season runs from June to October, when the juicy red fruits begin to thrive in the warm, light conditions.

Melon

Cantaloupe, honeydew and muskmelons are all grown in the UK and will begin to ripen from mid-summer onwards.

Harvest between July and September when the fruits produce their characteristic melon fragrance and start to crack near the stem.

Peaches

Sweet peaches are abundant from mid-summer to early autumn and are usually at their ripest between July and September.

Seasonal vegetables

There is no shortage of seasonal vegetables to choose from right now, with everything from salad leaves to hearty green beans ready to harvest throughout June and July.

British vegetable crops which are in season right now include:

Artichokes

Artichokes aren’t extensively grown in the UK, but you will find them in season from May to late July when they are at their best.

Broad beans

Broad beans are very easy to grow and will reach their peak ripeness and flavour from mid-summer.

The season runs from June to mid-September across most of the country.

Pak choi

Pak choi has a long season and can be harvested from late spring to late summer.

Spring onions

The delicate spice of spring onions can be enjoyed throughout the year, with two key harvest periods in March and April, and again between June and October.

Rocket

Early pickings of rocket can be made from early summer through to autumn and winter in Britain, with the peak season lasting from June to October.

According to the RHS, rocket can also be harvested in November and December.

Watercress

Watercress is related to the mustard plant and radish, and is at its seasonal best from April to October.

Aubergines

While this silky purple-skinned vegetable is available all year round, aubergines are at their best, and cheapest, from July to September.

Broccoli

This staple green vegetable is in season between July and October in the UK.

Courgettes

Part of the squash, marrow and cucumber family, courgettes are available all year round but are at their best from June until October.

Beetroot

Beetroot goes out of season from March to May, but then they make a comeback from June to February.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are at their best in July, though the full season tends to last from mid-summer to mid-autumn.

Peppers

Sweet bell peppers can be harvested between July and October when their flavour is at its peak.

Asparagus

June is the last month asparagus can be harvested in the UK, with the final picking usually taking place on midsummer’s day, which falls one day after the Summer Solstice.

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