Celebrate Juneteenth by Growing 11 Traditional Crops

In the American South, enslaved individuals cultivated a diverse array of crops in personal gardens, gaining the freedom to grow nutritious foods that supplemented their meager rations.

Their selections blended African, American, and European varieties. Celebrate Juneteenth by planting the same crops in your garden—11 heat‑tolerant species that thrive in summer sunshine.

Tendergreen Burpless Cucumber

Tendergreen Burpless Cucumber

Pinkeye Purple Hull Bush Cowpea

Pinkeye Purple Hull Bush Cowpea

Black‑Eyed Pea

Bushy and dense, these beans thrive in sunny spots.

botanical name Vigna unguiculata ssp. unguiculata sun requirements Full sun height 1-6’ hardiness zones 2-11

Black‑eyed peas aren’t peas, but beans! They’re often bushy and dense rather than long and vining, a characteristic that lends itself well to self‑supporting gardens.

Originating in Africa, these beans are now cultivated worldwide. Their leaves, flowers, immature pods, and mature dry beans offer versatile uses—from fresh‑food to culinary‑ready dishes.

As nitrogen fixers, black‑eyed peas enrich soil for companion crops such as corn, squash, tomatoes, and peppers. Mandate at least six hours of direct sunlight each day and cultivate in well‑drained, fertile loam.

Corn

Mandated mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory mandatory