What to Plant in August: A Monthly Planting Guide

When I step into my vegetable garden in August, the gardening season is far from over! While some may think that the best planting days are behind us, our gardens can continue to thrive.

In this guide, I'll share my essential tips and tricks for direct sowing seeds in hot weather. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, learn what to plant in August so you can make the most of your late-summer garden.

Monthly Planting Guides

I am obsessed with maximizing my garden to grow as much as I can.

My goal is to help you grow all year long, too. That’s why I have created this series of monthly planting guides to share with you what I am planting each month of the year, so you can grow bigger with me!

Check out the other blog posts in the series:

• Winter Sowing

• What to Plant in February

• What to Plant in March

• What to Plant in April

• What to Plant in May

• What to Plant in June

• What to Plant in July

• What to Plant in September

What to Plant in August

Regardless of whether you are just getting into your main growing season or just finishing your main growing season, August is prime time to get most of your crops in for the fall garden.

Many of you are probably thinking, “What can I plant in August?” To be honest, you can plant anything you want as long as your remaining growing season is long enough!

Is There Still Enough Time

To determine if you have enough time to start seeds, look at your area's first estimated freeze date. Count back from that date the number of days you have until today’s date. That is your remaining growing season length.

Then, look at the back of your seed packet to see the days to germination and days to maturity for that variety. Add those days together. You should be fine if you have enough days in your growing season to allow that plant to grow and mature. Give it a shot!

Tips For Direct Sowing Success in Hot Weather

You will have a rough road if you try to direct sowing seeds in hot weather without doing the following things. Use these tips for the best success:

1. Loosen the Soil Before Planting - Make sure the top 3 to 5 inches of your soil is nice and loose before planting! This is, by far, the most important trick for direct sowing seed in the hot summer months. If you have caked or compacted soil, seeds will not grow well! You must work the soil first.

2. Never Have a Bare Garden Bed - Always be growing something! Any time you have empty garden space, the sun can solarize the soil and kill off beneficial soil bacteria. Plus, empty bed space means reduced efficiency in the garden and and it creates an opportunity for weeds to take root. I constantly grow something in all my garden space, even if it just a cover crop!

3. Presoak Your Seeds - Dry soil equals poor germination. That’s why presoaking seeds will greatly increase your chances of success when growing in hot weather. It gives the seeds a jumpstart on germination to overcome the dryer soil and conditions. Pro-Tip: You only want the seeds to absorb enough water to roughly double in size. For example, soak beans for 4 to 6 hours, corn for 4 to 8 hours, and squash for 2 to 3 hours.

4. Water More Frequently - Double the amount of water that you normally give seedlings in the spring. I can’t stress this enough! Seeds require consistent moisture to germinate. Once the seeds germinate, you can start dialing it back to a more normal watering schedule.

5. Mulch the Ground - Yes, I prefer to mulch the ground with plants that cover the soil. But don’t be afraid to throw down leaf mulch, grass clippings, pine shavings, or straw, especially in the peak of summer or extreme hot weather! Mulch can insulate the soil by up to 20°F and hold moisture near the soil.

6. Plant Drought-Resistant Crops - Some seeds are more forgiving than others, so plant summer-friendly crops for better germination if you have had trouble growing a fall garden. Squash, cucumbers, and carrots are prime examples. While all three can be grown in a fall garden, squash and cucumbers benefit from consistent moisture, but they aren’t finicky, so they will germinate more easily in the heat. Carrots, on the other hand, won’t survive if you let them dry out even a little.

Crops You Can Still Grow in August

For those who don’t know what to plant or didn’t know you could still plant anything, here are 20 plants you can still grow in August! Pro-Tip: For the cool-weather-loving crops like carrots, radishes, spinach, and lettuce, you may want to consider using shade cloth until the cool fall temperatures arrive.

• Beets - Beets are a fantastic crop to start now. The  Detroit Dark Red Beet can handle the heat now and the cold fall weather later!

• Beans - Beans germinate well in warm August soil and grow better in cooler September temperatures. Bush beans and pole beans both mature quickly.

• Cabbage - You will get 25% to 30% larger heads of cabbage just by growing them in the fall garden!

• Kale - Cold-weather crops, like kale, can be started now and still mature because they tolerate the cold mid to late October weather. Plus, you’ll have better tasting kale in a fall garden because it gets sweeter as the temperatures get cooler.

• Swiss Chard - Swiss Chard is a perfect crop to start now and let mature in cooler weather.

• Broccoli - Planting broccoli in the fall actually helps you get much bigger heads because they mature slowly and are not shocked by the hot weather.

• Zucchini - If you have read How to Grow Zucchini, then you already know that zucchini planted for the fall garden are usually healthier, more vigorous, less stressed, and less pest-pressured than those planted in the spring. But did you know, you can reduce squash vine borer damage by up to 90% by planting zucchini in August?!

• Cucumbers - It may surprise you that I grow pickling cucumbers in my fall garden, but why not? They are fast-maturing and don’t like super high, hot temperatures like most people think they do. Temperatures in the low to mid-70s are much more conducive to growing cucumbers.

• Bunching Onions - These don’t need a long growing season like bulbing onions. They’re cold-hardy and can grow into the first frost or even the first freeze!

• Root Vegetables - Specifically, carrots, rutabagas, and turnips are the three root vegetables that don’t take long to mature. They can handle warm summer temperatures, but they thrive in cool autumn, even getting sweeter and better tasting as the weather gets colder. (Here’s more on how to grow delicious carrots that are long and straight.)

• Peas - Peas do not grow well in hot temperatures, but germinate better in warm soil. Plant peas now in August, and they will enjoy the cooling trend of fall weather.

• Radishes - Radishes are a perfect late-season crop because they mature in just 30 to 40 days. However, they don’t like weather in the 70s or warmer, so depending on your climate, you may need to wait until late August or even September to plant them.

• Spinach - Like radishes, spinach does not like hotter temperatures, so depending on where you garden, you may need to wait to plant it. If you want to plant spinach in August, try growing it in containers that you can move into the shade during the heat of the day.

• Lettuce - I usually plant lettuce in late August and harvest lettuce using the cut-and-come-again method into October. If the summer heat hasn’t passed, try using shade cloth to protect it until cooler weather comes.

• Kohlrabi - Just like cabbages and kale, kohlrabi will take longer to mature, but it can handle the cold temperatures of late season, so it is a good one to start now. The bulbs will get larger if you grow them in cool weather.

• Dill - This fast-maturing crop won’t bolt as fast in cooler weather! It’s a great all-around herb that we love to use in pasta, potato salad, fish, and pickling.

• Purslane - This crop produces so much growth in hot or cold weather! It is a delicious, citrusy green with a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids.

• Amaranth - I love amaranth so much because it is such a versatile crop! It produces leaves that we eat just like spinach and grains that we use as a gluten-free grain substitute.

I really hope you are still planting in your garden this time of year. If you need more seeds, check out the MIgardener seed store for great heirloom seeds and summer sales!