Have you been wondering what to plant in August? Can you believe the price of groceries? They keep going up. We must grow a garden and produce at least some food, hopefully more each year. I like to update my monthly series of posts every year. I’m still planting seeds outside.
What To Plant In August
Please keep in mind the climate has changed in all zones. We can no longer count on the correct zones for planting. We must pay attention to the weather channel or our outdoor thermometers.
We can do this, I promise. You can produce some of your food if you have acres, a small lot like mine, or pots.
I’m thankful I taught myself how to hand-pollinate my Zucchini Plants and Cucumber Plants.
If you have bees, you may not have to do this, but where I live, the bees have been very limited for the past few years. I purchase all of my garden seeds from this company: SeedsNow.
I highly recommend these for CowPots and Organic Seedling Soil: this way, you can plant your seeds and place the CowPots in your garden when the temperatures are correct.
My goal is to grow some vegetables throughout the late fall and winter. We will have to see if I can get my garden set up.
I’ll eventually have to cover my raised garden beds to protect them from freezing (when they get built here in my new yard).
Check here to find your Planting Zone. It’s easy; all you do is add your zip code. I love it!How I store my garden seeds:
Plastic Photo Container and Label Maker
Soil Amendments
Before we get started with the vegetables you can plant, let’s be sure your soil is ready. Here are my tips for soil; I do this every Spring and Fall.
We first need to pull any weeds that have come up since the last time you turned over the soil.
Dig out any leftover crops you missed the last time you harvested. Turn the soil several times and add the following amendments if you need them:
Soil pH Levels
What Does The Term pH Level Mean?
Are you wondering what the term pH level means when gardening? Each plant prefers a different level of acidity to grow the very best harvest. The level of acidity desired varies between each plant.
Therefore, you can adjust the pH of your soil by adding lime or sulfur to bring it up or down, depending on what your soil needs. You can have your soil tested, possibly by your state extension service, or try to do it yourself with a soil tester. pH Tester Tester Strips
What to Plant in August by Zone
Usually, I talk about what to grow each month based on my zone, but in this section, I want to share with you the different plants you can grow in each zone. You can find it here if you don’t know what zone you live in. USDA PLANTING ZONE. The climate has changed in so many areas; I’m not sure these are as accurate; each year, we have a drought or too much rain.
Zone 1
In your fall garden, here are the plants that do best in zone 1:
- Artichokes (Globe)
- Chinese Cabbage
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce (leaf only)
- Peas
- Spinach
- Turnips
Zone 2
You can still plant quite a bit in Zone 2 during August. Here is a list of seeds you can plant:
- Artichokes (Globe)
- Broccoli
- Chinese Cabbage
- Endive
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce (leaf only)
Zone 3-4
As the weather changes in zones 3-4, you won’t be able to plant everything, but you can still plant several veggies. Here is what you can plant in zones 3-4 in August:
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce (head only)
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Turnips (early August
Zones 5-6
There are a lot of fall plants you can start in zones 5-6. Here is what you can plant in August:
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Carrots
- Kale
- Peas
- Peppers (early in August)
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Squash
- Turnips
Zones 7-8
This is my area, and there are a lot of things I like to plant in August. Here are just a few things you can plant in zones 7-8 in August:
- Beans
- Beets (after the 15th)
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Corn (early)
- Cucumber (early)
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Onions (early)
- Peppers (early)
- Spinach
- Squash
- Tomatoes (early)
Zones 9-10
Again, August is still a great time to plant your fall garden in these zones. Here is what you can plant in zones 9-10 in August:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cucumbers (Zone 9 only)
- Eggplant (Zone 10 only)
- Okra (10 only)
- Peas (9 only)
- Peppers (early)
- Pumpkins
- Squash (summer and winter)
- Tomatoes (9 only)
- Turnips (9 only)
- Watermelon (early)
What To Plant In August
1. Carrots
Carrots like smooth, loamy soil with nutrients added, as shown above. I like to moisten the soil slightly, sprinkle the seeds over the soil, and cover them with compost.
Keep the rows about 3 inches apart and stagger, planting the seeds over two to three weeks to have an abundant harvest for the season.
Be careful if you live in intense heat, as carrots don’t like to dry out. If you water them by hand for two to three weeks after planting the seeds, you will soon see the little sprouts.
This is when you will fertilize with some Miracle-Gro Fertilizer and thin the carrots as needed. Use mulch to cover them if you live where the summers are sweltering.
pH level for Carrots: 5.5 – 7.0
2. Lettuce
Add the amendments above to the soil where you plant your lettuce seeds. The nice thing about lettuce is that it’s so easy to grow and sprouts up quickly. Just make sure the soil is loosened, loamy, and well-drained.
Lettuce loves nitrogen and potassium, so watch the leaves as they grow. Work in a lot of organic matter or compost. Lettuce matures in 55 to 60 days. Romaine takes longer, and so do head lettuce varieties.
Plant the seeds about 1/4 inch deep, tamp them in the soil, and water them. Easy and simple. Read the package to space according to the lettuce variety you choose. Seeds will not germinate in soils above 80 degrees F. or warmer.
You can start some seeds indoors and transplant the seedlings into a shady spot if the weather is too hot outside when starting. You may want to choose heat-resistant varieties if you live where the temperatures get very hot in the summer.
It’s better to pick early than late because the leaves become bitter.
pH level for Lettuce: 6.0 – 7.0
3. Radishes
I like the radish called Red Champion because they are larger and have bright red skin. They grow in small areas, and the days to maturity are 25-30 days.
Another one I like is called Pink Beauty because the white flesh is crisp and mild. They grow well in pots or containers. Their days to maturity are 25-30 as well.
I sprinkle the seeds over the soil, do a slight soil coverup, and sprinkle with water. If you stagger the planting days, you will have several days of freshly picked radishes when it’s time to harvest.
pH level for Radishes: 6.0 – 7.0
4. Spinach
I plant New Zealand spinach seeds because they can withstand the heat of Southern Utah. It’s a large growing plant, but I make salads and smoothies and freeze a lot of spinach for the year.
This spinach variety grows from spring to fall without any issues. The more I cut it back, the more it grows. It takes 75 days to mature.
Again, ensure your soil has the amendments above, and you need to turn over the soil repeatedly. Plant the seeds at least one foot apart and the rows two feet apart.
pH level for Spinach: 6.0 – 7.5
How Do I Keep My Vegetables From Freezing?
You’ll more than likely need some way to protect your vegetables when the weather begins to dip and freeze possibly. I have used these over seedlings and individual plants in the winter. Garden Cloches
Please Check Out What To Plant Each Month:
- What To Plant In January
- 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 August
- What To Plant In September
- What To Plant In October
Final Word
This will be my first year to try growing year-round with a few vegetables. I want to get to where I only eat the lettuce from my backyard or in my Aerogarden indoors. In case you missed this post: Growing Fresh Lettuce Indoors Year-Round
Let me know what you plan to plant in August. We can do this, my friends, I promise. May God bless this world, Linda
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