What to Plant in August: Vegetable Garden Growing Guide

Learn what to plant in August with Homesteaders of America Vegetable Garden Growing Guides!

Many gardeners in the country begin to converge in their plans this month and turn their attention to the fall garden. Whether you’re in the deep south and planting another round of tomatoes or are in the northern reaches and tucking away lettuce seeds into pots, ready for transplant next month when the temperatures cool, the gardening season is still far from over!

What to Plant in August: Vegetable Garden Growing Guide

How to Use the Growing Guides

In the Growing Guides, you will learn what to plant each month according to when your last frost date. 

• Look up your last frost date by zip code if you don’t know it already.
• Choose the Growing Guide for this month
• Find which month your last frost date is in
• Follow the seed starting suggestions on the graphic

The Growing Guides will be targeted for the continental United States, which also includes some of the warmer areas of our country such as southern extremes Texas and Florida. Their growing season is vastly different from folks living in the northernmost states.

Be sure to follow us on social media, read our newsletter, or check back on the blog for updates throughout the year! 

Last Frost Date in January

Your growing season is heading into it’s eighth month and still going strong! Keep thinking about that fall garden while you’re bringing in the summer harvest. Now is a great time to start some of the crops that will appreciate cooler fall temperatures. If you are getting a late start, check out some summer vegetables you can still direct seed in the garden this month.

Last Frost Date in February

Since your daytime temperatures will begin moderating in a few months, you can keep starting many types of seeds indoors that you will transplant into the garden this fall.

Last Frost Date in March

Believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about your fall garden! Now is a great time to start some of the cool weather crops that will be ready to get transplanted in a couple months. Meanwhile, you may still have enough time to squeak out another succession of some crops. Be sure to check your seed packets for the days to germination to be sure.

Last Frost Date in April

Want to know what to plant in August if your last frost date was in April? There are a still some heat-loving plants you can start growing in your garden! You can also get your fall garden off to a good start by planting some brassica seeds! Next month you’ll be able to get even more plants growing that will nourish you and your family later this year when the temperatures begin to cool.

Last Frost Date in May

Late start getting your garden in? It happens to the even the best gardeners. Don’t despair! There are still many plants you can still get into your garden before it’s too late. Just be sure to check the days to maturity. You may not have time for longer growing varieties before the first frost hits.

Last Frost Date in June

What to get the most yield from your vegetable garden? Get another succession of cool season crops such as radishes or heat-tolerant lettuce going! If you have the space consider succession planting other quick crops such as beans and summer squash.

As you start bringing in the harvest have your cover crop seeds ready to scatter if you won’t be succession planting. Bare soil easily erodes, losing organic matter and nutrients. The roots of your cover crops will hold soil in place, increase the organic matter, nutrients, and soil life in your garden.

If you will be planting again in a couple months grow a quick cover crop that will appreciate the cooler spring weather. If the space will be left unplanted consider a cover crop that will stand up to your summer heat.