Seasonal Shift: Must-Plant August Crops for a Vibrant Autumn Garden

August 9, 2024

by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener

Is it too late to enjoy a flourishing garden? Absolutely not! August is the perfect time to grab those garden gloves and dive in. Whether just starting or looking to extend your harvest, planting in August keeps your garden buzzing with vibrant life and color well into the fall.

First things first, clear out any plants that have finished their cycle. Once the space is ready, it's time to introduce new faces to your garden. Consider planting tough, frost-resistant veggies like Kale (Brassica oleracea), which thrives in cooler weather. Add some Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) for a splash of color that lasts until November. Mint (Mentha spp) brings a fragrant, perennial touch, perfect for a late summer addition.

Cleomes (Cleome hassleriana) provides beauty and feeds birds into the cooler months for those looking to add more flowers. Radishes (Raphanus sativus) quickly grow and offer a tasty fall crop. And don't forget Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus) for their striking blue hues and low maintenance.

The top 10 Crops of Fall are:

Broccoli is a staple at the dinner table and easy to grow in the backyard. Gardeners love planting broccoli in August because it keeps growing even after a few frosts. Ensure consistent watering; otherwise, broccoli heads might taste bitter from water stress. Cut the heads off as they mature, and the side shoots may develop into additional broccoli heads to harvest later in the season.

Marigolds complement the upcoming fall foliage with their warm hues. They are also excellent for companion planting near vegetable gardens because their fragrance deters insects. While some consider these spring flowers, marigolds thrive when planted at the tail end of August or early September because they establish themselves quickly from seed, perform wonderfully, and last until the first hard freeze. Give marigolds full sun, well-draining soil, and medium watering to see these florals prosper in your August garden.

Spinach - There is plenty of time to grow spinach in August. These greens grow best when planted in soil temperatures between 45 and 68 degrees. Use shade cloth to keep the plants cool during the tail end of summer. If you want to extend your growing season through winter, cover them with plastic to keep them warm enough to produce.

Snapdragons are very cold-hardy, so planting them in August gives them time to establish and withstand winter temperatures. When planting these flowers for an autumn show, transplanting them in August gives them time to root into flower beds and containers.

Violas - These endearing flowers perk up any garden with more than 500 species. They like full sun but not heat, so plant them in partial shade in the hotter parts of the yard. When the summer heat is less intense, these flowers return to garden centers across the country. They grow slowly, so planting young garden center plants is a great way. Fertilize them every 2 weeks with Watters Flowers Power for winter-long color.

Rosemary - Delicious rosemary is a reliable garden staple. Establishing a rosemary hedge is an excellent cold-hardy addition. Growing rosemary from seed takes a long time and produces mixed results. To get rosemary into the garden in August, start it from a plant and place it in a location with full sun or light shade. Try to plant it early in August to give it time to harden off before fall.

Chrysanthemums - These popular fall perennials do their best when the days get shorter, so chrysanthemums are a great flower to plant in August. Typically, the flowering response of chrysanthemums is triggered by shorter days, which is why greenhouses often exclude light for hours each day to help them grow properly. During August or September plantings, the days are naturally shorter, assisting chrysanthemums to fare well in your garden beds.

Sedum - Hardy, low-maintenance, drought-resistant sedums grow in poor and rocky soils. They are great for pollinators, raised beds, and container gardens. A member of the stonecrop family, sedums grow in upright or low-growing forms, offering options for a garden's landscape aesthetic. August is an excellent time for planting perennials. They establish a healthy root system and slowly move into winter dormancy, making them better prepared for next year.

Asters are purple members of the daisy family. They are perennials that add a burst of life to a garden bed that is slowing down. Their flowers bloom late in the season, so August is a great time to add starter plants to the garden. They like full or partial sun, moist, well-draining soils, and a bit of mulch to keep them from becoming too hot in August.

Happy planting! Let your garden shine all the way through the fall.

Free Garden Classes are offered @ Watters Garden Center

We go deep into growing better. Check out this Summer's class selection offered every Saturday @ 9:30 am.

August 10 - Growing a Beautiful Garden Pest Free

August 17 – Fabulous 15 of the Evergreen Garden

August 24 – Gardening for Newcomers

Until next week, I'll be helping gardeners here at Watters Garden Center.

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