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Do you think it ’s too late in the year to get into the garden ? Actually , August is a great time to cull up your gardening glove and prick and get to work . Whether you ’re hold a really late start to the gardening time of year or you ’re a prolific successiveness planter working on maximizing your garden ’s production , set in August canadd fall crops and color .

After crystallize out any spent spring and summertime plants , there ’s pile of space in the garden or in container to add fresh verdure , florals , herbs , orvegetables . Depending on where you endure , you might have many months of garden ahead of you .

leafy fall vegetables planted in raised bed garden

Photo: istockphoto.com

Want to know what to found in August ? Here are some change you’re able to add to your garden beds in late summer .

1. Kale (Brassica oleracea)

Kale is known for its lustiness , and grows well into winter . Gardeners can direct - sow seeds in the garden throughout August , so there ’s no need to transplant . These are easy plant to originate ; the biggest issue somekale growersmight have is keeping the soil dampish in hot climates . Plus , check that to give them a side dressing with N - rich fertilizer once they ’re establish . Upcoming frost is n’t a bad thing either , since it helps improve kale ’s flavor .

USDA Hardiness Zones:2 to 11

2. Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta)

supply a pop of colour to the garden with these drouth - repellent flowers that bloom into November ( depending on your location).These plant are gravid for pollinators , and cervid do n’t care for them too much , making them a must - have for the fall garden bed . If you ’re propagating these from seed , they need several days of regular moisture to pullulate , so you might have to be on standby with a watering can initially .

Once growing , black - eyed Susans like moist to dry out soil , so if you blank out to irrigate them — even on hot August days — they’ll likely be ok .

USDA Hardiness Zones:3 to 7

Kale plants in raised garden

Photo: istockphoto.com

3. Mint (Mentha piperitaorM. spicata L.)

There are many varieties of mint you could tote up to your garden . Though spring is often the time for planting , gardener can add up thisperennial herbto their garden beds into the declination . Even though mint plants love sunlight , it is best to avoid planting them during a hot dry spell .

Mint seeded player take a long time to germinate , so your respectable stake to get the most out of these plants is to plug in young plants or grow them from press cutting . This herb produce chop-chop , so you ’ll have a H.M.S. Bounty of mint this time of year , but plant them in a container or bucket in the flat coat to prevent them from take over a garden bed .

USDA Hardiness Zones:3 to 8

Black eyed susan yellow flowers

Photo: istockphoto.com

4. Cleomes (Cleome hassleriana)

Known as the spider flower , cleome adds elegance to a flower or butterfly stroke garden . As far as flowers to plant in August , this one is a crew favorite — even though it ’s an annual . These plantsbloom from June to ice , but if you tot establish cleomes to your garden in August , they ’ll remain beautiful well into the cool season . genus Cleome ’s dried flower heads are also a food source for birdie in the fall , which can be a tangible treat for backyard bird watchers .

USDA Hardiness Zones:9 to 10

5. Radishes (Raphanus sativusvar.radicula)

Keep enjoying the food from your backyard when you add radishes to your garden in August . Planting at the tail end of summer raise a late declension harvest , offer you a antecedent veg that you’re able to lay in brisk for up to 2 month — do not keep them in the fridge as they will recede wet and shrivel up .

These theme vegetable love cooler conditions and need rain or steady tearing to bring forth radishes full of flavour . you may depart harvesting once they become a operable size , which is potential in as few as 3 week after August planting .

6. Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus)

Add hues of intense blue to a garden container by engraft cornflower from semen in August in mild climates . These wildflowers are hardy , downcast - upkeep , cool - season annuals that can fly high in many weather — and they ’re edible too . Since they last a long time , they ’ll keep up their country charm in meek winter climate . strawflower do n’t require much body of work to seem sound , but since they reseed severally , deadheading may be necessary to limit their growing .

7. Broccoli (Brassica oleraceavar.italica)

Broccoli is a staple fibre at the dinner table , and it ’s passably easy to raise in the backyard . gardener loveplanting broccoliin August because it keeps develop even after a few loose hoarfrost . Start your broccoli seeds indoors in July if you need them planted in the garden for August . It take about 2 weeks for the seeds to germinate .

Be certain to provide consistent watering ; otherwise , Brassica oleracea italica heads might try out acerbic from water supply stress . ignore the headspring off as they mature , and the side shoots may make grow into additional broccoli heads to glean after in the season .

8. Marigolds (Tagetes erecta)

marigold complement the coming capitulation foliation with their warm hues , plus they are excellent for fellow planting near a vegetable garden because their scent deters insects . While some look at these bounce flowers , marigold thrivewhen plant at the bottom end of August or early September because they constitute themselves rapidly from seed , perform wondrous , and last until the first hard freezing .

Give marigold full sunshine , well - draining soil , and medium watering to see these florals flourish in your August garden .

9. Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)

chronological succession planter cognize the delight ofgrowing cucumbers — they take very lilliputian work to seed and can be spring up in beds , container , or on trellises . Some garden varieties are ready to harvest within 50 days of planting , making these veg a wondrous addition to your August garden . Experienced gardeners time their cucumber vine planting between pest life cycles , take in August a great prison term for their second planting ( or a first if you ’re late to the party ) .

USDA Hardiness Zones:4 to 12

10. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

Though some consider August the last of the horticulture season , it leaves plenty of time to grow spinach . Get these seeds into the ground or garden bed approximately 6 to 8 weeks before your area’sestimated first frost particular date , and you should make the crosscut to grow a hefty supply of spinach . These greens grow well when planted in dirt temperatures between 45 and 68 level Fahrenheit .

utilise a subtlety cloth to keep the plants cool during the tail end of summer . If you want to extend your grow time of year , cover them with charge plate to keep them tender enough to give rise through the crepuscle and peradventure into winter .

11. Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus)

A tidy sum of flowers lose their blooms when the nerveless weather condition arrives . Snapdragons are very stale fearless , so August planting gives them time to establish to withstand mild winter temperature . Depending on the variety , they can handle temperature in the low 40s at night and scurvy 70s during the day .

When planting these flower for a fall crop , transplanting give them a head start to install themselves in a basket , container , or seam . From source , it takes 70 or 80 days until they ’re ready to harvest as cut flowers . Want to get the most life out of these plants ? In some areas , gardeners can overwinter their snapdragon in tunnels .

USDA Hardiness Zones:7 to 10

Mint bush

Photo: istockphoto.com

12. Turnips (Brassica rapa, Rapifera group)

For gardener who want to revel the fruits of their travail ( or root vegetables of their labor ) , turnip are one of the best vegetables to set in August . In as little as 6 week , vernal Brassica rapa are quick for phthisis , a clock time when they are arguably the most scrumptious . white turnip greens ( leaves ) are also pop fall craw , becoming crispy in cooler night air .

These various veg favour sunny locations and nerveless conditions in dirt that retains its wet . They ’re well sown outside , and they grow rapidly , so you may squeeze them into a garden patch and glean them before any slow - grow crops currently in the ground take the distance .

13. Violas (Viola spp.)

There are more than 500 specie of genus Viola , and these humble , endear flowers can perk up up a garden bed in August . If you ’ve attempted get viola in the summertime , they ’ve in all likelihood become leggy or died off because they ’re not fans of hot weather . They like full sun but not heat , so found them in partial shade in hotter climates .

Come late August and former September , when the summertime high temperature is less vivid , these florals return to gardens across the commonwealth . They grow slowly , so when adding these flowers to your bed or container in August , make youthful plants from a glasshouse is a great room to go . Fertilize them monthly and remove the pass flowers to keep them farm as long as possible .

14. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

Fragrant , delicious Rosmarinus officinalis is a garden staple that ’s reliably brave . If you want a perennial herb that endure through mild winter outdoors , establishing a rosemary hedge is an excellent garden addition . Though it ’s drought - tolerant , it does require water every few day , but do n’t overwater , lest it becomes excessively woody .

grow from seeded player takes a farsighted time , and produces sundry results . To get rosemary into the garden in August , start it from a plantand blank space it in a location with full sun or scant specter . seek to plant it too soon in the month to give it time to harden off before spill .

USDA Hardiness Zones:8 to 10

White cleome flower

Photo: istockphoto.com

15. Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum spp.)

These democratic fall perennials do their ripe when the days get little , so chrysanthemums are a great flower to engraft in August . Typically , the flowering response of chrysanthemum is actuate by brusk days , which is why greenhouses often exclude spark for hours each daytime to help oneself them get properly . During August or September planting , the day are course shorter , assisting chrysanthemum to fare well in your garden beds .

Mums are comparatively easy to growin the garden , felicitous in any well - debilitate garden soil used for vegetable , with about 6 hour of sunlight daily .

USDA Hardiness Zones:5 to 9

Red radishes in garden

Photo: istockphoto.com

16. Peas (Pisum sativum)

Looking for seeds to plant in August ? Peas are one eccentric of veggie that you could successfully uprise and harvest from seed this late in the season . As long as a pea plant assortment ’s maturity escort ( normally 70 to 90 days ) occurs before the mediocre first hard frost date , adding peas to your garden bedscan finish off your growing season with delicious crispy veggies .

Add some compost to your soil and sow in the seeds directly in the garden — ideally on an overcast day or when there ’s some rain in the forecast to alternate - start sprouting . Keep the dirt moist and imbed the seeds in the shade of other garden plants to protect them in case a last smasher of acute warmth arrives .

17. Sedum (Sedum spp.)

Add sedum to gardens in drier location . These succulents are members of the stonecrop mob . They can be erect or low - growing , volunteer options for a garden ’s landscape painting esthetical . Later in the season is an excellent time for planting perennials like these in colder areas because they can establish a healthy root system of rules and tardily move into wintertime dormancy , earn them better prepared for next year .

Hardy , low - maintenance , and drought - resistant sedum grow in both inadequate and rocky soils . They ’re great for pollinators , container gardens , bottom borderline , and more .

USDA Hardiness Zones:4 to 9

Blue cornflowers

Photo: istockphoto.com

18. Spring Cabbage (Brassica oleracea, Capitata group)

When toy the long secret plan in your garden , you may choose to plant your leaping cabbage now . Cabbage may take up to 6 month to be quick for harvest , so sowing your ejaculate in August for overwintering offer you head to pick come former spring . Just keep in idea the variety when choose former - season scratch , as well as the geographical zone . In many geographical zone , cabbage must be harvested in other winter .

Before planting in a cheery location , tot up some compost to your firm , freely draining soil to give the seeds the food they demand . supply them with constant moisture , feed them to boost their growth , and cover them with net to protect them from garden pest .

19. Asters

Balance out the impend colors of fall foliage with these purple member of the daisy household . aster are perennials that add a burst of life-time to a garden bed that ’s slowing down on growth . These adorable blooms last weeks to months , depending on the coinage and the climate , so choose one that suits your zone .

Aster bloom bloom belatedly in the time of year , so August is a swell time to tot starter plants to the garden . They care full or partial sun , moist , well - draining soils , and a second of mulch to keep them from becoming too warm in the August heating system .

USDA Hardiness Zones:4 to 8

Growing broccoli in garden

Photo: istockphoto.com

Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners

We ’ll aid you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few flock on your patio , a conjure up bottom , or an in - ground plot of ground out back — and select the right plants for your grunge and part .

Marigold flowers

Photo: istockphoto.com

Cucumbers hanging from plant

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Growing spinach in garden

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Colorful snapdragon flowers

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White turnip vegetable in garden

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Planting viola flowers

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Snipping rosemary

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Gardener planting chrysanthemum flowers

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Peas on vine in garden

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Green plant with yellow flowers

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Spring cabbage in garden

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Purple aster flowers

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Young couple (heads not seen) use trowels to dig into a small raised garden bed on Astroturf, surrounded by gardening accessories.