What to plant in August
Find out which flowers and vegetables to plant now for harvests in winter and spring.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | yes | |||||||||||
| Plant | yes |
Although the weather can be hot and dry in August, there are still crops and flowers you can plant. On the vegetable patch, sowing and planting out now will keep your cropping season going. The best things to plant in August include veg that will give you short-term harvests, such as salad leaves and spinach, as well as those that can overwinter and provide early crops in late winter and spring, such as winter cabbages, broad beans and garlic.
In ornamental borders, August is a great time to get ahead and plan for the following year. Seeds to plant in August include hardy annuals – sowing them now will give you an early crop of flowers in spring, while biennials sown in August will flower by the following summer. It's also a good month to plant autumn-flowering bulbs such as colchicums and flowers that will bring instant colour to fading borders. Plants such as marigolds and shrubs like caryopteris can also be planted in pots, but these will have to be watered frequently to stop them drying out.
Bear in mind that, while warm August temperatures can encourage quick germination of some plants, the water table is lower so you may need to provide additional water to seedlings and newly planted plants. During periods of extreme dry weather or drought, be aware that you may need to reduce your water use in the garden, so you might want to delay seed sowing until it rains again.
Vegetables to grow in August
Spinach
When to harvest: March to November.
How to grow: sown in late August, spinach can provide a crop of young leaves in October and then enter dormancy in winter, ready to provide a fresh crop of leaves in early spring. Sow direct in well-prepared, fertile soil. Water during hot weather to prevent bolting, and then cover with a low cloche when temperatures start to fall.
- How to grow spinach
- Buy spinach seed from Thompson & Morgan and Crocus
Oriental leaves
When to harvest: June to November.
How to grow: fast germination makes oriental leaves satisfying to sow, whether direct in soil or in modules for planting out. The latter method works better in wet summers (slugs may eat rows of seedlings in a night). Sow three seeds per module, and thin to one or two plants. Oriental salad mixes often include leafy greens such as mizuna and mibuna, which can be sown in late summer and September for winter crops. Cover with a cloche as temperatures begin to fall in autumn.
- How to grow salad leaves
- Buy oriental leaves seed mix from Thompson & Morgan
Rocket
When to harvest: April to December.
How to grow: wild rocket sown in early August will provide you with a crop of fresh leaves before winter, and then lie dormant until March, when it will put on new growth. Salad rocket stands the best chance of surviving frosts if sown in late August. It also offers more leaves in winter than wild rocket, but often bolts in April.
- How to grow rocket leaves from seed
- Buy rocket seeds from Thompson & Morgan and Mr Fothergill's
Corn salad
When to harvest: October to February.
How to grow: corn salad, also known as lamb's lettuce, is a delicious leaf crop that crops throughout winter. Sow direct in well-prepared soil and cover with a cloche when temperatures start to drop. Corn salad roots are shallow, so water regularly if under cover or in otherwise dry conditions.
- How to grow lamb's lettuce
- Buy corn salad seed from Suttons
Spring onions
When to harvest: April to October.
How to grow: spring onions don't germinate well in temperatures that are regularly above 20°C, so bear this in mind when sowing in August. Either sow direct in rows outdoors, covering seed with 2cm of soil, or in modules, with up to 10 seeds in each, for a harvestable 'clump' in spring.
- How to grow spring onions
- Buy spring onion seeds from Thompson & Morgan and Mr Fothergill's
Turnips
When to harvest: May to December.
How to grow: turnips can be sown up until around mid August, but this is also a good month to plant out turnip seedlings that have been sown in modules. Turnips are best sown direct and then thinned. Sow seeds sparingly because, although they're tiny, they have a high germination rate and subsequent growth is rapid. Thin in late August or early September. Fleece or mesh help keep pigeons, butterflies and cabbage root fly at bay.
- How to grow turnips
- Buy turnip seeds from Thompson & Morgan and Suttons
Chicory
When to harvest: July to March.
How to grow: hardy chicory can be sown from February to September for a long cropping season, so continue sowing in August for a winter harvest. Start the seeds off in a seed tray, before planting out in a sunny spot.
- How to grow chicory
- Buy chicory seeds from Thompson & Morgan and Suttons
Cabbages
When to harvest: winter cabbages (November to February) and spring cabbages (April to August).
How to grow: spring cabbages can be sown direct outdoors in late summer and overwintered for harvests from spring, while winter cabbages grown from seed in previous months can be planted out this month for harvests from November. Protect from cabbage white caterpillars and pigeons using fine netting suspended 1m off the ground to protect hedgehogs, or a bespoke cage.
- How to grow cabbages
- Buy cabbage seeds from Thompson & Morgan and Suttons
Chard
When to harvest: March to November.
How to grow: chard can be successionally sown throughout spring and summer, but August is your last chance to make a sowing for a winter crop. Sow Swiss chard direct in shallow drills or in pots of moist, peat-free compost.
- How to grow Swiss chard
- Buy chard seeds from Crocus and Thompson & Morgan
Lettuce
When to harvest: May to November.
How to grow: sowing lettuce in August will will provide you with an early winter harvest. Protect crops with a cloche from late September when temperatures begin to cool. Lettuces can also be overwintered in greenhouses and beneath cloches, for picking leaves from April through to June.
- How to grow lettuce
- Buy lettuce seed from Thompson & Morgan and Crocus
Kohlrabi
When to harvest: May to November.
How to grow: sow kohlrabi in early August, for a late harvest in October. Both the leaves and swollen stems can be eaten – enjoy them roasted, stewed or raw.
- How to grow and care for kohlrabi
- Buy kohlrabi seeds from Crocus and Suttons
Fruit to grow in August
August is not the best month to plant fruit, because the weather is generally hot and dry. It would be better to wait until September, when it's cooler and there's more rainfall.
Flowers to grow in August
Pot marigold (Calendula)
Flowers: May to October.
How to grow: colourful and easy to grow, calendula (pot marigolds) can be sown in August and September, for flowers in the following spring. They're hardy, so simply direct sow them where they are to flower, either in shallow drills on the ground or in pots.
- How to grow calendula
- Buy Calendula seeds from Thompson & Morgan and Crocus
Cornflowers
Flowers: May to September.
How to grow: as with pot marigold, you can sow cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus) in August for May flowers. Cultivars to sow and grow include 'Black Ball', which has deep chocolate-coloured blooms, and 'Blue Boy'. Sow direct in shallow drills in the soil or on the surface of moist, peat-free compost in pots.
- How to grow cornflowers
- Buy cornflower seeds from Thompson & Morgan and Suttons
Forget-me-nots
Flowers: April to June.
How to grow: forget-me-nots (Myosotis sylvatica) can be sown throughout the summer months and into September. A useful ground cover plant for shade, they make a fine companion plant with tulips, and will readily self-seed once established. Sow in seed trays for planting out in spring or direct where you want them to grow.
- How to grow forget-me-not
- Buy forget-me-not seeds from Crocus and Thompson & Morgan
California poppies
Flowers: June to September.
How to grow: despite their vivid, exotic appearance, California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are hardy annuals, and will survive a winter outdoors. Simply sow where you want them to flower, either in shallow drills in well-prepared beds or on the surface of moist peat-free compost in pots.
- How to grow California poppy
- Buy California poppy seeds from Thompson & Morgan and Crocus
Wild carrot
Flowers: June to September.
How to grow: wild carrot or Queen Anne's lace (Daucus carota) looks magnificent as part of a wildlife garden. Choose a sunny, well-drained spot for this biennial and sow in well-prepared soil where you'd like it to flower.
- How to grow Daucus carota
- Buy wild carrot seeds from Crocus
Shrubs and trees to grow in August
Hibiscus
Flowers: June to September.
How to grow: add some late colour to the garden with this low-maintenance shrub. Planted this month in a sunny spot with well-drained soil, hibiscus will provide instant impact. These easy shrubs have flowers in a wide range of shades that include lilac, orange and pink.
- How to grow hibiscus
- Buy hibiscus from Crocus and Thompson & Morgan
Caryopteris
Flowers: August to September.
How to grow: this deciduous shrub can have flowers that are white, pink or blue and these are attractive to bees, appearing in late summer to autumn. Plant caryopteris in full sun, in well-drained soil or in a large container.
- How to grow caryopteris
- Buy caryopteris from Crocus and Thompson & Morgan
Abelia
Flowers: June to October.
How to grow: plant abelia for a long season of flowers in pink or white. Many varieties also have evergreen foliage, providing interest throughout the year. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot and water regularly until established. This is especially important if planting in August, when the weather is often hot and dry.
- How to plant and care for abelia
- Buy abelia from Crocus and Thompson & Morgan
