You can defy the heat of August and dig in some new garden space for late summer planting. You will certainly appreciate the additional space next spring. Some gardeners may choose container-friendly vegetables for August planting.
A number of fast-growing summer veggies and herbs can still be planted in July and August. If you have an open spot in your garden due to a lost crop or the end of a spring harvest, there are a few fast growers that you can plant in the heat of the summer.
The latest time to plant for most vegetables would be the second week in June with a short harvest time. If planting crops that mature within 50 days, you could plant those as late as the last week in June, but keep in mind the weather will be turning cooler, especially at night. Cool crops are best for late plantings.
Some fast growing fall crops like lettuce and radishes can be planted into late September, but many desirable fall crops like broccoli and carrots need several months of prime-growing conditions to mature before frost and low light levels set in.
Planting a Late-Season Garden
But does that mean you've missed your gardening window for the year? Probably not! There are many crops you can plant well into summer (as late as mid-late August) and still harvest a sizable amount of food.
Late summer planting
Choose quick-maturing crops. Spinach, lettuce and greens, beets, carrots, peas, and beans can be sown now. Most seeds will readily germinate in the garden now because the soil holds heat well into autumn; warm soil (in the 70°s) is ideal for seed starting, as long as the weather is not too hot.
Radishes, turnips, beets and carrots can all be started from seeds in August. Chinese cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts can be transplanted in August and still have enough time to produce a good harvest.
Depending on your local climate, June or July is the latest possible date you can plant cucumbers in order for them to be able to yield any fruit. When planted in warmer weather, the plants will establish much more quickly than when planted in the spring.
Later sowings are also possible – up until late May with varieties like 'Veranda Red' – to yield a good crop in October. Larger fruited varieties are best sown in mid to late April to ensure a good crop of ripe fruit by mid-September.
Fall is a good time for developing tomatoes because the cooler temperatures allow for better fruit set and insect problems diminish. Mid-July to the end of August is the ideal time to plant. When choosing your fall tomatoes, make sure you know if you're selecting a Determinate or Indeterminate type.
You can directly sow seed in your garden once your first round of zucchini plants have matured and expect to see germination within days. Many gardeners do this second planting in mid-July or mid-August (or both). Plantings later in the season typically grow even faster than a spring planting.
If you have multiple garden beds, simply plant them in another bed each year. To summarize, tomatoes and peppers can be planted with each other in the garden. Just be sure to leave more room around each tomato plant to avoid overcrowding, and consider rotating your crops annually.
Hardiness zones and indoor/outdoor planting
In practice: It's best to plant tomato seeds indoors during mid-August for hot summer areas and in July for other regions at the latest. Give the seeds eight weeks to grow before moving them outside.
You can plant or harvest something from your garden almost all year. The two major planting periods, however, are spring (March to May) and fall (mid-July to September). The spring plantings are harvested in June and July, while the fall plantings are harvested from October to December.
Spring is usually the best time to start a new garden but plants may be added in spring or autumn, depending on the type of plant. Plants that thrive in the cold, like pansies and kale, can be planted in autumn or winter. Annuals and tomatoes should be planted when the weather warms up and after the last frost date.
We recommend planting zucchini and summer squash from late May to early July, depending on the season's temperatures and rainfall. It's a warm season crop, so it needs warm air, warm soil, and no chance of frost.
Pepper plants require a long, warm growing season.
Start pepper seeds indoors 6 – 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Seeds should sprout in 10 – 20 days at 75°F – 85°F. Plant outside 2 weeks after your last frost date; the soil should be at least 65°F.
There is some great plants you can put in now, once the frosts have gone. Try beetroot, lettuce, parsnip, peas, radish, celery (in a milk carton), leek, lettuce, onions, mizuna, mitsuba, seed potatoes, rocket, silverbeet, and spinach.
Daisies are almost foolproof to grow. They can be planted in the spring, summer, or fall. Most gardeners sow their daisy seeds directly in the garden.
When to Plant Potatoes. When growing potato plants (Solanum tuberosum), it is important to keep in mind that potatoes are cool weather vegetables. The best time when to plant potatoes is in early spring. Planting potatoes two to three weeks before your last frost date will produce the most satisfactory results.