The Best Plants And Vegetables To Plant In Your Garden In August

In areas that enjoy warmer weather during the summer, August is the month when residents might start thinking about how to prepare for the end of the season. However, before you begin settling in for fall, there's still plenty of time to add certain plants to your garden. Of course, you need to know what options will survive and thrive during August, and you'll surely be pleased to know that you can choose from a range of flowers, herbs, and vegetables.

Although exact growing seasons depend on where you live, those who are in more temperate areas may experience lots of sunshine and hot temperature at the beginning of August. As the month comes to an end, it might start to get cooler. Although plants might not know what time of year it is, they can tell when the conditions are ideal for them to grow. They do this by sensing how much light they receive, how long each day is, and what the temperature is like. In turn, each detail will affect the plants in ways that let them know if they should set down roots, bloom flowers, and produce veggies if it's warm and sunny, or perhaps go dormant if it's getting colder.

Granted, you don't want to do a lot of planting just to find out what you've chosen to plant won't grow during the later summer season. That's why you should learn about the ones that will, beginning with our list of 20 of the best plants and vegetables to plant in your garden in August.

Bring color to your garden during August with the help of celosia. Each plant will bloom into a stunning flower that boasts a uniquely wispy texture, eye-catching shape, and vibrant color (its name, after all, originates from the Greek word for "burning"). A plant that won't wilt when it starts to get cold, you can also bring a celosia inside if you want to keep it around even longer.

Although you may already be charmed by the gorgeous maroon, indigo, or blue color of nigella (Nigella damascena) flowers, you might also adore the fact that they're known as love-in-a-mist, which is beyond sweet. While you can plant nigella during the spring, the blooms flourish faster when you add them to your garden in August.

If you have a pollinator garden, then you should definitely plant aster (Aster amellus) flowers, which are also known as the European Michaelmas daisy. Thanks to the fact that they bloom around the end of August into what are, indeed, daisy-like flowers, they'll be around when other plants may have already lost their pollen-filled petals.

Foxglove (Digitalis) flowers feature beautiful bell-like blooms that can be pink, purple, or white and boast fabulous natural patterns. When August rolls around, plant foxgloves in your garden, which will give them just the right amount of time to settle in before the cold hits. In spring, the plants will come back to life and flower the following summer.

There is a range of nemesia flowers that love potentially cooler late-August temperatures. They are also delightful colors and have equally lovely names. For instance, there's the sweet-smelling Aromatica True Blue, violet or purple Lilacberry Ripple, pink and red Strawberry Ripple, blue and white Berries and Cream, and the white Sunsatia Pear, which also has orange accents.

The stonecrop (Sedum) flower is another flower that not only appreciates August but will also please pollinators. Blooming as the summer season starts to wrap up, it can survive the winter before coming back when warm weather returns. Just be sure to choose the variety that suits your area best so that they can survive the snowy months.

Pansies (Viola tricolor var. hortensis) are a classic flower that can be found in many gardens, in part, because they grow in many colors with dazzling markings. If you want to add it to yours, then you may want to do so in August. Sticking around until it drops to freezing temperatures, these blooms actually like cool weather.

Keep your garden producing goodies that you can use in the kitchen by planting dill (Anethum graveolens L.) in August. An option that can be grown throughout the summer in many places, you need to add fresh plants to your garden during the later month if you want to be able to enjoy this herb for the entire season.

Whether you know it as cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) or coriander — FYI: the former is actually the leaves and stems while the latter is the seeds when dried — it adds a flavor to food that can divide people. If you love it, then pop it into your garden in August so that you'll have plenty as summer wraps up.

You'll be able to prepare seemingly endless dishes with basil (Ocimum basilicum) from your own garden when you opt to grow this popular herb. A plant that can be kept both inside and outside, it also grows well in various temperatures. That includes August weather, particularly in the Southwest, Southeast, and Gulf Coast areas of the United States.

Take your cooking up a notch with freshly grown arugula (Eruca sativa), which will appreciate being added to your garden in August. Not only will it flourish during the later summer month as it adds a touch of greenery to the space but it will also offer your food a wonderfully peppery kick.

Where you live might determine when exactly you plant garlic (Allium sativum), however, it's safe to say that those in many areas of the U.S. can go ahead and make it a staple of their garden in August. This means that you might end up planting new garlic right after you finish harvesting last year's offerings.

Plant carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) in your garden during August and they should be ready to pick in time for your favorite fall soups and stews. In fact, if you wait to harvest your carrots after it gets a little cold, then they'll be sweeter than if you picked them at other times during the year.

Corn (Zea mays) is rather easy to grow but may need a couple of months before the vegetables are ready to pick. That's why those who live in parts of the country where summer lasts a little longer can plant corn at the beginning of August and be able to enjoy it by the end of September.

If you first plant broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) in spring or early summer, then you'll be able to harvest it in time to plant more in August. Of course, you can always wait until the later month to plant this fast-growing vegetable; however, be sure to grab it before the flowery heads open and become inedible.

Plant beets (Beta vulgaris) in August and you'll be nabbing them from your garden in no time. That's because these root vegetables develop relatively fast, meaning they don't need the entire summer to grow. That's on top of being a hearty option that can thrive in plenty of different areas and conditions.

Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) don't like cold temperatures, which is why you want to add them to your garden when the weather is warm and the ground is fully unfrozen. This is also why you might want to wait until August when it's nice and hot. The veggies will grow quickly, so don't worry about running out of time.

Whether you enjoy it in salads or add it to your smoothies, you can grow your own spinach (Spinacia oleracea) that's both tasty and nutritious. A plant that tolerates cool temperatures, you can pick it right up until fall, which is when you can properly prepare and freeze it to use over the winter.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) can wither when summer temperatures soar mid-season. On the other hand, it's something that you can plant at the beginning of August so that the leaves get a chance to grow as summer becomes cooler. Only taking about a month to grow before it's ready to harvest, you'll be able to pick it all before fall.

Much like lettuce and spinach, kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) is both easy and quick to grow. Along with being able to enjoy it before the summer ends if you plant it in August, it can sometimes continue to flourish during fall and may be able to regrow the next spring.