The end of summer is near, but the planting season is not over! It’s the perfect time to start planting some hardy fall veggies, but there’s still time to plant some last minute summer goodies, too.
Planting in August even comes with some added benefits such as less bugs in your garden. And who doesn’t love that?
So what should you plant? Some good starters that should generally do well in all hardiness zones include:
| Lettuce | Zones 3-8 | 30-70 days | Harvest in Fall + Winter |
| Spinach | Zones 3-8 | 37-45 days | Harvest in Fall |
| Kale | Zones 3-9 | 60-90 days | Harvest in Fall + Winter |
| Radishes | Zones 3-9 | 25 days!! | Harvest in Summer + Fall |
| Peas | Zones 3-7 | 60 days | Harvest in Fall |
| Beets | Zones 3-9 | 55-70 days | Harvest in Fall |
| Carrots | Zones 3-9 | 70-80 days | Harvest in Fall |
| Cucumbers | Zones 3-9 | 55-70 days | Harvest in Fall |
Soil
Before you start planting, make sure you restore the nutrients lost to spring and summer crops. Your fall crops will receive the nutrients they need from a light coating of compost or a sparing application of an organic or complete fertilizer sure you also give your soil a good soak the day before planting as dry soil can prevent seed germination in the late summer.
Watering
Your plants will do best if you moisten the soil with one inch of water once per week. To prevent evaporation you can add two inches of organic mulch such as straw or leaves. Just make sure to water in the morning so that the mulch has time to dry and you can avoid fungal diseases.