We explain what to grow in August in the vegetable garden or in the garden , from sowing to the jobs to do to ensure abundant harvests.
It is said that August is a month of transition and in part it is true: the harvests of the seeds started in the previous months are continued and the arrival of September is awaited for the autumn harvest sowings… so you can’t grow anything in the garden in August ? Don’t worry, the garden never rests and even in this month you can start growing something.
What to Grow in August
Choosing the right sowing period is not easy because it all depends on where you want to grow your vegetable garden. I’ll give you an example, if you live in the mountain areas of northern Italy you can go until August to plant cardoons. This sowing period is completely unthinkable for those who live in southern Italy who will have to stop sowing cardoons already in June.
What happens if you sow out of season?
Sowings in August will certainly germinate quickly, will need a lot of water and, with the right irrigation, the vegetables and greens should thrive quickly… but there is a trade-off: due to the heat and the imminent climate change linked to the arrival of autumn, the cultivation cycle will be shorter, so you will not be able to enjoy long-term harvests as you would by growing the same vegetable in the month of May-June. This is a general discussion, we have taken the cardoon as an example but it is valid for all crops .
What to sow in August
The vegetables that are best suited to be grown in the month of August and that are less sensitive to the phenomenon described above because they have a development that allows them to adapt to the climate change of the summer-autumn season, are:
- Fennel
- Leeks
- Turnip tops
- Lettuces
- Carrots
- Rocket
- Kohlrabi
- Beets
- Cabbage
- Black cabbage
- Radishes
- Cutting chicory
- Onions
- Radish
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
- Lamb’s lettuce
- Beans
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Parsley
Sowing , considering the temperatures, can be done in the open field (in practice you can sow directly in the vegetable garden or in the garden) taking care to keep the soil moist (by spraying it and not by irrigating by flooding the field otherwise you will move the seeds) and above all taking care to eliminate the weeds that thrive in this period of the year!
What to plant in August
Throughout Italy, you can plant in your vegetable garden or garden all the vegetables and greens listed in the paragraph dedicated to sowing in August . In this case, you will have to prepare furrows and plant the plant with a clod of earth.
Those who live in the south of Italy can proceed with the planting of courgettes, aubergines, peppers, green beans and tomatoes, using plants already developed and purchased from the nursery. These crops will continue until the month of October and, with favourable weather conditions, they can be extended until the beginning of November, but not beyond. Also in the South, you can continue to plant everbearing strawberries, varieties that you will harvest until the month of November – December, considering that they also have a good tolerance to cold.
Which crops are most heat-resistant?
There are many crops that have excellent resistance to high temperatures. The crops that tend to resist heat better are those that have evolved in hot climates or have developed mechanisms to survive high temperatures. In the list below we propose 10 particularly resistant ones:
1. Okra : Native to Africa, okra is a very heat-resistant plant. It loves full sun and tolerates very high temperatures.
2. Eggplants : Eggplants prefer warm weather and grow best when temperatures are between 21 and 32 degrees Celsius.
3. Tomatoes : Many types of tomatoes are heat tolerant. They need at least six hours of sun a day and prefer temperatures between 21 and 32 degrees Celsius.
4. Peppers : This plant loves heat and needs at least six hours of sun a day. It grows best when temperatures are between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius.
5. Watermelon : This plant loves the heat and needs a long period of heat to ripen. Watermelons thrive in temperatures between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius.
6. Beans : Beans are heat tolerant and prefer temperatures between 21 and 27 degrees Celsius.
7. Corn : Corn loves warmth and prefers temperatures between 16 and 30 degrees Celsius.
8. Zucchini : This type of zucchini loves heat and prefers temperatures between 18 and 30 degrees Celsius.
9. Basil : Basil loves warmth and prefers temperatures between 21 and 32 degrees Celsius.
10. Cacti and succulents: In general, these plants are extremely tolerant of heat and drought.
Although these plants are heat tolerant, they still need to be hydrated regularly and adequately. Additionally, some of these plants may require some shade during the hottest parts of the day.
Vegetable Garden in August: What to Harvest
The harvests of August are very numerous. If you are wondering what are the seasonal vegetables and greens typical of this month, you will find a great variety of vegetables. Here is a short list that testifies to the abundance of the August harvest in the garden :
- Watermelon
- Melon
- Basil
- Beets
- Swiss chard
- Broccoli
- Cucumbers
- Green beans
- Tomatoes
- Eggplant
- Zuchinis
- Peppers
- Chili peppers
- Strawberries
- Onions
- Beans
- Artichokes
- Celery
- Summer squash
Vegetable Garden: What to Plant Month by Month
To keep up with your gardening month by month , we recommend reading our guides on what to plant in the different months of the year.
Every month you can grow many vegetables and greens , also by sowing in a protected environment (in practice if you want to sow in a pot at home, in a bright and above all airy place) you can anticipate any cultivation by shortening the germination and planting times. In the vegetable garden in the month of August the problem is the opposite: it is not the low temperatures that limit but the excessive heat that forces you to keep the soil constantly moist with abundant irrigation.
Another problem that arises for those who want to start a vegetable garden in August , with sowing, is competition: your seeds will have to compete for space and nutrients with much more resistant weeds that thrive in the vegetable garden in August. It is one thing to let already well-developed plants compete, it is quite another to sow in the vegetable garden in August! The photo above shows small shoots of purslane, this spontaneous weed is excellent in salads but with its taproots it is difficult to eliminate from the vegetable garden and in the month of August it can cause problems. Make sure to keep the vegetable garden and the garden clean and safe from weeds. With careful maintenance, you will be able to plant in August all the varieties mentioned in the articles on what to sow and what to grow in July and June .
