August is the time to start the fall garden in warm-winter zones, even though the heat makes it hard to believe. With no meaningful first frost, the timing here is driven by when conditions become favorable for cool-season crops; typically late October into November, and working backward from there. Cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts all need 8 to 10 weeks of indoor growing before they are ready to transplant, which puts their indoor start dates squarely in August. Short-day bulbing onions also go indoors this month for the long production season ahead. The fall harvest that defines gardening in these zones depends on what gets started now.
Indoors (fresh harvests):
-
Microgreens: peas, broccoli, sunflowers, arugula
-
Sprouts: alfalfa, broccoli, radish, mung
-
Herbs & greens under lights: chives, parsley, mint
Start indoors now for fall transplant:Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts. These need 8–10 weeks indoors before they're ready to set outside — starts made in August will go out in October as temperatures ease.
Start indoors now — long-season crops: Short-day bulbing onions. These need the longest lead time of any fall crop; starting them in August gives them the weeks they need before transplanting in September and October.
Crops that can be directly sown outdoors in August: Parsnip — use the pre-germination technique. Germinate seeds indoors in a cool location on a damp paper towel and move them to the garden before the radicle extends. Parsnip's long growing season makes the extra step worthwhile. In Hawaii and other tropical areas, heat-tolerant crops continue as in July.
Cover crops: Sunn hemp, cowpeas, sorghum-sudangrass — keep the soil covered through the remaining heat.
Tip: A Southern California zone 10 can be very different from a Florida zone 10. Consider checking with your state Extension Service office for more specific recommendations and guidelines.
Use your USDA zone as a guide. Microclimates matter — coastal/urban spots run warmer; high-elevation spots run colder.
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![Legend: H for Heirloom, O for Organic, A for AAS Winner, F for staff favorites]()
Beet Seeds - Chioggia
55 Days. Beta vulgaris. Annual. Open-pollinated. Pronounced "key-oh-jah" after the small Venetian villa town, non-GMO Chioggia beet seeds are a classic Italian garden heirloom grown and sold throughout the Mediterranean...
Cucumber Seeds - Tendergreen Burpless (Organic)
65 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Organic Tendergreen Burpless Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, burpless, slicing cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots,...
Zucchini Seeds - Cocozelle - Organic
(48 days) Introduced prior to 1885. An Italian heirloom still widely grown today. Bush type squash with long cylindrical, dark green, zucchini. Organic Cocozelle Zucchini Squash Seeds Cocozelle has very...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Top Notch Golden Wax
53 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Top Notch Golden Wax Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, hybrid, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, high yielding, deer resistant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, bush/pole,...
Molokhia - Egyptian Spinach Seeds
60 Days to maturity. Corchorus olitorius. Egyptian Spinach Molokhia Seeds. Warm-season annual heirloom. Egyptian Spinach Molokhia, also called jute leaf, is not a true spinach. It is grown for the...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Imperial 45
65-85 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Imperial 45 Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Sweet Meat
Non-GMO Sweet Meat Winter Squash is ready in 100 days. USU recommends this variety of winter squash due to the fact it's vigorous, heavy-yielding vines. Fruit on Gill's Sweet Meat...
Cucumber Seeds - Muncher Burpless - Organic
65-70 days. Muncher Cucumber Seeds Organic. Cucumis sativus. Non-GMO. Heirloom. One of the most reliably productive and tolerant grows on the farm or in the home garden, Muncher cucumber has...
Nasturtium Seeds - Alaska
54-63 Days to maturity. Tropaeolum majus. Nasturtium Alaska Mix Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom. Alaska nasturtium is brilliant, easy to grow from seed, and perfectly suited for many dry and temperate...
Pumpkin Seeds - Big Max
Big Max Pumpkins are known for their size. This is the pumpkin to grow if you want to have an enormous pumpkin. Big Max Pumpkins can weigh over 100 lbs...
Radish Seeds - Watermelon
60-65 days. Watermelon Radish Seeds. Raphanus sativus. Non-GMO. Heirloom. AKA: "Roseheart Radish" or "Red Meat Radish". Watermelon Radish seeds are native to China and a cousin to Daikon radish. Watermelon...
Lettuce Seeds - Romaine - Giant Caesar
Giant Caesar Lettuce Seeds. 70 days to maturity. Lactuca sativa. Heirloom, Annual. The Giant Caesar Lettuce is an amazing bright green loose-leaf romaine type that has a buttery sweet flavor...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Provider
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Provider Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, bush, snap, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Strike
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Strike Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, snap, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Leek Seeds - American Flag Leek - Organic
Allium ampeloprasum (105 days) Originated around 1870. Also called "Giant Musselburh" or "Scotch Flag." Leeks date back to the time of the Ancient Egyptians. Their popularity has grown through many...
Cucumber Seeds - Homemade Pickles
Non-GMO, open-pollinated Homemade Pickles Cucumber Seeds from True Leaf Market yield a pickling-variety of cucumber with small white spines and crunchy cores. Growing on up to 5' disease-resistant vines, the...
Bean - Broad Windsor Fava - Cover Crop Seeds
80-90 Days. Vicia faba. Annual. Cover Crop. Heirloom. Non-GMO Broad Windsor fava bean seeds grow one of the most beneficial heirloom cover crops available to the home gardener. Popularly sown...
Cabbage Seeds - Late Flat Dutch
100 days. The Late Flat Dutch cabbage produces large, pale green heads. It is a hardy garden crop that can be grown in climate zones one through ten. After around...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Roma II
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Roma II Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, bush, snap, romano, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Swiss Chard Seeds - Ruby Red
55 days. This plant produces good yields of dark green shiny leaves with ruby red stalks and veins. Both the stems and the leaves xcellent for salads and steamed with...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Hearts of Gold
80-90 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Tomatillo Seeds - Toma Verde
70 days. Physalis ixocarpa. Toma Verde Tomatillo Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for containers, garden plots, raised beds, and fields. Early, prolific green tomatillo with flat-round...
Cabbage Seeds - Savoy Perfection
90 days. The Savoy Perfection cabbage is a unique variety that doesn't produce the sulfur-like smell that other varieties of cabbage do when they are cooked. It is a hardy...
Kale Seeds - Premier
60 days. Premier Kale is a high yielding variety high in nutrients. This crop is leafy and green in color. Premier Kale is versatile and can be used for kale...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Henderson Lima
65-85 Days to maturity. Phaseolus lunatus. Henderson Lima Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant, bush, shell, lima bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds,...
Swiss Chard Seeds - Bright Lights
55 days. AAS Winner for 1998. A vibrant new Swiss Chard. Distinguished by stems of many different colors - gold, pink, orange, purple, red, and white. This variety is a...
Granny's Garden Heirloom Seeds Collection
Granny's Garden Heirloom Seeds is handpicked of some of the most classic and nostalgic heirloom fruits and vegetables found in grandma's garden. Featuring 15 of the most revered crops, this...
Lettuce Seeds - Romaine - Freckles
50-70 days. These non-GMO Freckles lettuce seeds grow into green leaves of lettuce with red spots that are ready to harvest in 50 to 70 days. The Freckles thrives in...
Cucumber Seeds, Japanese - Progress - Hybrid
50-60 Days to Maturity.Cucumis sativus Progress Japanese Cucumber Seeds F1. Hybrid. Non-GMO. Annual. Non-GMO. This Japanese cucumber has glossy, green, smooth skin and is crisp and very tasty. This is...
Pumpkin Seeds - Connecticut Field
Connecticut Field Pumpkin is an heirloom pumpkin that has been around since colonial time. It was first grown by Native Americans in New England. This is the pumpkin to grow...
Spinach Seeds - Red Malabar
70 days. Basella rubra. Red Malabar Spinach Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for trellised garden plots, raised beds, and large containers. Red Malabar is a...
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