When the summer vegetables have been harvested and the summer flowers have finished flowering, things often look sad in the garden. Many vegetables and flowering plants can still be planted in late summer. These plants can also be sown in August without any problems.
In a nutshell
- Sow vegetables and herbs in August for the autumn harvest
- use preferred vegetable plants
- Plant fall bloomers
Sow in August
With various herbs and vegetables, you can still sow seeds in the bed in August.
vegetables
Lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta)
- Direct sowing until October
- Harvest: September to March
- Distance between rows: 15 centimeters
- Distance in the row: about ten centimeters
- Depth: one to two centimeters
- Germination time: 12 to 20 days at 10 to 15 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Tip: Lamb's lettuce thrives particularly well on calcareous soil.
Garden mustard (Eruca sativa)
- Direct sowing (outdoors): March to August
- Harvest: June to October (from a leaf length of ten centimeters)
- Distance between rows: 20 centimeters
- Spacing in the row: 5 centimeters
- Depth: one centimeter
- Germination time: 5 to 14 weeks at 15 to 20 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun
Turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa var. majalis)
- Direct sowing until August
- Harvest: four to five weeks after sowing
- Distance between rows: 25 centimeters
- Spacing in the row: 6 to 10 centimeters
- Depth: two to three centimeters
- Germination time: one to two weeks at 15 to 18 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun
Chard (Beta vulgaris)
- Direct sowing: beginning of August at the latest
- Harvest: September/October
- Distance between rows: 30 to 40 centimeters
- Distance in the row: 30 to 40 centimeters
- Depth: about two to three centimeters
- Germination time: one to two weeks at 10 to 15 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa)
Lettuce 'Lollo Rosso'
- Direct sowing until mid-August
- Harvest until October
- Distance between the seed furrows: 30 centimeters
- Spacing in the row: 25 to 30 centimeters
- Depth: 0.5 to 1 centimeter
- Germination time: one to two weeks at 12 to 16 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun
Notice: The pick-lettuces include, for example, the Lollo bionda, Lollo rosso and red and green oak leaf lettuce varieties.
Radish (Raphanus sativus var. sativus)
- Direct sowing: March to August/September
- Harvest until October
- Distance between rows: 10 to 15 centimeters
- Spacing in the row: 3 to 4 centimeters
- Depth: 0.5 to 1 centimeter
- Germination time: one to two weeks at 8 to 15 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun
Radish (Raphanus sativus)
Winter radish (Raphanus sativus var. niger)
- Direct sowing: June to August
- Harvest: 10 to 15 weeks after sowing (depending on the variety)
- Distance between the seed furrows: 30 centimeters
- Distance in the seed furrow: 10 to 15 centimeters
- Depth: two to three centimeters
- Germination time: one to two weeks at 8 to 15 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun
Notice: Winter radish should be sown by mid-August at the latest.
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
- Direct sowing (autumn cultivation): early August to mid-September
- Harvest until November/December
- Distance between rows: about 20 centimeters
- Spacing in the row: close together
- Depth: one to three centimeters
- Germination time: one to two weeks at 12 to 20 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Tip: Mildew-resistant varieties such as "Corvair F1" or "Scorpius F1" are recommended for sowing in August.
Teltow turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa f. teltowiensis)
Source: No machine-readable author provided. Karpe~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., Brassica rapa ssp rapa var pygmaea, Edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Direct sowing (autumn cultivation): towards the end of August
- Harvest: October/November
- Distance between rows: 20 to 25 centimeters
- Distance in the row: eight to twelve centimetres
- Depth: one to two centimeters
- Germination time: one to two weeks at 12 to 20 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Tip: Teltower turnips develop the best flavor in lean sandy soil.
Wild Rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia)
- Direct sowing: March to September
- Harvest: May to October
- Distance between rows: 10 to 15 centimeters
- Spacing in the row: 15 to 20 centimeters
- Depth: about one to two centimeters
- Location: sun to semi-shade
- Germination time: one to two weeks at 15 to 20 degrees Celsius
herbs
Mountain savory (Satureja montana)
- Direct sowing: May to August
- Harvest: June to September
- Distance between rows: 20 centimeters
- Spacing in the row: 10 centimeters
- Depth: 0 centimetres, only press lightly (light germs)
- Germination time: one to two weeks at 15 to 20 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
- Direct sowing: April to August
- Harvest: June to October
- Distance between rows: 30 centimeters
- Spacing in the row: 8 centimeters
- Depth: 0 centimetres, only press lightly (light germs)
- Germination time: 15 to 25 days at 15 to 20 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Garden cress (Lepidium sativum)
- Direct sowing: April to September
- Harvest from a height of five centimetres
- sow light (light germinators) and broadcast
- Germination time: 3 to 10 days at 10 to 20 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun
Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
- Direct sowing: March to August
- Harvest: May to October
- Distance between rows: 30 centimeters
- Spacing in the row: 15 centimeters
- Depth: 0 centimetres, only press lightly (light germs)
- Germination time: 15 to 20 days at 16 to 20 degrees Celsius
- Location: partial shade
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
- Direct sowing: April to August
- Harvest: May to October
- Distance between rows: 25 centimeters
- Distance in the row: 30 centimeters
- Depth: 0.5 to 1 centimeter
- Germination time: 15 to 20 days at 15 to 20 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Chives (Allium tuberosum)
- Direct sowing: April to August
- Harvest by the end of October
- Distance between rows: 30 centimeters
- Distance in the row: 30 centimeters
- Depth: 1 to 2 centimeters
- Germination time: 15 to 25 days at 15 to 20 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
- Direct sowing: April to August
- Harvest until November
- Distance between rows: 30 to 40 centimeters
- Distance in the row: 20 centimeters
- Depth: 0.5 to 1 centimeter
- Germination time: 15 to 20 days at 15 to 20 degrees Celsius
- Location: sun to semi-shade
plants in August
In addition, there are a few types of vegetables and autumn bloomers in August that can be planted out directly - either brought forward or bought.
vegetables
Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis)
- Planting time: early August
- Harvest until November
- Location: sun to semi-shade
- Soil: rich in nutrients (heavy eaters)
- Distance between rows: 50 to 60 centimeters
- Distance between plants: 30 to 40 centimeters
Notice: You can also sow Chinese cabbage in August.
Endive (Cichorium endivia)
- Planting time: early August
- Harvest: October
- Location: sun to semi-shade
- Soil: balanced supply of nutrients
- Distance between rows: 35 centimeters
- Distance between plants: 30 centimeters
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum)
- Planting time: Mid to late August at the latest
- Harvest after two to three months
- Location: sun
- Soil: rich in nutrients, humic, well drained
- Distance between rows: 35 centimeters
- Distance between plants: 35 centimeters
Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes)
- Planting time: early August for late fall harvest
- Harvest eight to twelve weeks after planting
- Location: sun to semi-shade
- Soil: rich in humus, evenly moist
- Distance between rows: 25 centimeters
- Distance between plants: 30 centimeters
Autumn bloomers for the garden
heather plants
Common heather (Calluna vulgaris)
- Flowering time: September to November
- Flower color: red, white, yellow-white, pink
- Growth height: 15 to 25 centimeters
- Planting time: January to December
- Planting distance: 5 to 10 centimeters
- Planting depth: 5 to 10 centimeters
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Bell heather (Erica gracilis)
- Flowering period: August to November
- Flower color: red, pink, white
- Growth height: 15 to 25 centimeters
- Planting time: August to November
- Planting distance: 10 to 20 centimeters
- Location: partial shade
flower bulbs
Autumn crocus (Colchium hybrids)
- Flowering period: September to October / November
- Flower color: Varietal dependent
- Growth height: 15 to 25 centimeters
- Planting time: August to late summer
- Planting distance: 15 to 20 centimeters
- Planting depth: 15 to 20 centimeters
- Location: Sun to light semi-shade
- Varieties (selection): 'Album Flora Plena' (double, white), 'The Giant' (pink), 'Waterlily' (pink)
Attention: Autumn crocuses are highly poisonous!
Autumn crocus (Crocus speciosus)
- Flowering time: September to November
- Flower color: white, violet-blue, blue
- Growth height: 10 to 15 centimeters
- Planting time: August to September
- Planting distance: 5 to 10 centimeters
- Planting depth: 5 to 10 centimeters
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Saffron crocus (Crocus sativus)
- Flowering time: September to October
- Flower color: light violet with yellow pistils
- Growth height: 8 to 10 centimeters
- Planting time: August to September
- Planting distance: 5 to 10 centimeters
- Planting depth: 5 to 10 centimeters
- Location: sun
perennials
Perennials can now be planted almost all year round. Early plants that bloom until autumn are recommended for August. The perennials listed below are also hardy.
Stonecrop (Sedum spectabile)
- Flowering period: August to October
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Spotted water daffodil (Eupatorium maculatum)
- Flowering time until December
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Large-flowered Tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora)
- Flowering time until October
- Location: sun
Maharajah mallow (Malva sylvestris)
- Flowering time until October
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Bladderwort (Liatris spicata)
- Flowering time until October
- Location: sun
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Flowering time until October
- Location: sun
Purple scabious (Knautia macedonica)
- Flowering time until October
- Location: sun to semi-shade
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Flowering time until November
- Location: sun
Larkspur (Delphinium Pacific Hybrid)
- Flowering time until October
- Location: sun
Grape lily (Liriope muscari)
- Flowering time until October
- Location: partial shade to shade
Veronica (Veronica hybrid)
- Flowering time until October
- Location: sun
Wallich cranesbill (Geranium wallichianum)
- Flowering time until October/November
- Location: sun to shade
frequently asked Questions
Can I still sow vegetables in raised beds in August?Yes, there is no difference between a garden bed and a raised bed. You can sow all vegetables that are suitable for a fall harvest.
Do I have to observe the crop rotation when sowing in August?Yes, crop rotation is critical to success. Since sowing in August is often referred to as overseeding, you should plan for this.
Do I have to be considerate of neighboring plants?For sowing in August, the same rules apply as in spring. You should therefore only sow or plant vegetables next to each other that are compatible.