Did you know that you can plant vegetables in August? Some of these can be harvested in late Fall and early Winter and others can be overwintered and harvested the next Spring.
As you make room in your garden removing plants that have stopped producing you need to think about what you can plant in their place to extend your harvest.
One of the beds I will be clearing for plantings is my potatoes, peas, and carrots that need to be harvested now.
I will guide you through the vegetables to plant and how to care for them so that you can get a harvest during the Winter and early next Spring.
Here is the list of August Vegetable Plantings for Overwintering
The cold temperatures of winter can add extra sugars to your winter plants which will reduce any bitter tendencies and add extra flavor to them.
The other nice factor for planting vegetables for harvest in the Fall or Winter is you will face fewer pests at this time of the year.
Onions
Beets may need some protection in the early stages from the heat of the sun by using shade cloth but as the temperatures cool they will thrive even if your area has some light frost.
Radishes can even do well if you have frost and cold temperatures
Carrots not only grow well when planting a variety with shorter maturity days this time of the year but they will taste sweeter.
Cabbage does well even when temperatures dip below freezing and can grow all winter and into the spring for a harvest.
Leeks can overwinter by mulching them and they can even reseed themselves for a crop starting in the Spring.
Kale is one of the best crops to grow in the Fall and early winter because it can withstand the cold temperatures of winter
Brussels Sprouts actually thrive in cooler temps below 75 degrees and can hold up well even into the 20’s, these cold temperatures can improve the flavor and sweetness of Brussels.
Cauliflower has a longer time to grow for harvest but it can withstand winter temperatures to provide a late winter or early spring harvest.
Broccoli does especially well in late Fall and early winter with the cooler temperatures and can enhance the flavor.
Here is the list of August Vegetable Plantings for a Winter Harvest
Lettuce- You want to find varieties that have less chance of bolting in the summer heat and varieties that have a shorter number of days to harvest typically you can find varieties with 45-50 days to maturity.
Potatoes of any variety will do well if they have shorter days to maturity.
Kale actually thrives in cooler temperatures and can withstand temps that flirt with frost.
Collards do well as you move into the cooler weather of the Fall and early Winter.
Swiss Chard is a great crop that gets added color and flavor from the cooler temperatures.
Green Onions are a great crop to plant in late summer since they have plenty of time to grow enough to harvest before winter sets in.
Cilantro is a great crop that will do well in the cooler weather especially if you do not get hard freezes. A few years ago I had some cilantro that made it through the entire winter and the plant was huge.
How you plant and care for the overwintering garden
First and foremost you need to make sure that the area you are planting either has very good drainage or is high enough that water does not collect in the area.
Next, it is ideal to find an area in your garden that is protected from winter winds and microclimates that are cooler to keep from plants being exposed to freezing temperatures.
Just like your plantings in the summer, you need to mulch around the plants to protect the base and roots from freezing temperatures.
When planting seeds in August for your winter and next Fall harvest it is important to keep the seeds and seedlings moist, remember it is now some of the hottest temperatures you will usually see even though the days are getting shorter so you need to protect them until they are strong enough to survive.
You might also find a way to provide some shade to them if the temperatures are too high and the sun too intense. August can be one of the warmest times of the year so you will need to protect your plants from this harsh sun but as days cool and the length of the day is shorter you need to have an area that will still receive at least 6 hours of direct sun.
By following these steps you can extend your gardening season year-round to allow you to harvest in Winter and even early Spring when most people have put their gardens to bed for the year.
Now that you have all the information on August Vegetable Plantings for Overwintering to extend your garden you need to select the vegetables you would like to experiment with and grow.
