What to plant in August in Zone 6

Start indoors this month

Seed trays indoors, under a light or in the brightest window you have. These are slow crops that need a head start on the season.

Nothing in our dataset needs an indoor start this month in this zone.

Set out into the final container

Transplants go into the pot they will finish in. Hardening them off for four to five days first prevents most transplant shock.

No transplanting window is open this month here.

Direct sow

Sow straight into the final pot. These crops resent root disturbance, and transplanting them usually costs more time than it saves.

No direct-sowing window this month in this zone.

Sow for autumn

A second sowing timed backwards from first frost. Fewer pests, less watering, and better flavour in most cool crops.

• Bush Bean — window Aug 6 – Aug 27 (3 gal, 9" deep)
• Loose-leaf Lettuce — window Aug 20 – Sep 10 (2 gal, 6" deep)
• Kale — window Aug 20 – Sep 10 (3 gal, 10" deep)
• Bush Cucumber — window Aug 6 – Aug 27 (5 gal, 12" deep)
• Zucchini — window Aug 6 – Aug 27 (7 gal, 14" deep)
• Spinach — window Aug 27 – Sep 17 (2 gal, 6" deep)
• Carrot — window Aug 20 – Sep 10 (3 gal, 12" deep)

Harvesting this month

• Hot Pepper — harvest from Jul 18 (3 gal, 12" deep)

Not this month

• Cherry Tomato — next window opens in March. Starting it now means 7 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
• Basil — next window opens in March. Starting it now means 7 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
• Strawberry — next window opens in March. Starting it now means 7 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.