20 Crops to Grow in August

August is the perfect time to start planting for a fall harvest. However, because the days are often much hotter than the nights, it can be hard to know what will grow best. In this blog, I’m going to share 20 crops to grow in August, and why they make a great addition to your garden… 

Why August?

August is a great time for the plants we will discuss later because it still offers all the warmth seeds love to germinate, and the cool nighttime temperatures that fall harvested plants love to grow in. There are also fewer pests and less humidity that can harm your crops at this time of year, since the weather overall is starting to cool off. Many of the plants we’ll talk about planting actually grow better and tastier as the temperature lowers, as well! The cooling weather allows them to  grow more slowly, so they don’t end up going to seed too fast. Now, let’s talk about what these crops are, and why they’re fabulous choices to start growing this August… 

Amaranth

Amaranth has many health benefits like providing antioxidants, manganese, iron, and many other essential nutrients. The leafy greens of amaranth are edible, and full of vitamins and minerals that can lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation. Its seeds are also a wonderful grain substitute if you are avoiding gluten!

Beans

Beans are a low-fat, high protein food that also provide many other nutrients your body needs. They are a great source of fiber, folate, and antioxidants; and they can also help to balance your gut microbiome. Beans are also easy to dry out and keep for long periods of time, so you can enjoy whatever beans you grow for months and even years after harvesting them.

Beets

Beets improve digestion, and give you lots of fiber, healthy nitrates, as well as almost every vitamin and mineral your body needs. They have also been found to help keep blood pressure in check. 

Broccoli

Broccoli contains a lot of different vitamins and minerals, but especially vitamins C and K. Both of these can help keep your teeth and bones strong and healthy. 

Bunching Onions

Bunching onions (also called scallions or green onions) are hardy, and can even survive frost if you happen to plant them late. These are high in vitamins A and K, and can help support your immune system, cartilage health, and proper blood clotting.

Cabbage

Cabbage is a great source of riboflavin, B6, and vitamin C. It’s a great crop for healthy vision, digestion, circulation, and much more. 

Carrots

Carrots are full of biotin, vitamin A, potassium, and many more necessary nutrients. They are great crops to eat to help support your vision, blood pressure, cholesterol, weight loss, and more. 

Cucumbers

Even though they are 96% water, cucumbers still have a lot of room to pack a healthy punch. They are a great way to get antioxidants, stay hydrated, promote weight loss, help balance blood sugar, and much more. 

Dill

Dill leaves and seeds are incredibly healthy, and are a great seasoning to add to all kinds of recipes—not just pickles! ;) Magnesium and vitamins A and C all work together to keep your brain and nervous system healthy. 

Kale

Kale, like beets, gives you almost all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to be healthy and strong. It also has healthy fat, antioxidants, and even has cancer-fighting compounds!

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is a unique leafy green veggie that is full of vitamins C, B6, fiber, and potassium to keep your metabolism, immune system, red blood cells, gut health, and more well balanced. 

Lettuce

Lettuce doesn’t like to grow in temperatures above 70°, so make sure you wait to plant this crop until late August. However, it is well worth the wait as it is a great source of calcium, folate, and potassium, as well as vitamins A, C, and K.

Peas

Peas are tasty little legumes that are full of iron, thiamine, folate, phosphorus, and more. These are all necessary nutrients, and can help support your health; however, there are also anti-nutrients in peas. Anti-nutrients prevent absorption of other nutrients, so make sure to cook your peas well and not eat them in large amounts. 

Purslane

Purslane is a very common “weed” that you might underestimate at first glance coming out of a sidewalk crack or on the side of a road. This leafy green crop is full of Omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, and antioxidants. One of these antioxidants is melatonin, so in addition to providing nutrients, purslane might also help you sleep better at night!

Radishes

Like lettuce, radishes are not a big fan of temperatures above 70°, so make sure you plant them in late August when it is cooler. Radishes are tiny but mighty crops that are great sources of zinc, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, folate, copper, and more. They are also antifungal, anti-cancer, and help keep your digestive system healthy. 

Rutabaga

Rutabagas are root vegetables that are full of nutrients, including: vitamin E, folate, fiber, potassium, calcium, and more. Keeping rutabagas in your garden means that you’ll have a delicious way to keep your bones, reproductive system, and metabolism healthy.

Spinach 

Spinach is like lettuce and radishes because it also prefers to grow below 70°, so always plant this crop in late August. Spinach is very rich in nutrients, as well as several compounds that can improve your eye health, soothe inflammation, and reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases. 

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is a low calorie, high nutrient leafy green crop that is full of vitamins K, A, E and C, as well as magnesium, calcium, potassium, and many more. Eating plenty of swiss chard can help regulate your blood pressure, lower cholesterol, promote heart health, and much more.

Turnips

Turnips and their greens are a yummy and great source of folate, calcium, fiber, vitamin C, and more. They are also known for being an anti-cancer vegetable, helping control blood sugar, reducing inflammation, antibacterial, as well as many other amazing benefits. 

Zucchini 

Zucchini is not only a versatile vegetable, but it also provides many essential nutrients like vitamins A, C, K, and B6, manganese, potassium, folate, copper, fiber and much more. Eating zucchini consistently can help regulate your blood sugar, keep your heart healthy, improve your thyroid health, and more.

As you can see, August is a wonderful time to plant a variety of crops that you can harvest and enjoy through the fall and winter. Let me know in the comments below if you have any tips of your own, or what your favorite thing to plant in August is!

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