August Garden Guide

for the Pacific Northwest

As we approach the end of summer, August presents an excellent opportunity to prepare your garden for a bountiful fall harvest and vibrant late-season blooms. The slightly cooler temperatures and increased humidity create optimal conditions for sowing a variety of greens, roots, and flowers that will thrive in the Pacific Northwest climate. Here's a detailed guide on what to plant this month and how Eco-Restore can assist you in achieving a productive and beautiful garden.

Fall Greens and Roots

Sowing fall greens and roots in August ensures a healthy and nutritious harvest by October. Cover these crops with a cloche when nighttime temperatures drop below 45°F to extend your harvest season.

Mustard Family

• Broccoli Raab

• Chinese Cabbage

• Collards

• Kale

These crops are cold-hardy and grow well in the cooler temperatures of fall. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, providing a nutritious addition to your diet.

Carrot Family

• Carrots

• Chervil

• Cilantro

Root vegetables like carrots develop sweet flavors in cooler weather, and cilantro adds fresh, aromatic notes to fall dishes. Chervil, a delicate herb, enhances salads and soups with its mild, anise-like flavor.

Beet Family

• Beets

• Spinach

• Swiss Chard

Beets offer both nutritious greens and roots, while spinach and Swiss chard provide leafy greens rich in vitamins and antioxidants. These crops thrive in the milder temperatures of late summer and early fall.

Sunflower Family

• Endive

• Escarole

• Lettuce

• Radicchio

These leafy greens are perfect for fall salads, offering a range of flavors from mild to bitter. They perform well in cooler weather, producing crisp, tender leaves.

Late August Sowing and Overwintering

As the weather cools further towards the end of August, it is perfect for fall greens. It's also time to sow crops that will overwinter or provide early spring harvests.

Beet Family

• Spinach

Spinach can be sown again for a fall harvest or overwintering crop. It’s exceptionally cold-hardy and will provide early greens in spring if protected during the winter.

Mustard Family

• Arugula

• Asian Greens

• Cabbage

• Mustards

These greens grow quickly and can be harvested well into fall. Mustards and arugula add a spicy kick to salads and dishes, while cabbage and Asian greens provide hearty, nutritious leaves.

Purslane Family

• Miner’s Lettuce

Miner’s lettuce is a unique and cold-tolerant green that thrives in cooler temperatures, offering fresh, succulent leaves throughout fall and early winter.

Valerian Family

• Corn Salad (Mâche)

Corn salad is exceptionally hardy and can grow through winter with minimal protection. It produces mild, tender leaves perfect for winter salads.

Sowing Flowers for Late Fall Blooms

If sown in the first half of August, these flowers will bloom in late fall, adding a splash of color to your garden amidst the autumn hues.

Geranium Family

• Meadow Cranesbill (Geranium pratense)

These perennial flowers provide beautiful blooms and can naturalize in your garden, offering long-term beauty.

Grass Family

• Quaking Grass (Briza maxima)

Quaking grass adds unique texture and movement to your garden with its delicate, trembling seed heads.

Plantain Family

• Toadflax (Linaria purpurea)

Toadflax is a hardy perennial that produces charming spikes of flowers, attracting pollinators and adding vertical interest.

Teasel Family

• Crimson Scabiosa (Knautia macedonia)

• Starflower/Pincushion (Scabiosa atropurpurea)

These flowers provide deep, rich colors that contrast beautifully with the fall foliage. They attract butterflies and bees, supporting local pollinator populations.

You can purchase Starflower Scabiosa seeds here. We also have some of these seeds available for your garden.

How Eco-Restore Can Help

At Eco-Restore, we specialize in integrating permaculture principles into your garden design, enhancing productivity and resilience. Here’s how we can assist you:

• Garden Planning and Design: We help you design a garden that maximizes space and promotes healthy growth using permaculture techniques.

• Soil Preparation: Our experts ensure your soil is enriched and ready for new plantings, promoting robust plant health.

• Plant Selection and Sowing: We provide guidance on the best plant varieties for your garden and the optimal times for sowing.

• Season Extension Techniques: We offer solutions such as cloches and row covers to extend your growing season and protect your crops from frost.

Schedule a Free Discovery Call

Ready to take your garden to the next level? Schedule a discovery call with Eco-Restore today! During our call, we'll discuss your garden's specific needs and how we can help you achieve your gardening goals. By partnering with Eco-Restore, you can enjoy a productive, beautiful garden year-round. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your gardening goals.