What to Plant in August in Zone 5
Here is what you can sow in August if you garden in USDA zone 5. Dates use typical zone 5 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
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| Crop | Window | Sow between |
|---|---|---|
| Squash, summerZucchini Dunja | spring | May 7 – Aug 2 |
| PumpkinNew England Pie | spring | Jun 20 – Aug 5 |
| BasilGenovese | spring | May 21 – Aug 6 |
| CilantroCalypso | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 4 |
| ParsleyItalian Flat-Leaf | fall | Jul 5 – Aug 20 |
| Lettuce, leafSalad Bowl | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 20 |
| Lettuce, romaineChalupa | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 20 |
| Lettuce, headButtercrunch | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 4 |
| SpinachBloomsdale | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 9 |
| ArugulaAstro | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 20 |
| KaleDazzling Blue | fall | Jul 5 – Aug 20 |
| Swiss ChardBright Lights | fall | Jul 5 – Aug 20 |
| CollardsGeorgia Southern | fall | Jun 21 – Aug 20 |
| Mustard GreensFlorida Broadleaf | fall | Jul 10 – Aug 21 |
| CabbageTiara | fall | Jun 21 – Aug 5 |
| KohlrabiWinner | fall | Jul 10 – Aug 10 |
| CarrotNapoli | fall | Jul 10 – Aug 5 |
| BeetDetroit Dark Red | fall | Jul 10 – Aug 10 |
| RadishCherry Belle | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 4 |
| TurnipPurple Top | fall | Jul 10 – Aug 15 |
| Onion, bulbTexas Legend | fall | Aug 10 – Sep 21 |
| Onion, bunchingEvergreen | fall | Jul 10 – Aug 20 |
| Brussels SproutsLong Island Improved | fall | Jun 21 – Aug 6 |
| Napa CabbageBlues F1 | fall | Jun 27 – Aug 6 |
| Bok ChoyJoi Choi F1 | fall | Jul 17 – Aug 26 |
| Rapini (Broccoli Raab)Zamboni F1 | fall | Jul 12 – Aug 21 |
| Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)Crispy Blue | fall | Jul 7 – Aug 16 |
| TatsoiTatsoi | fall | Jul 12 – Aug 26 |
| MizunaMizuna Early | fall | Jul 17 – Aug 31 |
| Daikon RadishMiyashige | fall | Jul 17 – Aug 26 |
| EndiveFrisée Fine Maraîchère | fall | Jul 12 – Aug 16 |
| EscaroleBatavian Full Heart | fall | Jul 12 – Aug 16 |
| RadicchioPalla Rossa Mavrik | fall | Jul 2 – Aug 11 |
| SorrelProfusion | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 5 |
| WatercressCommon | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 5 |
| LeekLincoln | fall | Jun 22 – Aug 10 |
| CeleriacPrinz | fall | Jun 29 – Aug 3 |
| RutabagaLaurentian | fall | Jun 22 – Aug 3 |
| Fennel, FlorenceOrion | fall | Jul 6 – Aug 10 |
| Strawberry, day-neutralAlbion | fall | Aug 6 – Sep 5 |
| DillFernleaf | fall | Aug 3 – Sep 14 |
| ChervilCurled | fall | Aug 10 – Sep 21 |
| Strawberry, June-bearingHoneoye | fall | Aug 6 – Sep 5 |
| Lettuce | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 20 |
| Onion | fall | Aug 10 – Sep 21 |
| Calendula (Pot Marigold)Resina | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 4 |
| Mache (Corn Salad)Vit | fall | Aug 6 – Sep 25 |
| Cress, gardenCurled | fall | Jul 22 – Sep 20 |
Zone 5 in August
August in Zone 5: The Quick Window Before Frost Math Runs Out
Only the fast crops still fit
The jump from July's 91 possible plantings down to roughly half that in August is not a mistake, it is the frost countdown catching up. With Zone 5's first frost averaging around October 5, anything planted in August has 8 to 9 weeks to mature, which rules out slow crops and leaves room only for quick greens, radishes, and a narrow list of fall starts like bulb onion sets and strawberry crowns.
Strawberry crowns go in now, not in spring
August is the best month in the Zone 5 calendar to establish new strawberry plants, whether day-neutral or June-bearing, because a crown set now has 8 to 10 weeks to build roots before the ground freezes, giving it a full growing season's head start over a spring planting. Set crowns so the crown itself sits right at soil level, neither buried nor exposed, and water daily for the first 2 weeks until new leaf growth confirms the roots have taken hold.
Summer crops are on their last legs, and the harvest shows it
Summer squash, cucumber, and sweet corn are all closing out their planting window this month, and existing plants of the same crops usually show it too, with cucumber vines especially prone to a midsummer decline from powdery mildew that spreads fastest in August's mix of warm days and cool, dewy nights. Pulling spent vines promptly rather than leaving them to finish limits how much mildew spore overwinters in the bed for next year.
August in zone 5: common questions
What can I plant in August in zone 5?+
In August, USDA zone 5 gardeners can sow Squash, summer, Pumpkin, Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Lettuce, leaf, and more. Dates use typical zone 5 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
What USDA hardiness zone am I in?+
Zone 5 is one band of the map, but planting time is set by your local frost dates, not the zone number. Enter your ZIP code in the free planner and it uses your actual frost dates, which can differ by weeks within a single zone.
Are these August planting dates exact?+
They are typical zone 5 windows. Two gardens in the same zone can be a week or two apart because of elevation and local climate, so treat these as a starting point and tune them to your ZIP code with the free planner.