What to Plant in September in Zone 8
Here is what you can sow in September if you garden in USDA zone 8. Dates use typical zone 8 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
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| Crop | Window | Sow between |
|---|---|---|
| Bush BeanProvider | fall | Aug 1 – Sep 3 |
| CilantroCalypso | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 15 |
| ParsleyItalian Flat-Leaf | fall | Aug 15 – Sep 30 |
| Lettuce, leafSalad Bowl | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
| Lettuce, romaineChalupa | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
| Lettuce, headButtercrunch | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 15 |
| SpinachBloomsdale | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 20 |
| ArugulaAstro | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
| KaleDazzling Blue | fall | Aug 15 – Sep 30 |
| Swiss ChardBright Lights | fall | Aug 15 – Sep 30 |
| CollardsGeorgia Southern | fall | Aug 1 – Sep 30 |
| Mustard GreensFlorida Broadleaf | fall | Aug 20 – Oct 1 |
| CabbageTiara | fall | Aug 1 – Sep 15 |
| BroccoliBelstar | fall | Aug 1 – Sep 10 |
| CauliflowerSnow Crown | fall | Aug 1 – Sep 5 |
| KohlrabiWinner | fall | Aug 20 – Sep 20 |
| CarrotNapoli | fall | Aug 20 – Sep 15 |
| BeetDetroit Dark Red | fall | Aug 20 – Sep 20 |
| RadishCherry Belle | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 15 |
| TurnipPurple Top | fall | Aug 20 – Sep 25 |
| Onion, bulbTexas Legend | fall | Sep 20 – Nov 1 |
| Onion, bunchingEvergreen | fall | Aug 20 – Sep 30 |
| Brussels SproutsLong Island Improved | fall | Aug 1 – Sep 16 |
| Napa CabbageBlues F1 | fall | Aug 7 – Sep 16 |
| Bok ChoyJoi Choi F1 | fall | Aug 27 – Oct 6 |
| Rapini (Broccoli Raab)Zamboni F1 | fall | Aug 22 – Oct 1 |
| Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)Crispy Blue | fall | Aug 17 – Sep 26 |
| TatsoiTatsoi | fall | Aug 22 – Oct 6 |
| MizunaMizuna Early | fall | Aug 27 – Oct 11 |
| Daikon RadishMiyashige | fall | Aug 27 – Oct 6 |
| EndiveFrisée Fine Maraîchère | fall | Aug 22 – Sep 26 |
| EscaroleBatavian Full Heart | fall | Aug 22 – Sep 26 |
| RadicchioPalla Rossa Mavrik | fall | Aug 12 – Sep 21 |
| SorrelProfusion | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 16 |
| WatercressCommon | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 16 |
| CeleryTango | fall | Aug 7 – Sep 6 |
| ParsnipHollow Crown | fall | Aug 2 – Sep 6 |
| LeekLincoln | fall | Aug 2 – Sep 20 |
| SalsifyMammoth Sandwich Island | fall | Jul 26 – Sep 6 |
| CeleriacPrinz | fall | Aug 9 – Sep 13 |
| RutabagaLaurentian | fall | Aug 2 – Sep 13 |
| Fennel, FlorenceOrion | fall | Aug 16 – Sep 20 |
| Strawberry, day-neutralAlbion | fall | Sep 16 – Oct 16 |
| DillFernleaf | fall | Sep 13 – Oct 25 |
| ChervilCurled | fall | Sep 20 – Nov 1 |
| Strawberry, June-bearingHoneoye | fall | Sep 16 – Oct 16 |
| Bean | fall | Aug 1 – Sep 3 |
| Lettuce | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
| Onion | fall | Sep 20 – Nov 1 |
| Calendula (Pot Marigold)Resina | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 15 |
| Mache (Corn Salad)Vit | fall | Sep 16 – Nov 5 |
| Cress, gardenCurled | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
Zone 8 in September
The Long Fall Push
Ten Weeks of Runway
The table climbs again this month, from the low 40s into the low 50s, as the bulk of the fall greens and roots open: lettuce, spinach, arugula, radish, onion bulb, and a long list of quick-growing salad crops among them. With first frost typically holding off until mid-November, a crop sown in the first half of this month still has roughly 10 weeks to mature, room even for a slower brassica that would be too risky to start a few weeks later.
That runway is the real difference a late frost date makes: crops that would be a gamble against the calendar one zone colder are still a safe bet here.
Lettuce sown this month rarely bolts the way a spring planting does, since falling temperatures work in its favor instead of against it. Expect a head or a cutting mix to hold in the garden for weeks past maturity without turning bitter.
What Closes Out
Bush beans, most of the fall brassica list, and the bulk of the roots planted back in August are all on their last call this month. Anything needing more than about 60 days should already be in the ground by the second week to have a reliable shot at finishing.
Onion bulb sets planted now start the same storage crop that October's planting continues, not a fresh-eating batch. Roots establish through the fall while top growth stays minimal, and bulbing only picks up once spring days grow noticeably longer. Hold any leftover sets for a spring planting instead; that later timing yields a scallion-type crop meant for the table right away, not one that cures and holds through the following year.
Radish is one of the fastest crops on this month's table, often ready in as little as 25 days. It's a reasonable filler for any bed gap left by a finished summer crop while slower fall plantings catch up.
September in zone 8: common questions
What can I plant in September in zone 8?+
In September, USDA zone 8 gardeners can sow Bush Bean, Cilantro, Parsley, Lettuce, leaf, Lettuce, romaine, Lettuce, head, and more. Dates use typical zone 8 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
What USDA hardiness zone am I in?+
Zone 8 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 September planting dates exact?+
They are typical zone 8 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.