Vegetable Garden: 5 Vegetables To Sow In August

The end of summer is the season for tomatoes, zucchinis, eggplants, and peppers in the garden. But it is also the time when you can sow other varieties of vegetables to achieve abundant harvests during the winter. Here are 5 vegetables to sow in your vegetable garden in August.

1- The onions

Ancient and easy-to-grow plant, the white onion is the first of the 5 vegetables to sow in August in your vegetable garden. You can sow in a nursery, seed tray, or planter and then transplant your seedlings in October if you live in a region with mild winters.

If winters are harsh in your area, opt for cultivation under frames and choose varieties that resist the cold, such as the White Lisbon variety. In both cases, you will be able to harvest white onions throughout the winter and never run out in your kitchen.

2- Carrots

Among the 5 vegetables to sow in August in the garden, one should also think of carrots. This very common and highly appreciated vegetable can be sown at the end of summer for a harvest starting in October.

Note: Since carrots can be grown year-round, it is beneficial for gardeners to stagger the sowing to spread out the harvests over time.

You can sow directly in place by digging furrows every 30 cm. Remember to thin out after emergence and protect your young plants from birds and insects using nets.

3- The salads

Salads are prominently among the 5 vegetables to sow in the garden in August. The end of summer is the right time to sow different varieties of salads, such as lettuce, oak leaf, arugula, or lamb's lettuce.

The advantage of salads is that they grow quickly, allowing you to harvest them as early as autumn. You can continue harvesting in winter, provided you protect them from frost with a small greenhouse or tunnel.

Note: It is recommended to stagger the sowing to always have crunchy salads in your garden.

For winter harvests, favor winter butterhead lettuce varieties like Brune d'hiver, Merveille d'hiver, Passion verte d'hiver, or batavia goutte de sang.

Whatever variety you choose, remember to thin out to about 30 cm as soon as the first leaves appear. Always proceed with the harvest before the plant goes to seed.

4- Spinach

In the category of leafy vegetables, spinach is also one of the 5 vegetables to sow in the garden in August. Since this vegetable fears high heat, sowing is usually done in early spring and late summer.

Prefer the most cold-resistant varieties like giant winter spinach.
Sow in rows at a depth of 2 to 3 cm and thin out to about 15 cm as soon as the first leaves appear. This generally means removing every other plant.

Harvesting can be done a month and a half after sowing. Thus, sowing from August to September allows for harvests from October to December. The best practice is to pick a few leaves from time to time to encourage new shoots.

5- Chinese cabbage

We don't always think about it, but it is possible to grow pak choi in France. This Chinese cabbage is one of the five vegetables to sow in the garden in August. Sowing in August allows you to harvest this Asian vegetable until the first frosts.

Sow in well-loosened soil, at a depth of 1 cm, spacing the furrows 30 to 40 cm apart. As soon as the first leaves appear, thin out to about 30 cm.

Note: It is preferable to install nets to protect the young plants as caterpillars are very fond of them. You can also use a shade cloth in case of high heat to provide shade for the plants and maintain soil moisture.

You will need to wait about two and a half months before harvesting. Wait until the heart has reached the size of a nice apple before cutting the Chinese cabbages at ground level.