What you can plant in August.
As this website develops, I will add more information about what tasks should be done each month, and what can be harvested, etc. However for now, I at least want to give you, dear reader, the things that can be grown in August here in the Valley of the Sun.
August is the 3rd hottest month in Phoenix. We have an average high of 106, and the record high was 119 degrees in 2020. The good news however is that things will eventually be cooling down in the next few months. Due to this we are able to plant some things you might not expect. Much like July a lot of this list will do better towards the end of the month as opposed towards the front. One further thing that should be noted, on some of these plants, transplants will do way better than seeds. If it should be transplanted, I’ll mention it.
One thing that is always a wildcard is the monsoons and the moisture they may, or may not, bring. Be sure to adjust your planting schedule with how hot/dry it is.
Before they tried to simplify everything, the old way to calculate when the monsoon arrived was when the dew point got above 55 for 3 days straight. For a visual representation, below is a chart that gives the average dew points. *Info is from NOAA and all rights reserved to them.
… And now the List!
- Beans – This is the last month you can get these in to try and get a harvest for this year.
- Carrots – Believe it or not this is the beginning of carrot season, they can be planted all the way through March!
- Broccoli – Better towards the end of the month. Transplants seem to work better for me than seeds.
- Brussels Sprouts – Better towards the end of the month. I’ve honestly not had luck with seeds. Transplants may be the way to go.
- Cabbage – As above with broccoli and brussels sprout, Go with transplants here.
- Cauliflower – Transplant Cauliflower towards the end of the month.
- Celery – Transplant these towards the end of the month.
- Collards – Like other thicker “Leaves” you can start these towards the end of the month.
- Corn – This will be your last month to start these if you want to have corn for this year.
- Lettuces – Most of these can be planted towards the end of the month, but they are Temperature dependent. September might be better.
- Onions (Green, Scallions… NOT bulbs) – Go ahead and plant these things!
- Pumpkin – You might be able to still make this happen if you plant these EARLY in August.
- Squash (Summer) – These can be planted all month, but do better towards the end of the month
- Squash (Winter) – These will actually do better towards the beginning of the month, and it’s your last chance to get them in this year.
- Sunflowers – Depending on your micro climate you might still be able to plant these this month, but it’s for sure your last chance.
- Tomatillos – This is the last month to plant these this year. Again, these do best from Transplants vs seeds.
- Tomatoes – This is a gift from Phoenix, two different tomato growing seasons. Get these in this month via transplant (as it’s the last month to plant them).