My Planting Calendar

What to plant in August in Washington

In Washington (WA), August is the heart of the growing season - about 17 weeks after the last frost (April 20) and 9 weeks before the first (October 15). The state averages 178 frost-free days a year (last frost April 20, first frost October 15; USDA zones 4b, 5b, 6b, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a).

33 crops have a sowing or planting window this month, including bush bean, carrot, kale, radicchio, collard greens, endive & escarole - and 10 of those windows close during August.

Dates here come from Washington frost dates (last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 15). For one crop in detail, see when to plant bush bean, carrot or kale in Washington.

Peak growing seasonSow or plant: 33Start indoors: 0Harvesting: 25

Washington covers a very wide range of climates, so dates near you can be two weeks or more either side of these. Enter your ZIP code in the planting calendar for dates tuned to your town.

Washington: planting activity through the year

1
24
70
86
58
11
24
33
8
2
2
0
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Frost riskFrost-free: Apr 20 – Oct 15
Bars count the vegetables, herbs and fruit with a sowing or planting window in each month, from the state’s average frost dates. 33 have one in August; the busiest month is April (86).

Last chance in August

Bush Bean (sow for a fall crop, by Aug 6) · Carrot (sow for a fall crop, by Aug 6) · Kale (sow for a fall crop, by Aug 6) · Radicchio (sow for a fall crop, by Aug 6) · Collard Greens (sow for a fall crop, by Aug 13) · Endive & Escarole (sow for a fall crop, by Aug 13) · Napa Cabbage (sow for a fall crop, by Aug 13) · Parsley (sow for a fall crop, by Aug 13) · Pea (sow for a fall crop, by Aug 13) · Swiss Chard (sow for a fall crop, by Aug 13)

For fall and winter harvests (30)

Sowings counted back from Washington's first fall frost, so the crop matures before the cold - or, for garlic and similar, planted after it.

CropWhat to doWindowThis month
Bush BeanSow for a fall cropJul 20 – Aug 6Last chance - ends Aug 6
CarrotSow for a fall cropJul 20 – Aug 6Last chance - ends Aug 6
KaleSow for a fall cropJul 20 – Aug 6Last chance - ends Aug 6
RadicchioSow for a fall cropJul 20 – Aug 6Last chance - ends Aug 6
Collard GreensSow for a fall cropJul 27 – Aug 13Last chance - ends Aug 13
Endive & EscaroleSow for a fall cropJul 27 – Aug 13Last chance - ends Aug 13
Napa CabbageSow for a fall cropJul 27 – Aug 13Last chance - ends Aug 13
ParsleySow for a fall cropJul 27 – Aug 13Last chance - ends Aug 13
PeaSow for a fall cropJul 27 – Aug 13Last chance - ends Aug 13
Swiss ChardSow for a fall cropJul 27 – Aug 13Last chance - ends Aug 13
BeetSow for a fall cropAug 3 – Aug 20Aug 3 – Aug 20
Cilantro / CorianderSow for a fall cropAug 3 – Aug 20Aug 3 – Aug 20
Bok Choy / Pak ChoiSow for a fall cropAug 10 – Aug 27Aug 10 – Aug 27
BorageSow for a fall cropAug 10 – Aug 27Aug 10 – Aug 27
DillSow for a fall cropAug 10 – Aug 27Aug 10 – Aug 27
Fava Bean (Broad Bean)Sow for a fall cropAug 10 – Aug 27Aug 10 – Aug 27
Green Onion / ScallionSow for a fall cropAug 10 – Aug 27Aug 10 – Aug 27
KohlrabiSow for a fall cropAug 10 – Aug 27Aug 10 – Aug 27
LettuceSow for a fall cropAug 10 – Aug 27Aug 10 – Aug 27
Mache (Corn Salad)Sow for a fall cropAug 10 – Aug 27Aug 10 – Aug 27
MizunaSow for a fall cropAug 10 – Aug 27Aug 10 – Aug 27
Rapini (Broccoli Raab)Sow for a fall cropAug 10 – Aug 27Aug 10 – Aug 27
ChervilSow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Opens Aug 17
Mustard GreensSow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Opens Aug 17
SpinachSow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Opens Aug 17
TatsoiSow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Opens Aug 17
TurnipSow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Opens Aug 17
ArugulaSow for a fall cropAug 24 – Sep 10Opens Aug 24
WatercressSow for a fall cropAug 24 – Sep 10Opens Aug 24
RadishSow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Opens Aug 31

Keep sowing (succession)

Repeat sowings of crops already in the ground, for a steady harvest instead of a glut.

Harvesting in August

First harvests expected this month from crops sown or planted on time earlier in the season.

Potato · Jun 15 – Aug 4Sweet Corn · Jun 26 – Aug 5Bell Pepper · Jul 3 – Aug 2Southern Pea (Cowpea) · Jul 3 – Aug 2Brussels Sprouts · Jul 5 – Aug 4Sunflower · Jul 6 – Aug 5Lima Bean · Jul 8 – Aug 7Edamame (Soybean) · Jul 11 – Aug 5Tomatillo · Jul 11 – Aug 5Chili Pepper · Jul 13 – Aug 12Cantaloupe / Muskmelon · Jul 13 – Aug 2Watermelon · Jul 13 – Aug 12Eggplant · Jul 15 – Aug 4Leek · Jul 15 – Sep 3Winter Squash · Jul 16 – Aug 15Parsnip · Jul 22 – Aug 21Salsify · Jul 25 – Sep 3Pumpkin · Jul 26 – Aug 25Rosemary · Jul 26 – Aug 25Celery · Jul 29 – Sep 7Celeriac · Jul 29 – Aug 18Luffa (Loofah Gourd) · Aug 2 – Oct 1Peanut · Aug 5 – Sep 24Sweet Potato · Aug 9 – Sep 8Zucchini / Summer Squash · Aug 27 – Sep 28

Planting dates for popular crops in Washington

Every crop has its own full-year dates for Washington: indoor start, transplant or direct sowing, and harvest.

When to plant bush bean in Washington →When to plant carrot in Washington →When to plant kale in Washington →When to plant pea in Washington →When to plant swiss chard in Washington →When to plant beet in Washington →When to plant lettuce in Washington →When to plant spinach in Washington →Washington frost dates by zone →

Peak growing season: August garden jobs in Washington

  1. Water deeply two or three times a week rather than a little every day - about an inch a week, more in heat. See watering a vegetable garden.
  2. 9 weeks until the average first frost (October 15). Fall crops start now: bush bean, carrot, kale, radicchio. See the fall and winter garden guide.
  3. Check the undersides of leaves twice a week - catching pests early is most of the battle (pest identification guide).
  4. Harvest often: potato, sweet corn, bell pepper, southern pea (cowpea) should be coming in. Picking regularly keeps beans, squash and cucumbers producing.

USDA zone chart for Washington

Washington spans USDA zones 4b, 5b, 6b, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a. Colder zones, usually higher or further inland, have a later last spring frost and an earlier first fall frost than the state average.

ZoneLast frostFirst frostSeason
Zone 4May 10Sep 25135 days
Zone 5Apr 30Oct 5160 days
Zone 6Apr 15Oct 15185 days
Zone 7Apr 5Oct 25200 days
Zone 8Mar 20Nov 5230 days
Zone 9Feb 20Nov 30280 days

Questions gardeners ask

What vegetables can I plant in Washington in August?

33 crops have a window in August: bush bean, carrot, kale, radicchio, collard greens, endive & escarole, napa cabbage, parsley, pea, swiss chard and more. The tables above give the exact dates for each.

Is it too late to plant garlic in Washington in August?

Not too late - it's actually a little early. In Washington the next garlic window opens around October 26: plant in fall, after first frost.

Is it too late to plant tomatoes in Washington in August?

For this year, yes - the tomato windows in Washington have closed. The next step is to start seeds indoors from about February 23.

When is the first frost in Washington?

The statewide average first fall frost is around October 15 and the last spring frost around April 20. Washington covers a wide range of climates, so local dates can differ by two weeks or more - look yours up by ZIP code.

What can I harvest in Washington in August?

From plantings made on time: potato, sweet corn, bell pepper, southern pea (cowpea), brussels sprouts, sunflower, lima bean, edamame (soybean), tomatillo, chili pepper.

← July in WashingtonSeptember in Washington →Full-year Washington planting calendar →Washington frost dates →

What to plant in August in other states

OregonAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutAll states →

Dates are computed from Washington’s statewide average frost dates (from NOAA/NCEI climate normals) and each crop’s timing in our crop database. Your garden may be a week or two either side - for dates tuned to your ZIP code, use the planting calendar.