Extend Your Growing Season With These Late Summer Planting Tips
August is the perfect time to start thinking beyond summer salads and prepare your garden for a productive autumn and winter. With the right crops and good timing, you can enjoy fresh, homegrown produce well into the colder months. Whether you’re growing in beds, raised planters, or containers, there are still plenty of vegetables and herbs to sow nowthat will thrive in the cooler seasons.
In this blog, we’ll guide you through exactly what to sow now for autumn and winter harvests, how to get the best results, and the top crops that keep on giving – even after summer ends.
Why Sow in Late Summer?
While many gardeners wind down after July, smart planting in August and early September can extend your growing season and keep your vegetable patch productive right through to next spring.
Here’s why it pays to sow now:
- Make the most of the still-warm soil and longer daylight hours
- Maximise your growing space with a second round of crops
- Enjoy nutritious, fresh vegetables when shop-bought quality dips
- Boost your self-sufficiency and reduce food waste
- Improve soil health with green manure and cover crops
Whether you’re a seasoned grower or a beginner, sowing now sets your garden up for a bountiful autumn and winter harvest.
What to Sow in August for Autumn and Winter Harvests
1. Leafy Greens
Lettuce (Winter Varieties)
Choose hardy varieties like ‘Winter Density’, ‘Arctic King’ or lamb’s lettuce (corn salad) that tolerate the cold well. Sow in succession every two weeks for a steady supply.
Spinach
Spinach thrives in cooler temperatures and is less likely to bolt in late summer. Ideal for late August sowing. Try ‘Perpetual’ or ‘Giant Winter’ for long-lasting crops.
Chard
‘Rainbow Chard’ and ‘Lucullus’ are both colourful and cold-tolerant. These leafy greens grow quickly and can be harvested leaf by leaf.
Kale
A winter staple, kale is easy to grow and extremely hardy. Sow now and enjoy pickings from autumn through to early spring.
2. Root Vegetables
Radishes
Fast-growing and low-maintenance, radishes are ideal for late summer sowing. Expect harvests in just 4–6 weeks. ‘French Breakfast’ and ‘Autumn King’ are great choices.
Turnips
Sow in August for a late autumn crop. Pick young for sweet flavour or let them grow larger for winter storage.
Beetroot
You can still sow beetroot for small autumn roots or baby leaves for salad. Try bolt-resistant varieties like ‘Boltardy’.
Carrots (Early Varieties)
Late sowings of quick-maturing carrots like ‘Amsterdam Forcing’ or ‘Early Nantes’ can give you harvests before the first frosts.
3. Onions and Alliums
Spring Onions (Salad Onions)
Ideal for a fast autumn crop. Sow in well-drained soil or containers. Choose varieties like ‘White Lisbon Winter Hardy’.
Garlic (Late Autumn Sowing)
While October is best for garlic cloves, you can prepare your beds now for planting in a few weeks’ time.
4. Green Manure and Soil Improvers
If you’re leaving a bed empty over winter, sowing green manure is a smart way to:
- Prevent soil erosion
- Suppress weeds
- Improve soil nutrients naturally
Look for options like:
- Field Beans (fix nitrogen)
- Grazing Rye (adds organic matter)
- Phacelia (great pollinator and weed suppressor)
These can be dug in before spring planting to enrich your soil.
Sowing and Growing Tips
To make sure your late summer sowings thrive:
Prepare soil well – Remove weeds, rake finely, and add compost if needed.
Water consistently – Soil may dry out quickly in summer heat.
Use cloches or fleece – Protect seedlings from sudden cold snaps.
Sow little and often – Successional sowing spreads out harvests.
Label your rows – Especially important in mixed beds.
If you’re short on space or working with containers, most of these crops will still perform well in pots or planters on patios and balconies.
Bonus: Herbs to Sow Now
Don’t forget to add a few cold-tolerant herbs to your winter patch:
- Parsley – A hardy herb that grows well in cooler months
- Coriander – Better suited to autumn than summer (less likely to bolt)
- Chervil – Delicate aniseed flavour, thrives in cold weather
Don’t Let Your Garden Go Quiet in Winter
Sowing in August gives you the chance to keep harvesting long after the BBQs are packed away. With the right planning, you can enjoy fresh, homegrown veg throughout autumn and into winter, boost your self-sufficiency, and make better use of your outdoor space all year round.
And remember: gardening doesn’t stop when summer ends.
Need Help with Late Season Garden Maintenance?
At All Seasons Garden Maintenance, we help keep your garden productive and looking great – whatever the weather. From bed preparation and planting support to ongoing garden maintenance, our team is here to help you get the most from your outdoor space.
- Autumn planting
- Raised bed maintenance
- Pruning, hedge trimming & tidy-ups
Want help with your autumn garden prep?
Contact All Seasons today and let us take care of the hard work – so you can enjoy the harvest.
