What to Grow in August for Autumn

What to Sow in August in Your Organic Garden (Zones 8–9 – UK & Ireland)

Hello my lovely green-fingered friends!

August might feel like the garden’s taking a bit of a tea break – the tomatoes are ripening (or giving you the silent treatment), and the courgettes are either thriving or turning into marrows the size of small dogs. But here’s the thing: August is not the end of the sowing season. Oh no. It’s just the start of your autumn and overwintering glory!

Whether you’ve got a full allotment or a few pots on the patio, there’s still loads you can sow now for leafy greens, hearty harvests, and a bit of garden therapy as the evenings begin to turn golden.

 Fast-Growing Greens

August is the perfect time for quick salads and leafy pick-me-ups. I’m sowing:

• Lettuce – ‘Lollo Rosso’ and ‘Salad Bowl’ are perfect cut-and-come-again varieties. Shade them if the sun decides to grace us with its presence.

• Rocket – Spicy, speedy, and fab on pizza.

• Mizuna and Mustard Greens – Give your salad some sass.

• Spinach – Switch to autumn-winter varieties like ‘Giant Winter’ now.

Tip: Sow little and often for continuous harvests into October and beyond.

Overwintering Veg

Plant now, and your garden will thank you next spring. These guys don’t mind the chill:

• Spring Onions – ‘White Lisbon’ is your friend.

• Perpetual Spinach & Chard – Hardy and productive. And that rainbow chard? Garden bling!

• Winter Lettuce – ‘Arctic King’ or other hardy types for crunchy leaves through the frost.

• Corn Salad (a.k.a. Mâche) – Underrated but so tasty!

• Land Cress – Like watercress but doesn’t demand a stream in your back garden.

 Brassicas for Early Spring

Get these going now for a head start in the hungry gap:

• Spring Cabbage – Try ‘Duncan’ or ‘Spring Hero’.

• Kale – Still time to sow. I’ve popped in some ‘Nero di Toscana’.

• Turnips – For fast-growing roots and leafy tops.

• Oriental Greens – Pak choi, tatsoi, komatsuna – easy, fast and tasty.

Container & Small-Space Friendly

If you’ve only got a small Yarden like mine, don’t worry – there’s still loads you can grow:

• Radishes – Last sowing! Try ‘French Breakfast’ (because we’re fancy).

• Beetroot – Grow small for baby beets or just munch the leaves.

• Chard & Leaf Beet – Pretty, hardy, and great for gaps.

• Claytonia (Winter Purslane) – Shade lover and salad superstar.

Tips for Success in Irish August Weather

• Water wisely – August can be wet... or weirdly dry. Keep an eye.

• Mind the slugs – Wool pellets, copper tape, or a good old slug patrol.

• Shade seedlings – Afternoon shade helps prevent bolting.

• Sow in modules – especially for brassicas or if your soil’s a bit squishy from the rain.

 FREE Printable: August Sowing Guide

I’ve put together a one-page printable sowing guide for August – perfect for pinning to your shed door or popping in your gardening journal.

👉 Download the August Sowing Guide PDF

You can find my Jobs in the Garden for August Guide here 

 Final Thoughts

Gardening in August is about keeping the rhythm going. A few small sowings now means you’re not left veggie-less in October. And trust me – nothing beats picking fresh leaves in your slippers while everyone else is panic-buying lettuce at the supermarket.

As always – grow what you love, plant what brings you joy, and never underestimate the power of a good cup of tea in the garden.

Let me know what you’re sowing this month! Tag me over on Instagram @amberjane_theorganicyarden or drop a comment below – I love hearing what you’re growing in your corners of the world.

Happy sowing, Amber-Jane