What to Plant in August — Zone 7 (Fall Vegetable Garden Guide)
August isn’t the end of the growing season — it’s the start of your second one. Here’s exactly what to plant in Zone 7 this month for a strong fall harvest, plus quick links for other zones.
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If your spring garden is winding down, August is when Zone 7 gardeners (roughly the mid-Atlantic, Tennessee, northern Georgia, and similar first-frost-in-late-October to mid-November climates) plant their second, often more productive, round of crops. Cooler fall nights actually improve the flavor of a lot of these vegetables — and August planting means you’re harvesting right through October and into November.
What to Plant in Zone 7 in August
| Crop | Timing Notes |
|---|---|
| Bush beans | Fast crop (50–55 days) — plant by early August for a harvest before frost |
| Beets | 55–60 days, tolerates light frost, plant mid-August through mid-September |
| Broccoli (transplants) | Buy transplants (seeds started indoors in August won’t be ready in time); set out by late August to early September |
| Carrots | 70–80 days, plant by early-to-mid August for fall harvest |
| Collard greens | Cold-hardy, plant August through mid-September, improves after frost |
| Kale | Cold-hardy, plant August through mid-September, sweetens with frost |
| Lettuce (looseleaf) | 45–50 days, succession plant every 2 weeks through September |
| Radishes | Fast crop (25–30 days) — plant anytime through September |
| Spinach | Plant late August into September for fall and overwintering harvest |
| Turnips | 50–60 days, plant through early September |
Why Fall-Planted Crops Often Taste Better
Cool-season crops like kale, collards, spinach, and carrots actually convert starches to sugars as temperatures drop, which is why frost-touched greens and root vegetables taste noticeably sweeter than their summer-grown counterparts. Combined with fewer pest and disease pressures than peak summer, a well-timed August planting is often less work than spring planting for a comparable harvest.
Pros
- Cooler weather means less watering stress and fewer bolting issues than spring/summer crops
- Frost improves the flavor of kale, collards, carrots, and other cold-hardy crops
- Fewer pest and disease pressures than peak summer planting
- Many crops (kale, collards, spinach) can overwinter for an even longer harvest window
Cons
- Planting windows are tighter — miss your deadline and the crop won't mature before frost
- Late-summer heat can still stress young seedlings until temperatures drop
- Some crops need protection (row cover) if an early frost arrives ahead of schedule
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Quick Reference: Other Zones
Your planting window shifts mostly with your local first frost date. The zone ranges below are rough rules of thumb, since hardiness zones measure winter lows, not frost timing:
| Zone | Typical First Frost | August Planting Window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 5–6 | Late September – early October | Early August only — favor the fastest-maturing crops |
| Zone 7 | Late October – mid-November | Most crops in the table above can still go in during August; beans need to be in by early August |
| Zone 8–9 | Mid-November – December | August through mid-September, wider crop selection |
| Zone 10+ | Rare or no frost | Late-summer heat matters more than frost — time around your local heat pattern instead |
FAQ
Read next: How to Fill a Raised Bed for Almost Free · Raised Garden Bed Plans + Free Cut List
Sources
- Virginia Cooperative Extension: vegetable planting guide: Zone 7 fall planting dates
- UT Extension: fall vegetable gardens: first-frost dates
Checked September 2026. Prices and specs change; confirm on the linked pages before you buy.
