August Gardening: Late Summer Veggie Guide. Flip the calendar to August and it’s already time to think fall harvests. Zones 8–9 offer the perfect environment to extend your growing season. With warm soil lingering through mid-September, now’s the time to direct-seed bush beans, okra, southern peas, and zucchini. These heat-loving crops thrive, giving you a robust harvest before cooler weather sets in.

For brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, and collards, start seeds indoors this month. By Labor Day, when temperatures drop below 95°F, they’ll be ready for transplanting. Preparing your seed beds is key—soak the plots the night before planting and set your drip irrigation to water at dawn. This schedule ensures plants stay hydrated without the stress of midday heat.

Don’t forget to mulch with shredded native cedar for moisture retention and pest control. Before transplanting, enrich each hole with a half-inch of compost and a tablespoon of bone meal to replenish nutrients and set your plants up for success.

Come Halloween, you’ll be harvesting crisp salad greens while gardeners in colder states face frost. With just a little preparation, your Texas garden can keep delivering fresh produce right into the heart of fall, making the most of the Lone Star State’s milder climate.

To read more gardening tips from our Arcola Feed blog, click here.