08/02/2026
👀 Find seeds to plant NOW at seedthestars.etsy.com ⚡August is really about prioritizing what benefits most from an early start for fall and catching the end of the our summer growing season.
🍅 If you haven't already, make nightshades your top priority. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, tomatillos, and ground cherries should be started by seed in early August (if you missed July) so they'll be healthy, well-established transplants ready for September and October plantings.
🥶 This is also the month to start learning about your average first frost date. Before sowing crops with a long days-to-maturity, check whether they'll have enough time to produce a harvest before frost. For example, if a pumpkin variety takes 120 days to mature, count forward from your planting date and compare that with your average first frost. In some parts of Florida, a late planting could mean the crop never reaches harvest before cold weather arrives.
🌱 We include a few perennial legumes and tropical perennials in this month's guide because gardeners in the more frost-protected areas of Central Florida may be able to successfully establish them now. However, spring through early summer remains the ideal planting window for these types especially after the unusually early and hard frosts many parts of Florida experienced last winter.
🫘 Common beans are another crop to consider this month, but if you're still experiencing intense summer heat, waiting until September will give you better results. You can always focus on the other legumes that can take the heat and produce before frost.
🐛 Finally, remember that August is still a challenging month for pests and diseases. Choose varieties with proven resistance and a track record of success in Florida, and stay on top of scouting and pest management.
🍅 Again, don't feel like you need to plant your entire fall garden this month! Focus on the crops that benefit from an early start, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to sow additional cool-season crops as temperatures continue to cool in the months ahead.
