Month by month · Oregon · Washington · Idaho
August in the garden
The big harvest month. Nights start to cool late in the month, especially at elevation.
What to plant in August
How much can go in across the five climate regions. Your region's row is highlighted once you pick a town.
| Region | Plant outside | Start indoors | August 1 – 31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coast | 17 plants | Nothing | |
| West-side valleys | 17 plants | Nothing | |
| East-side valleys | 17 plants | Nothing | |
| Inland Northwest | 18 plants | Nothing | |
| High desert | 8 plants, until Aug 17 | Nothing |
All 18 plants and their August dates, by region
| Plant | Coast | West-side valleys | East-side valleys | Inland Northwest | High desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | Plant Aug 31 – Sep 14 | Plant Aug 3–17 | |
| Plant Aug 20 – Sep 10 | Plant Aug 20 – Sep 10 | Plant Aug 20 – Sep 10 | Plant Aug 17 – Sep 7 | Plant Jul 20 – Aug 10 | |
| Plant Aug 20 – Sep 3 | Plant Aug 20 – Sep 3 | Plant Aug 20 – Sep 3 | Plant Aug 17–31 | Plant Jul 20 – Aug 3 | |
| Plant Jul 23 – Aug 6 | Plant Jul 23 – Aug 6 | Plant Jul 23 – Aug 6 | Plant Jul 20 – Aug 3 | — | |
| Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 3–17 | — | |
| Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 3–17 | — | |
| Plant Jul 23 – Aug 6 | Plant Jul 23 – Aug 6 | Plant Jul 23 – Aug 6 | Plant Jul 20 – Aug 3 | — | |
| Plant Jul 23 – Aug 6 | Plant Jul 23 – Aug 6 | Plant Jul 23 – Aug 6 | Plant Jul 20 – Aug 3 | — | |
| Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 3–17 | — | |
| Plant Aug 27 – Sep 10 | Plant Aug 27 – Sep 10 | Plant Aug 27 – Sep 10 | Plant Aug 24 – Sep 7 | Plant Jul 27 – Aug 10 | |
| Plant Aug 27 – Sep 17 | Plant Aug 27 – Sep 17 | Plant Aug 27 – Sep 17 | Plant Aug 24 – Sep 14 | Plant Jul 27 – Aug 17 | |
| Plant Aug 20 – Sep 3 | Plant Aug 20 – Sep 3 | Plant Aug 20 – Sep 3 | Plant Aug 17–31 | Plant Jul 20 – Aug 3 | |
| Plant Aug 13–27 | Plant Aug 13–27 | Plant Aug 13–27 | Plant Aug 10–24 | — | |
| Plant Aug 13–27 | Plant Aug 13–27 | Plant Aug 13–27 | Plant Aug 10–24 | — | |
| Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 3–17 | — | |
| Plant Aug 20 – Sep 10 | Plant Aug 20 – Sep 10 | Plant Aug 20 – Sep 10 | Plant Aug 17 – Sep 7 | Plant Jul 20 – Aug 10 | |
| Plant Aug 13 – Sep 17 | Plant Aug 13 – Sep 17 | Plant Aug 13 – Sep 17 | Plant Aug 10 – Sep 14 | Plant Jul 13 – Aug 17 | |
| Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 6–20 | Plant Aug 3–17 | — |
Dates are for one typical town in each region: Astoria, Portland, Pendleton, Spokane and Bend and Redmond. Plant now shows your own town's dates.
August jobs
Plant and sow
- Set out fall and winter crop starts: kale, broccoli, cabbage, collards. West-side valleys
- Sow spinach, lettuce, arugula, radishes and bok choy for fall.
- Sow overwintering onions late in the month. West-side valleys
- Sow fall greens early in the month. High desert and Inland Northwest
Start indoors
- Start lettuce and other greens in trays if the ground is too hot for them to sprout.
Harvest
- Tomatoes, peppers, corn, beans and squash. Pick often to keep plants producing.
- Potatoes once the vines die back.
- Onions once the tops fall over; cure them for two weeks before storing.
- Melons when they slip easily from the vine. East-side valleys
Garden care
- Keep watering through dry spells, especially new fall plantings.
- Plan for overwintering crops west of the Cascades, like kale, leeks and overwintering cauliflower. West-side valleys
- Save seed from open-pollinated beans and tomatoes.
Pests and problems
- Late blight risk rises as nights cool and dew gets heavier. West-side valleys
- Keep brassica starts under netting; cabbage moths are at their peak.
- Yellowjackets get bold around ripe fruit; pick fruit promptly.
Fruit, berries and flowers
- Prune summer-fruiting raspberries if you haven't.
- Take strawberry runners to make new plants for next year.
- Order spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils for fall planting.
Read next
Fall and Winter Vegetable Gardening West of the CascadesHow to keep harvesting kale, carrots, garlic and greens through a mild Northwest winter, and when to plant for it.
The Best Tomatoes for Cool Northwest SummersWhich tomato varieties actually ripen in Portland, Seattle and the coast, and how to give them the heat they need.
Growing Potatoes in Oregon, Washington and IdahoWhen to plant potatoes in the Northwest, how to cut and plant seed potatoes, hilling, and when to dig for new potatoes and storage potatoes.