August in Arkansas isn’t too late to get planting! These 17 plants are ready to be direct-sown now, making the most of the warm days left in the season.
It’s a great chance to add fresh veggies and flowers to your garden before fall arrives. With a little care, you’ll be rewarded with a lively, colorful patch in no time.
Let’s get those seeds in the soil and keep your garden growing strong!
1. Kale
Perfect for Arkansas gardens when summer’s intensity begins to fade. The cooler fall temperatures actually improve its flavor by converting starches to sugars.
Plant seeds about ¼ inch deep and keep soil consistently moist until germination. You’ll enjoy nutritious harvests well into winter, as kale can withstand light frosts and keeps producing.
2. Spinach
Loves the transition from summer to fall in Arkansas gardens. Seeds germinate quickly in warm soil but thrive as temperatures cool down gradually.
Sow directly in garden beds or containers about ½ inch deep. With proper care, you’ll enjoy tender leaves for salads and cooking through fall and sometimes into early winter months.
3. Lettuce
Grows beautifully when planted in August across Arkansas. The warm soil helps quick germination while the gradually cooling temperatures create perfect growing conditions for tender leaves.
Choose heat-tolerant varieties for best results. Sow seeds shallowly and keep soil consistently moist until established, then enjoy fresh salads through fall when grocery store produce prices typically rise.
4. Arugula
Ready to harvest just 30 days after planting in Arkansas gardens! This peppery green thrives in the transitional weather of late summer into fall.
Scatter seeds thinly and cover with just ¼ inch of soil. Water gently but consistently. The spicy leaves add character to salads and sandwiches, providing homegrown greens when many gardens are winding down.
5. Radishes
From seed to harvest in just 3-4 weeks makes radishes perfect for Arkansas gardeners looking for quick results. Their crisp texture and peppery flavor brighten late-season salads.
Sow seeds ½ inch deep and thin seedlings to 2 inches apart. The cooling temperatures of approaching fall actually improve flavor and prevent the splitting common in summer-grown radishes.
6. Carrots
Sweeter when grown in cooling fall temperatures across Arkansas gardens. August-planted carrots develop excellent flavor as they mature into the first light frosts.
Sow seeds thinly in rows and cover with ¼ inch of fine soil. Keep consistently moist until germination, which can take 1-2 weeks. The loose, sandy soils of many Arkansas regions are ideal for straight, uniform roots.
7. Beets
Thrive when temperatures begin moderating in Arkansas’s late summer. Both the nutritious roots and tasty greens can be harvested throughout fall.
Plant seeds about ½ inch deep, soaking them overnight before sowing for better germination. Arkansas gardeners appreciate how beets store well after harvest, providing homegrown vegetables well into winter when properly stored.
8. Turnips
Fast-growing and versatile for Arkansas fall gardens. The mild, sweet roots develop excellent flavor when grown in cooling temperatures after an August planting.
Sow seeds ¼ inch deep and thin seedlings to 4 inches apart. Both the roots and the nutritious greens are edible, giving Arkansas gardeners double value from this easy-to-grow vegetable that thrives in the state’s climate.
9. Cilantro
Performs much better in Arkansas’s fall garden than during summer months. The cooling temperatures prevent it from bolting (flowering) too quickly, resulting in prolonged leaf production.
Sow seeds directly where you want plants to grow, about ¼ inch deep. Many Arkansas cooks appreciate having fresh cilantro on hand for salsa making during tomato harvest season and for brightening fall dishes.
10. Dill
Grows rapidly in the warm soil of August in Arkansas gardens. The feathery foliage adds texture to garden beds while providing fresh herbs for cooking.
Sow seeds directly where you want plants to grow. Arkansas gardeners often plant dill near cabbage family crops to attract beneficial insects that help control pests naturally, creating a healthier garden ecosystem.
11. Bush Beans
Produce quickly when planted in August’s warm Arkansas soil. With roughly 50-60 days to maturity, you’ll harvest fresh beans before first frost in most parts of the state.
Plant seeds 1 inch deep and 3 inches apart. Choose fast-maturing varieties for best results. Arkansas gardeners appreciate this second crop of tender beans when many summer vegetables have finished producing.
12. Collard Greens
Become sweeter after light frosts, making them perfect for fall planting in Arkansas. These nutritional powerhouses continue producing through cold weather that would kill more tender greens.
Sow seeds ¼ inch deep and thin seedlings to 18 inches apart. Arkansas gardeners value collards for their incredible cold tolerance, often harvesting fresh greens for holiday meals straight from the garden.
13. Mustard Greens
Germinate quickly in warm August soil across Arkansas gardens. Their spicy flavor mellows pleasantly when grown in the cooler temperatures of approaching fall.
Scatter seeds thinly and cover with just ¼ inch of soil. Arkansas gardeners can make successive plantings every two weeks for continuous harvests. The peppery leaves add zest to salads and traditional southern cooking.
14. Swiss Chard
Offers beautiful color and nutritious greens throughout Arkansas’s fall and often into winter. The rainbow varieties bring visual interest to garden beds with their brightly colored stems.
Plant seeds ½ inch deep and thin seedlings to 12 inches apart. Arkansas gardeners appreciate chard’s remarkable cold tolerance and ability to keep producing through temperature fluctuations common in the state’s fall season.
15. Pansies
Provide fall color and continue blooming through Arkansas’s mild winter in many areas. August-sown pansies establish strong roots before cold weather arrives.
Scatter seeds on soil surface and press gently for good contact. Keep consistently moist until germination. Arkansas gardeners love how these cheerful flowers bounce back after freezes, often being the first splash of color in late winter gardens.
16. Calendula
Produces cheerful daisy-like blooms throughout Arkansas’s fall and often into winter. These edible flowers brighten gardens when many other plants have finished blooming.
Sow seeds ¼ inch deep directly in garden beds. The bright orange and yellow blooms attract beneficial insects. Arkansas gardeners appreciate their ability to self-seed gently, creating naturalized patches in garden beds.
17. Sweet Alyssum
Creates carpets of fragrant tiny flowers that attract beneficial insects to Arkansas gardens. August-sown alyssum blooms through fall and often survives mild winters in many parts of the state.
Scatter seeds on soil surface and press gently. Keep consistently moist until germination. Arkansas gardeners use this low-growing plant to edge beds or fill spaces between larger plants, adding sweet honey scent to fall gardens.