There’s something about July planting in a zone 4 or 5 garden. The zucchinis are starting a takeover, the tomatoes are finally turning red, and — if you’re like me — you’re standing there watching your lettuce bolt, wondering if it’s the beginning of the end. If you are wondering what to plant in zone 4 and zone 5 in July and August, this is the post for you.
Late summer is actually one of my favorite times to sneak in more crops. There’s less pressure than spring, even the weeds start to slow down, and a whole list of veggies practically live for those cooler nights. Plus, it keeps your garden from turning into a sad, empty patch that screams, “I gave up in July.”
Honestly, I think of late summer planting as my do-over. Spring can be such a blur of prepping beds, hauling compost, and racing the weather that the cool-season crops sometimes don’t stand a chance. And this year? The local birds decided to help themselves to half my early seeds, leaving my beds looking like a patchy experiment gone wrong.
So trust me — planting vegetable plants now is your perfect time to get a second crop (or maybe your first) of cool-weather veggies going. Here’s a mix of trusty standbys and a few quirky crops that might just become your new fall crop favorites.
Here’s why planting in July and August is so rewarding:
- Less weed pressure (finally!)
- Cool nights = sweeter veggies
- Keeps your garden lush, not bare
- Gives you that smug “still harvesting” feeling in October
🥕 Table of Contents
- Lettuce & Mesclun
- Radishes
- Carrots
- Beets
- Kale & Swiss Chard
- Spinach
- Fun & Unexpected Crops
- Quick Tips to Keep It Thriving
- FAQs for Zone 4 & 5 Late Summer Planting
- Final Thoughts
What to Plant in Zone 4 and Zone 5 in July and August
Don’t pack up your garden tools just yet.
Mid to late summer is the perfect time to sneak in another round of crops. From quick greens to hearty roots that love crisp nights, there’s still plenty you can plant right now to keep your garden thriving — and your harvest baskets full — well into fall.
Lettuce & Mesclun
These leafy greens are fast, forgiving, and basically instant gratification in plant form. By the time September rolls around, you’ll be harvesting crisp, dew-kissed greens. Mix your own seed blends for colorful, fun salads that beat anything from the grocery aisle.
Best varieties:
- Heat-tolerant for July:
- Buttercrunch
- Jericho (romaine)
- Black Seeded Simpson
- Cold-hardy for late August:
- Oakleaf blends
- Winter romaine
- Red Salad Bowl
Radishes
Radishes are so fast they’ll give you a false sense of gardening confidence — most are ready in just 25–30 days. So there is plenty of time to plant between now and early September, maybe even to mid-September.
Pop them anywhere you’ve pulled up old crops. Worst case, the chickens get a snack. Best case, you’re spreading fresh radishes with butter and flaky salt on crusty bread like you’re living your best rustic life.
Best varieties:
- Cherry Belle (classic red globe)
- French Breakfast (mild and elegant)
- Easter Egg (colorful mix for pretty platters)
- White Icicle (long, mild, crisp)
Carrots
Carrots are one of those root veggies that actually get sweeter when nights start to cool. Come October, you’ll be tugging candy-sweet roots from the soil with great joy. They need 65–75 days. Early July to early August is a great time to sow seeds and get carrots planted.
Best varieties:
- Danvers 126 (handles heavier soil, classic shape)
- Napoli (especially sweet after frost)
- Atomic Red & Cosmic Purple (eye-catching, fun for kids)
Mulch them lightly with organic matter, keep them evenly watered, and you’ll have harvests when you’re tearing out your tomato vines.
Make DIY Seed Tape: The Best Garden Hack For Perfectly Spaced Veggies.
Beets
It is a good time to sow by early August, and you’ll have tender roots and plenty of greens to sauté right around the time you’re digging out your flannel shirts.
Not the worst problem to have.
Best varieties:
- Detroit Dark Red (deep flavor, dependable)
- Chioggia (pink & white candy stripes that look gorgeous in salads but not so pretty pickled)
- Early Wonder (quick maturing, great leafy tops)
Try my old-fashioned pickled beets recipe – you will love it!
Kale & Swiss Chard
If there were a garden prize for “last plants standing,” kale and chard would win it every year. They shrug off light frosts as if they barely notice.
Best varieties:
- Kale:
- Winterbor (curly, super cold-hardy)
- Lacinato (Dinosaur kale — intensely flavored, rugged leaves)
- Chard:
- Bright Lights (rainbow stems that look amazing even in October)
- Fordhook Giant (big, tender leaves for sautés and soups)
Spinach
One of those cool season crops that actually prefers cooler days — perfect for sowing in late August. If you cover it with a bit of frost cloth or hoops, you might keep harvesting fresh spinach into early winter.
Plant a row every 10-14 days for a staggered harvest. I eat a lot of spinach, and there’s nothing quite like grabbing a handful of tender, deep green spinach straight from the garden when everyone else is buying bags from the store.
Best varieties:
- Bloomsdale Long Standing (crinkled, slow to bolt)
- Giant Winter (built for cold snaps)
- Space (smooth, upright leaves, easy to clean)
🌿 Fun & Unexpected Crops to Try
Ready to shake things up?
If you’re feeling a little adventurous, here are some quirky, under-the-radar crops that thrive in late summer and might just steal the show in your fall garden.
Mizuna & Tatsoi
These Asian greens are like the garden’s best-kept secrets. Fast-growing, mild, and they love cool weather. These are the greens that are a fun and different leafy green.
What they taste like:
- Mizuna: frilly, mild mustard flavor, a bit like arugula.
- Tatsoi: nutty, sweet, almost creamy when cooked.
Best varieties:
- Kyoto Mizuna, Early Mizuna
- Tatsoi Rosette, Asian Spoon
Ready in 35–45 days — plant now, harvest before the hard frosts.
Mâche (Corn Salad)
An old-world green that forms tender little rosettes with a nutty, buttery flavor. It actually gets sweeter after a light frost.
Best varieties:
- Vit (classic), Gala (slightly larger), cold-hardy Dutch strains
Daikon Radishes
If you’ve only grown the little red globes, daikon is one of those root vegetables that will surprise you if you have never grown them. These root crops are long, mild, juicy — amazing raw, roasted, or fermented into kimchi (so I have heard). Bonus: daikon radishes aren’t just good eating — they also make fantastic cover crops, naturally loosening compacted soil and boosting organic matter as their big roots break down over winter and helping prepare next years beds.
Best varieties:
- Miyashige (thick, heirloom type)
- Minowase (long, straight, classic daikon)
- Alpine (Korean, loves cool nights)
Ready in 50–70 days.
If you want to protect your soil over winter without rotating, cover crops are a smart solution — daikon is actually a great one to start with.
Chinese Cabbage (Napa)
Think of napa as cabbage’s sweeter, juicier cousin — perfect for slaws, dumplings, or quick braises.
Best varieties:
- One Kilo Slow Bolt (handles warm starts)
- China Express (fast, tender heads)
- Kasumi (sturdy, great for cooler nights)
Plant in mid-to-late July through early August for heads in 60–75 days.
Arugula
Either you love it or it tastes like spicy grass. I fall squarely in the “pile it on pizza” camp.
Super fast — 30–40 days — and actually sweeter after a light frost.
Best varieties:
- Astro (mild, slow to bolt)
- Rocket (classic peppery bite)
- Wild Arugula (deep lobes, extra zesty)
Cilantro & Dill
Two of the easiest herbs to tuck into leftover garden space. Fast, fragrant, and they love the cooling days. I grow a lot of cilantro mainly so I can keep tossing big handfuls into my homemade salsa — if you want to see how I make it, you can grab my favorite salsa recipe right here.
Best varieties:
Cilantro varieties:
- Santo, Calypso (slow to bolt)
Dill varieties:
- Bouquet (early, great for leaves & seeds)
- Fernleaf (compact, container-friendly, slow to bolt)
💧 Quick Tips to Keep It Thriving
- Plant slightly deeper: Warm soil dries fast — deeper seeds stay moist longer.
- Mulch well: Holds moisture, keeps weeds down, cools roots.
- Water consistently: A hot August can fry tender seedlings if you miss a day.
- Shade cloth: Helps delicate greens get established if you hit a late summer heatwave.
- Well-drained Soil: Carrots, beets, radishes, Chinese cabbage and Mâche need well drained soil to prevent poor growth or rot.
It’s the small victories that make late gardening fun — pulling a surprise carrot from under mulch, finding new kale growth after a frost, realizing your mizuna’s still perky in October.
💌If you love practical garden posts like this, be sure to subscribe or poke around my garden archives for more ideas!
❓ FAQs for Zone 4 & 5 Late Summer Planting
How do I find out my expected frost dates?
Go to the Almanac website and enter your zip code to get the first and last frost date for your area.
Is it really not too late to plant in July or August?
Not at all! Many cool-season veggies prefer the shorter days and cooler nights. It’s basically a second chance at a lush garden — without the spring frenzy.
What can I plant now that will survive a frost?
Plenty! Kale, Swiss chard, mâche, mizuna, tatsoi, and even arugula actually get sweeter after a light frost. Lettuce, spinach, and peas can handle a mild nip, while carrots and beets often taste better. Just watch for hard freezes.
How fast will these crops grow?
Most greens (lettuce, arugula, mizuna, tatsoi) are ready in 30–45 days. Radishes can be even quicker. Carrots, beets, and napa take more like 60–75 days.
Can I still plant peas in late summer?
Yes, if you’re quick. Sow by late July, keep them mulched and watered, and enjoy a sweet fall harvest.
Should I start these indoors or direct sow?
Direct sow — by the time indoor starts are transplant-ready, frost would be looming. This is about keeping it simple.
Will these crops need special protection?
Not usually. Many thrive in cool weather. Want to stretch the season? A light row cover or frost cloth works wonders.
How can I keep seeds from drying out in the August heat?
Sow slightly deeper, mulch right after watering, and check daily. Shade cloth can help tender greens settle in.
So yes, it’s mid to late summer and before you know it the season will be over. If you were wondering what to plant in Zone 4 and Zone 5 in July and August, here is a good start. Your vegetable garden isn’t done — it’s just getting interesting. Keep planting your trusty lettuce and radishes, but slip in some mizuna or mâche. Come fall, you’ll be pulling fresh greens from your backyard and enjoying garden-fresh veggies, and not buying them from the store.
Once the season winds down and you’re pulling the last of your fall crops, these fall vegetables grow quickly before winter — worth a read while you still have time to plant.
And when you’re ready to start planning next spring, Early Spring Garden Prep will help you hit the ground running.
👉 What are you planting for your fall garden this year? Tell me in the comments — I love hearing what weird experiments everyone tries. And if this gave you ideas, pin it on Pinterest so you can come back to it next year.
More posts you might enjoy
- How to Get Rid of Ants in the Garden Naturally
- How Much Water Does A Garden Really Need? A Simple Guide
- 7 Common Garden Pests and How to Get Rid of Them Naturally
For more garden growing guides from zone-specific planting to harvest, browse the Garden Problems & Fixes hub.
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Hi, I’m Yvonne — the voice behind Our Country Life. I share from-scratch recipes, garden know-how, and simple living inspiration rooted in real farmhouse life. Thanks for being here ❤️
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