Zone 8 - What to Plant in September

Zone 8 - What to Plant in September

Zone 8 growers still typically have about 3 months of growing season until the first frost hits in late November. September is the perfect time to plant broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, greens and more. Also there are several cover crops that can be planted now to help bring nutrients back to the garden this fall and early spring. Below is a list of items that can be planted in zone 8 in September.

Lolla Rossa lettuce is a beautiful Italian heirloom variety originating from the Lolla region near Bergamo, known for its striking deep-red, frilly leaves and crisp texture. Typically forming compact, loose-leaf rosettes about 6 to 8 inches across, it adds vibrant color and visual appeal to salads and garden beds alike. The leaves are tender yet slightly crunchy, offering a mild, slightly bitter flavor with a subtle nutty finish. Lolla Rossa thrives in cool weather and prefers full sun with well-drained, fertile soil rich in organic matter. It grows best in temperatures between 45–70°F and benefits from consistent moisture, making it ideal for spring and fall planting.

Calabrese Green Sprouting broccoli is a popular and nutritious vegetable known for its tender florets and robust flavor. Originating from Italy, specifically the Calabria region, this variety was cultivated for centuries before gaining popularity worldwide, especially in home gardens and markets. Calabrese broccoli include its sturdy, upright stalks and large, vibrant green heads that typically form in loose clusters. The color is a rich, dark green, with tightly packed florets that can range from small to medium-sized. When cooked, Calabrese broccoli offers a slightly sweet and earthy flavor, making it a versatile ingredient in a variety of dishes, from stir-fries to soups. An appealing attribute of Calabrese is its ability to produce side shoots after the main head is harvested, providing multiple harvests throughout the season. This variety is also valued for its nutritional benefits, being rich in vitamins C and K, fiber, and antioxidants. Its hardiness and adaptability make Calabrese green sprouting broccoli a favorite among gardeners and cooks alike.

Michihili cabbage is great for those who love stir-fry or pickling cabbage. A tight-head type with well blanched, crisp and tender interior. Michihili produces a cylindrical, leafy head. A high yielding cabbage with excellent flavor. Chinese cabbage nutrients include vitamins A and C.

The Dwarf Grey Sugar Pea is one of our customer favorite peas! Produces an abundance of attractive purple and blue flowers. These flowers are edible, have a light pea flavor and look great on many dishes. The mature peas are very flavorful and is ideal for steaming, stir-frying or eating fresh out of the garden. Dwarf Grey Sugar Pea is suitable for northern and southern regions, as it is tolerant to heat and cold.

The French Breakfast Radish has a delicate flavor and is an excellent variety for home gardens. This radish variety is an attractive uniquely shaped radish with elongated roots and red tops with white tips. The French Breakfast has an excellent flavor and texture, that is perfect for dips or as a garnish.

Minowase radish seeds produce a classic Japanese daikon variety with origins in East Asia, where long-rooted radishes have been cultivated for centuries for their productivity and versatility. Known for its smooth white roots that often reach 12–18 inches, Minowase features crisp, juicy flesh with a mild, slightly sweet, lightly peppery flavor that is far gentler than smaller spring radishes. Its clean taste and firm texture make it ideal for microgreens, sprouts, salads, pickling, stir-fries, soups, fermenting, and even grating fresh as a condiment. This variety grows best in cool weather and loose, deeply prepared soil that allows for long, straight roots; sow seeds directly in late summer or early fall, provide consistent moisture, thin seedlings to prevent crowding, and harvest before hard frosts for the best quality.

The Early Purple Sprouting broccoli is an heirloom broccoli bred for overwintering! This variety produces lots of beautiful purple broccoli sprouts in the spring. The Early Purple Sprouting grows slowly through the winter; very frost hardy.

Red Romaine Lettuce has long, crinkled leaves with great crunch! This variety starts green and fades to redish-purple. The Red Romaine's leaves are12" tall and the plant is about 10-12" wide. This lettuce is often used in Caesar salads not only for its crunch, but also for its color. Use Red Romaine lettuce for an incredible edible purple border in your flower beds.

Seaside produces very uniform and great tasting baby leaf spinach. Stays baby size for extended period of time extending the season. Seaside has a nice, smooth, thick, very dark green, spade-shaped leaf making it a perfect choice for baby leaf growers. Seaside has great downy mildew resistance.

The Knight Pea is the highest yielding, early maturing pea that we have! This pea variety's vines are short and therefore require no staking. Its huge pods can grow to be 4 inches with up to 10 peas in each pod! Knight is a favorite for its tender and sweet flavor, making it the perfect side dish.

The Blue Curled Scotch Kale can be used as a garnish and or in hearty winter dishes. This kale variety is a compact plant with very tender, blue-green, crinkled leaves that are quite delicious, very cold hardy, and rich in vitamin A.

The Optima Lettuce is a large-framed Boston type that produces dark green leaves that have excellent heat tolerance and will resist bolting. This variety is known for being resistant to tip burn as well as races 1-4 of mildew. This great lettuce also has a juicy, crisp flavor that is amazing cut up in salads or on sandwiches!