5 of the best salad crops to sow in August for quick harvests – and out-of-this-world flavour

If you’re keen to keep your vegetable garden productive this month, you’ll need to get familiar with some of the best salad crops to sow in August.

In fact, they’re among the smartest choices when it comes to working out what to plant in August, especially if you’re looking for quick wins. Many salad crops are ready to harvest after just four weeks, so next month could be your most productive September in the garden yet.

Below, you’ll find some of the very best salad crops to sow in August, from lettuce to spring onions. I've included some growing tips and variety recommendations from the experts, too.

1. Lettuce

First up: lettuce. There’s nothing quite like picking fresh salad leaves from the garden for lunch, and homegrown lettuce often tastes a lot better than varieties you can buy from the supermarket.

Plus, learning how to grow lettuce is a piece of cake – and it’s one of the best salad crops to sow in August if you want quick harvests.

‘It’s possible to sow various varieties of fast-growing salad crops during August,’ says Nicky, head gardener at Polhawn Fort.

‘Things like butterhead lettuce do very well. Sprinkle your salad seeds over the surface of moist, firm compost and cover with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite. They’re best suited to a bright, warm area, as long as it isn’t too hot.’

Lettuce ‘All The Year Round’ (you can buy the seeds from Thompson & Morgan) is one of the most popular and reliable varieties.

2. Swiss chard

Swiss chard is another salad crop you can sow in August for September pickings. It’s one of the best drought-tolerant vegetables you can grow, too, so it’s perfect for all the hot weather we're having lately.

‘Swiss chard is a vibrant, versatile veg that grows quickly and keeps producing for months,’ says Abbie Betts, gardening buyer at Cherry Lane Garden Centres. ‘Sow from now into early September for an autumn crop.’

You can start harvesting the baby leaves after four to six weeks, according to Abby, but if you’re hoping to bring larger leaves and stems into the kitchen, you’ll need to wait at least eight to 10 weeks. It’s best to pick the outer leaves first, to keep the plant producing new leaves.

Try sowing Swiss Chard ‘Celebration’ seeds from Thompson & Morgan for rainbow salads.

3. Radishes

Radishes were one of the first vegetables I grew when I started gardening, and it was during August, too. I was already harvesting them by September, and they’ve been a brilliant filler crop for late-summer gaps in my vegetable bed in recent years as well.

Radishes are among the easiest vegetables you can sow in summer, but there’s one garden plant pest you’ll need to watch out for: caterpillars.

Cabbage whites love brassicas, so it’s worth investing in some butterfly netting like this protective insect mesh from Amazon. Just make sure it’s pulled taut and securely fastened around your veg bed or pots so other wildlife doesn’t get caught.

Radish ‘French Breakfast’ from Suttons produces long roots instead of the classic globular radishes. Or, try Radish ‘Cherry Belle’ from Thompson & Morgan, which was the first variety I grew.

4. Oriental salad leaves

I also asked Grantley Hall’s head gardener, David Powell, for his pick of the best salad crops to sow in August.

‘In the Kitchen Garden at Grantley Hall, I am currently sowing a mixture of Oriental salad leaves, planting weekly throughout August and then twice weekly in September,’ he says.

According to David, sowing successionally over the next month or so will ensure a steady supply of fresh leaves well into the autumn. He also shared a few variety recommendations.

‘Among my favourites are Texsel greens, whose young leaves have an unmistakable garlic-like flavour and are rich in nutrients,’ David says.

‘Orach, particularly the ‘Scarlet Emperor’ variety, offers two-toned, spade-shaped dark scarlet leaves that add both beauty and taste to a salad.’

You could also try mizuna, which David says offers a mild peppery flavour (you can buy organic mizuna seeds from Suttons), or mibuna, for a light mustard taste.

5. Spring onions

I couldn’t round off a list of salad crops to sow in August without spring onions. They’re a salad staple, and they take me back to lunches at my grandparents’ house growing up.

‘Begin sowing from now until mid-September,’ advises Abbie from Cherry Lane Garden Centre. ‘These little onions are ready to pull in as little as eight to 10 weeks. Harvest when stems are about pencil thickness for the best crunch and flavour.’

Spring onions are easy to grow, so they're a brilliant choice for beginners, containers, and even windowsill-growing. Try Spring Onion ‘White Lisbon’ from Thompson & Morgan.

Which salad crops will you be sowing this month?