Grow More This Fall: What to Plant in Your Kentucky Garden in August
Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I use myself in my Kentucky fall garden, and I hope they’re helpful to you too as you get started this August.
A Little Fall Kentucky Garden Story to Start…
I direct sowed some OLD Black Beauty zucchini seeds in my raised garden bed at the end of July, right before my grandson came to visit. He loves to help so I found a little yellow watering can and garden rake. As soon as he arrived, he wanted to help, so I had him water the new zucchini hills in the raised bed. The next day, we spotted a tiny green sprout popping up. He beamed with pride. 💚 And every day he wanted to check it to see if it was going to be a “BIG BIG Flower”.
That moment reminded me how magical fall gardening can be. And yes—there’s still time to plant!
🗓️ What You Can Plant in August Kentucky Garden (Zone 6 & 7)
August is prime time for transplanting Cole Crops and direct sowing seeds. Last year, I picked up some cole crop transplants at a local garden center. You can also direct sow seeds throughout August, depending on your frost dates.
Beginner Tip: Plant only what you want to process and eat.
✅ Direct Sowing in my Kentucky Fall Garden, Early to Mid-August
- Lettuce (heat-tolerant varieties early August, cool types later)
- Beets
- Carrots
- Peas
- Radishes
🌱 Start Indoors or Buy Transplants for Your Fall Garden
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
Grab your Free list of August Vegetables and Types that are recommended for your Kentucky August Garden
📍 Local Planting Zones (Kentucky)
If you are a seasoned Kentucky gardener, you know how the weather changes here quite often. You may also know about micro climantes and tracking your garden’s weather conditions. If you need a refresher here is a good rule of thumb. Kentucky has 2 growing zones 6 and & 7.
| Region | USDA Zone | Avg First Frost |
|---|---|---|
| Northern KY | Zone 6a | Oct 15–20 |
| Central (Lexington) | Zone 6b | Oct 20–26 |
| Southern KY | Zone 7a | Oct 26–Nov 1 |
LOVE charts and tracking your weather? Here’s a little info I found. For a custom history of frost dates (which I love for real-world context), check out this comparison:
👉 WeatherSpark: Kentucky October Climate Chart
You can track your Kentucky Micro Climate each year in your garden journal!
Sample of Average Frost Date
Research for Kentucky Fall Gardens
From WeatherSpark.com
🛒 Where to Get Fall Seeds & Starts for the Fall Kentucky Garden
Are you like me and seed hoarding is a thing! I can testify that germination drops dramatically if the seeds are old. I try to find seeds that are from local sources that fit our climate, are heirloom, and non-GMO. I like to try to stay with small suppliers that don’t use Montisano. Like these beets from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.
🌱 If I don’t have time to plant for my Kentucky, then I will try to find them at local nurseries. That can be problematic as some nurseries or garden centers only carry flowers. So online is the next option.
🌱 My Favorite Seed Suppliers for Kentucky:
Botanical Interests
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Seed Savers Exchange
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
FeedCo Seeds
Honestly, there are SO many seed companies, I did not share the top popular seed companies. I am sure you have some favorites for your Kentucky Homestead, too. If you have a small patio garden, Botanical Interests (Epic Gardening has purchased them) offers a seed bundle tailored to small spaces. 🌱 Here is a direct link to their seed bundle page. Click Here
🌱 Where to buy Transplants for Kentucky August Garden
While the big box stores are the most apparent options, don’t forget about your local farmers’ markets, nurseries, and garden centers. In my experience living in Kentucky, I’ve noticed that many local centers tend to sell their plants only until early summer, which can make it challenging to find those starts.
Here in Adair County and Casey County, the farmers’ markets aren’t huge. The vendors are fantastic, I have spoken with a few and purchased their products. This comes back to not a lot of options for starts. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has put together their farmers market list: LINK HERE in a pdf format.
I am actively searching for local garden centers by calling, emailing, and messaging. I will update with as many as I can find. You can get on my email list as well for Fresh Finds Fridays. I will try to update this local list:
Anna’s Garden Russell Springs +1 270-866-4769 FB: HERE (I’m getting my cole crops here this year. She said Mid August) Posted today (8/11/2025) They are available!
Alexandria Garden Center Alexandria Phone: (859) 635-5555
Wallitsch Garden Center, Louisville, Phone (502) 454-3553
(Add more as I scout)
Online Transplant Sources:
Burpee When you click on the seeds, there is an option for plant bundles
Harris Seeds – Live Plants
Organic Harvest Homestead – Live Plants
Grow Joy – Live Plants from their own greenhouses
🛍️ My Favorite Online Sources
- Epic Gardening (affiliate): seed-starting trays and raised garden beds
- Southern Exposure Seed Exchange Seeds that are tailored for the South, I’m excited to have found them while researching this blog!
- Johnny’s Seeds Their planting calculator is a must, and fantastic seeds.
- Weather Spark is Great for researching local climates
🌱 Seed Starting Tips for August
- Start brassicas indoors now using Epic seed trays (affiliate link) to stay cool and avoid pests.
- Place seed trays in part shade to avoid heat stress—basements with grow lights work well (mine stays at about 72 degrees, fingers crossed).
Therefore, things like peas can be started in the refrigerator! I saw this tip online, and I will link it when I can find it again. Honestly, I am not sure I’d want dirt in the fridge. - Harden off seedlings for 4–7 days before transplanting outside.
- Direct sow root crops and greens directly into moist, well-worked soil. Water daily until germination.
- Use shade cloth (30–40%) for transplants in the August sun.
🌟 Free August Kentucky Planting Chart: What to Plant in (Zone 6–7)
Join the Bloom and Peck family and get your free August Planting PDF. It is set up with recommendations for zone, planting date, and cultivators (type).