Farmers’ Almanac Planting Calendar

Gardening by the Moon (according to the phases of the Moon) is an ancient concept and a fundamental part of the Farmers’ Almanac philosophy. For over 200 years, our print editions have included a Planting Calendar that uses phases and position of the Moon to predict the best times to perform specific gardening tasks. FA readers have long sworn by this method of managing their gardens and crops. Get All-Access to see the next 12 months and receive a copy of the Almanac shipped free!

The dates listed below are consistent across all growing zones. Please consider your regional weather and climate before following our suggestions. We also recommend that you talk with a local greenhouse or your agricultural extension office to discover optimal windows of time within which you may use the dates below.

Be sure to check out your frost dates and learn more about your plant hardiness zone (which may have changed a bit when the zones were updated in 2024).

Almanac Gardening Terms Explained

Above ground crops: Crops that produce their yield above the soil (corn, peppers, squash, etc.)

Root Crops: Crops that produce their yield below the soil (potatoes, radishes, carrots, etc.)

Seedbeds: A bed of soil cultivated for planting seeds or seedlings before being transplanted.

Seedlings: Young plants—especially ones that grow from seeds (rather than from a cutting).

Transplanting: To uproot and replant a growing plant or an already well-established plant. (Transplanting suggestions are true for houseplants as well.)

The terms “Favorable,” “Good,” and “Best” are all considered beneficial days for planting. “Favorable” and  “Good” mean the same thing. However, “Best” is considered the optimal day for planting seeds. Learn about the associations between zodiac signs and planting in our Zodiac Calendar.

how Does The Moon affect plants on Earth?

Those who swear by this ancient growing method say the water in both the ground and in plants are affected by the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon, similar to the ocean tides.

This theory holds that seeds absorb the most water during the “new” and “full” Moon phases, when the tides are highest, which aids germination. Learn more about Gardening by the Moon.

August Gardening To-Do List

While your gardens may be overflowing with zucchini, tomatoes, and a rainbow of blooms, now is not the time to take your eye off the ball. There is still much to be done:

• Continue your daily watering schedule, watering at dusk and early morning. Set up a watering arrangement, or automated watering system if you plan to be on vacation. 
• Continue weeding to ensure nutrients and water go to your plants — not the weeds.
• Clear away any diseased or dead foliage to ward off pests and disease. 
• Add fertilizer to plants in need. See the ultimate guide to natural fertilizers.
• Top off mulch in garden beds that may have dispersed or decomposed. This will help retain moisture and reduce weed growth.
• Deadhead annuals and perennial flowers to encourage them to flower into the autumn and to prevent self-seeding. 
• Divide and spread-out perennials that have started to slow in flower production. Dividing and planting them in August will allow them to acclimate before winter.
• Harden your perennials by slowly giving them less water throughout the month to prepare for the winter months.
• Cut back your herbs to encourage fresh, tasty leaves that can be harvested before frost. Thinning parsley will help it to establish a good root system before winter.
• Dry any harvested herbs for later use. 
• Collect ripened seeds and store them to plant next year. If you would like the plant to self-seed in the surrounding soil, leaving some seed heads in place. Collect seeds of herbs such as dill, bronze fennel, caraway and chervil and dry in a warm spot out of direct sunlight.
• Harvest spring-sown carrots and beetroot. Although, seasoned gardeners suggest leaving them in the ground to grow longer; a “kiss of first frost” helps the starches to turn into sugars, sweetening your veggies. See your state’s average frost dates.
• To encourage side-shooting and more beans at a height for picking, pinch out the tips of your runner bean plants once they reach the top of their support.
• Harvest your potatoes once the leaves yellow and die back. Store in a dark place with good ventilation. 
• Onions, garlic, and shallots are ready to be pulled out once the foliage has drooped over and yellowed. 
• Plant any cold weather vegetables you may want in your fall garden: peas, chard, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, Brussels sprouts, celery, kale, and collards.
• Routinely turn your compost bins to keep them aerated and to speed up decomposition. 
• Keep birds and squirrels off your berries with netting or old net curtains.
• Fruit trees, such as cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines and apricots, should be ready to harvest.
• Raise the cutting height of your lawn mower to help the grass cope with slower growth in late summer. Don’t fret if your lawn is looking brown, autumn rains will make it green again!
• Now is the time to start ordering any fall bulbs that you want to see blooming next spring, such as narcissus and tulips.

Join The Discussion!

What are your gardening plans this season?

How long have you been a gardener?

What questions do you have for the Farmers’ Almanac?

Share your thoughts, experiences, and challenges in the comments section here!