If you water your garden at high noon on a summer day, the water is mostly lost to evaporation. Watering in the evening is beneficial for crops that prefer cool weather such as lettuce and spinach. The water cools down the soil after a hot day and helps prevent the plant from bolting prematurely.

Statistically in the Maritime Northwest, most rain falls between the hours of 3 and 6 am. Evaporatively speaking, this is also the most efficient time to water, but if you don’t get up that early, try to water before 10 am. This will help reduce evaporation, make the soil darker and able to absorb more heat, and is a good method to use for heat-loving plants like basil, peppers and eggplants.

For plant lists and full details on gardening in August, order your copy of Seattle Tilth's Maritime Northwest Garden Guide, a planning calendar for year-round organic gardening.