Gardening in August

To-do's in summer

The peak harvest season has begun and with it the long periods of heat. Now it's all about processing, preserving and watering. But the last seeds for fall and winter should also be sown in August. In this article, you can find out everything there is to do in the garden in August.

Harvest in August

August is the perfect time to process and eat the vegetables fresh and directly. Vegetables from the garden can always be included in daily dishes. Cucumbers, zucchinis, peppers, beans, beet, chard, summer salads, carrots, tomatoes and early cabbage varieties can be harvested now. You can also dry a wide variety of herbs to season your dishes in winter or use them as tea.

Fertilize and care

Some heavy growers that develop a lot of leaf mass or fruit now need another boost of nutrients. Comfrey or nettle manure are ideal for this. These home-made liquid fertilizers provide a quick supply of important nitrogen and potassium. Also remove all old, dried or diseased leaves from your plants. This will prevent the spread of diseases.

Summer pruning

With the harvested berry bushes (raspberries, blackberries, currants), you can start thinning out or tying up individual shoots. The stingy shoots should also be removed. If your fruit trees are heavily laden, you can support individual branches with wooden sticks to prevent them from breaking.

Pouring

With persistent heat and little rain, we gardeners can hardly keep up with watering. It is important to water either early in the morning or after sunset so that most of the water reaches the roots and does not evaporate immediately. It is also worth applying a layer of mulch made from cuttings, grass or straw to the soil. This also stimulates soil life, which also keeps the water in the soil better. Nutrients from the organic material in the mulch are also a positive side effect for your crops.

Sowing in August

From August, you can start planning the last sowings of Chinese cabbage, pak choi, butter cabbage, kale, lettuce, radishes, radishes, carrots and spring onions. These crops should be sown by the middle of the month. In the second half of the month, it is then time to sow lamb's lettuce, chard and late spinach varieties. Sugar loaf can also be sown throughout August. If you have a sheltered, mild spot in your garden (or on the patio), you can also start sowing winter savoy cabbage. This manages to survive the winter and can be harvested early in the new year.