Month by Month Tips - August
With lots to harvest and sow, August is possibly the busiest month. Stay on top of the weeding and watering to ensure bumper crops
HARVEST
Sweetcorn is ready to harvest when tassels turn brownish and when milky liquid runs from a kernel when you stick a fingernail into it Carrots, beetroot, radishes, and lettuces should also be ready
KEEP CUTTING
Remember to keep cutting cut-and-come-again salad leaves to encourage more to sprout
KEEP PICKING
Peas, beans, tomatoes chillies, and courgettes need to be picked to ensure they continue to crop
DIG UP
Continue to dig up potatoes
Harvest onions when their foliage turns brown and wilts. Leave to dry in the sun for a few days before storing or cooking
STORING
Beans and peas can be frozen.
Maincrop potatoes should be stored somewhere dark and dry
PESTS AND DISEASES
Watch out for blight on tomatoes and potatoes Remove infected growth immediately
WATERING
Stay on top of watering during dry spells.
FEEDING
Give fast-growing crops, such as courgettes, pumpkins, tomatoes, and cucumbers, a weekly liquid feed.
SOWING
Continue to sow radishes lettuces, spring cabbages, turnips, rocket, kohlrabi, oriental vegetables, and overwintering onions.
Make your last sowing of carrots for the year too
SUN SCORCH
Prevent the curds of cauliflowers scorching by bending outer leaves over the centre to create shade.
FRUIT
Harvest blackberries, hybrid berries, perpetual strawberries, peaches apricots, figs, and cherries.
Early apples and pears should also be ready.. |