GARDEN JOBS IN AUGUST

August is often a hot month - do not forget to get some of your Autumn seed varieties ready as well as keeping sowing your successional crops for a continual supply.

August is normally the hottest month of the year and there is not too much natural watering of the vegetable garden. Watering your vegetable plot is therefore a another major task in August. As with all summer months, don't be fooled by a shower of rain every couple of days. Many vegetable varieties, that are to be harvested this month, require deep watering so even if it has rained you will still need to water your vegetable patch and concentrate on such vegetables as cucumbers, courgettes and cabbages to ensure they are at their very best before you harvest the vegetable.

As with July you should be harvesting from your vegetable garden now. Cabbages, carrots, peas, cauliflowers, early turnips, artichoke and even beetroot should be at their best. If you staggered the planting then remember to harvest in order.

Harvesting is a good time to clear the vegetable garden of any weeds so don't forget to weed the area well and hoe the ground. Get out the weed but also the root, you don't want them back next year so get the whole plant. Remember to not put seeding weeds into your compost.

GARDEN MAINTENANCE IN AUGUST

When early plants have finished such as potatoes, early peas and broad beans, clear them away to make room for catch crops such as lettuce and carrots. This is a good chance to weed and have a general tidy of the area at the same time.

Water your vegetable garden well especially courgettes and the other vegetables you plan to harvest.

Deadhead plants that have given their best.

Later in the month you can trim hedges as they will not be growing too much once September arrives.

On dull days, especially if there has been a little rain (this is the UK we are talking about!) it is a good idea to fertilize your lawn. Croq'Moss is a natural fertilizer which will feed your grass and strengthen it ensuring that it becomes 100% grass.

VEGETABLE GARDEN SOWING IN AUGUST

Vegetable gardening in August is a busy time for planting. Vegetables can be sown now to harvest in autumn and right through winter, but planning is very important so here is some information to add to your gardening calendar:

STRAWBERRIES should be planted now to give them the chance to establish themselves prior to the very god weather of December and January. But don't worry too much as we have always found strawberry plants to be very hardy.
SALAD these can be sown now and will keep you in fresh produce right up until late autumn. If you sow your salad leaves in pots then they can be covered, when the nights start to become cold, and you will be eating fresh leaves right into winter. If you are lucky enough to be able to grow your salad leaves beside a nice sunny window then you can have them growing all year.
TURNIPS should be sown now, again giving them time to establish before winter arrives.
RADDISH is also good to grow now but remember to give a few days between rows so that you can harvest them as you can eat them.
SPINACH can go out now, again giving it time to have some size once the weather turns cold. This will then be ready to pick all through winter.