August Allotment Jobs
Tips
- Keep watering
- Harvesting
- Keep on top of Pests and Disease
What to grow in August
As the summer rolls on, hopefully you will be harvesting quite a bit and there is still some sowing that can be done too.
Keep your plot well watered if it's dry weather, avoiding the hottest parts of the day and try to do it early mornings or evenings.
Keep an eye out for pests and diseases that can quickly get out of hand; you can save crops if problems are caught early on in the main. Slugs and snails love the wet and warm too. Check brassicas closely for caterpillars and remove them if you see any.
Stay on top of the hoeing and weeding; you may have beds that have served their purpose for the season that need a refresh too, ready for some autumn planting.
You can start to plan what you want to plant during autumn for over-wintering crops.
There are several crops you can plant out or begin to sow now ready for the autumn and next years' harvest, such as cabbage. There is still time to get some more spring onions and radish in although they will be slower growing.
Late potatoes can be sown and some more salad leaves and pak choi.
Fruit crops that have fruit will need protection from the birds and raspberry canes, apples and pears can be pruned back. Strawberry runners can be pegged down.
Pinch out the growing tips of outdoor tomato plants to help ripen the fruit.
There are many crops ready for harvesting now; some on a daily basis. Tomatoes will be ripening, runner and dwarf beans can be picked, sweetcorn should be ready to pick if the tassels have turned brown and you have plump husks to take and beetroot can be lifted. Courgettes will be fast and furious, or leave them for a marrow.
Garlic can be pulled and dried out in the sun, you may also have some in season carrots, peas and many more.
