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Steve Ott and Emma Rawlings

Jobs for August

The harvesting season is in full swing, but it is essential not to let things slide if you are to get the most from your crops. Feeding will help longer-term crops such as tomatoes and peppers to give of their best and of course there is still plenty of sowing to be done....

 

August at a glance

Flea beetle cause tiny holes to appear in the leaves

Sowing now...
• Radishes
• Winter lettuce
• Overwintering onions
• Chinese cabbage
• Spring cabbage
• Pak choi
• Raddichio
• Turnips
• Spinach

Planting now...
• Second cropping potatoes
(see project of the month)
• Last of the winter cabbage
• Kale
• Lettuce

Harvest now...
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Aubergines
• Raspberries
• Bulb onions
• Shallots
• French beans
• Runner beans
• Carrots
• Summer cauliflowers
• Fennel
• Courgettes
• Cucumbers
• Summer cabbage
• Endive
• Sweetcorn
• Swiss chard
• Globe artichokes
• Late gooseberries
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Plums, gages, damsons
• Cherries
• Late currant varietie

August weather outlook

August is often a month of contrasts – hot one day, cool and wet the next. The last two years have been very variable – less than average rainfall in 2005 with above average sunshine while 2006 was often dull and wet. So have the watering can and wellies close by and you'll be set for every eventuality!

Fruit in brief

• Mid-season raspberries should be coming into their own this month to follow on from the early season varieties. Maintain watering, tie in wayward canes and if necessary, trim back long canes to the limit of their supports.
• Once strawberries have finished fruiting, the old leaves and runners can be removed to allow a new crop of clean foliage to emerge. Straw mulches should be raked up and composted and pull up any weeds as both will harbour pests and diseases during the winter. Water well if the soil is dry.

• Harvest figs as they ripen. Squeeze very gently and cut them from the plant as soon as they are soft. Check the crop every day as once they start to soften, they will soon spoil if not removed. Cut into quarters and add a blob of whipped cream or fromage frais – delicious! (See fruit of the month on page 17)

• Thin dessert grapes as they develop to allow the remaining berries to swell. Continue to trim excess growth. Water and mulch during dry spells to keep moisture levels as even as possible to avoid fruit splitting.

Time to harvest

 

KG QUICKIES

KG Quickies tip• Continue to do battle with caterpillars such as those of cabbage white butterflies. Fleece offers a good defence and can be laid gently over the entire crop if necessary.
• Stop outdoor tomatoes once the fifth truss has formed, as it is unlikely that the season will allow many more fruits to ripen before the weather becomes too cold.
• Make further sowings of salad leaves to ensure a continued supply as the season progresses.
• Water pumpkins and squashes during dry spells to keep mildew at bay. Regular feeding with a high potash fertiliser will help to keep plants happy and healthy.

 

 

For more advice, see this months issue, available to buy online!