At this time of year the garden is blooming and thriving in abundance. There is a lot of work to do in the garden in August. But what should you harvest, care for, plant and sow in the kitchen garden in August?
Now, in the last full month of summer, you can enjoy your garden at its peak. Now is also the time to think about the coming fall and winter so you can make plans for your outdoor spaces. These garden tips will help you with kitchen garden care!
Kitchen garden in August – taking care of herbs
How should you care for your herb garden?
Cut back herbs
Herbs are the trend plant of the moment and for good reason. They can be used to season meat or as a cocktail garnish. Herbs such as chives, mint and parsley that start to become woody should be cut back. This allows a constant supply of leaves to be grown throughout the summer.
Perennial herbs like oregano and thyme do not need to be replanted every year because they grow back from their original roots. Pruning in August, just before the winter months, will help them grow to withstand the cold.
Divide and propagate peppermint
In regions with temperate winters, peppermint can be divided and propagated until the end of August. For best results, replant them in a new location every three years. Make sure the new plants are healthy and free of diseases such as peppermint rust before replanting them.
Herbs like rosemary and sage can also now be easily propagated from cuttings.
What needs to be done in the orchard?
This is what you should do in the orchard in August!
Kitchen garden in August – harvest fruit and prune fruit trees
- Cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, mirabelle plums
It is the best time to pick cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, mirabelle plums and apricots. So that well-trained fruit trees can recover from the large harvest,they should be circumcisedand their branches are supported.
- Blackcurrants, raspberries
Blackcurrants need to be cut back by a third, while raspberry plants that have already produced fruit should be cut back to the ground.
- Apples, pears
The taste of fruit picked in the middle of the day is incomparable. However, it is best consumed immediately as it cannot be stored. Apples and pears are best preserved when picked first thing in the morning. But make sure that the peel is no longer moist before harvesting. The optimal temperature range for storing apples at home is between two and five degrees Celsius. So put your apples in the fridge if you want them to last as long as possible. Cool, damp rooms are ideal for storing larger quantities. It's best to pick the fruits little by little, as not all apples and pears are ripe at the same time.
- Blackberries
Wait to pick blackberries until they are fully ripe, usually a few days after they have turned completely black. In addition, the vitamin-rich berries should be slightly pulpy and separable at the time of harvest. Blackberries do not ripen after harvest. After picking the blackberries, cut back the shoots that have already borne fruit.
- Melons
The months of June to September are the best time to harvest melons. They should only be harvested when the fruits are fully ripe. Only then does the full, unmistakable melon scent unfold. You can tell whether a melon is ripe not only by its pleasant aroma, but also by fine cracks near the base of the stem.
- Strawberries
Strawberries grow well if nowsome seedlingsbe planted in the ground. Additionally, reduce the likelihood of pests and diseases by cleaning up the area surrounding the strawberry bushes and removing old straw.
Fertilize fruiting plants
Keep your container fruit plants healthy and productive by regularly feeding them a potassium-rich liquid feed.
Don't forget to provide your lemon tree (and other citrus) with a citrus fertilizer throughout the summer.
Maintain the vegetable garden and prepare it for next year
What is ripe now and what else can you grow?
Harvesting, planting and sowing vegetables
- Winter onion, spring onion
Planting winter onions or spring onions now can give you a head start on next year's vegetable harvest. They need time to become established before the cold of winter sets in. Therefore, it is recommended to plant them in the first half of August. The sweet, mild onions are then ready to harvest in spring.
- Lamb's lettuce
Many seeds can still be planted in August. The vitamin-rich lamb's lettuce is particularly delicious in autumn. Lamb's lettuce for the autumn harvest can still be harvested until around the middle of the monthbe planted. Spray the seeds with a jet of water after pressing them well with a board. The soil has less opportunity to penetrate the lettuce later.
- radish
Mid-August is the latest time you can plant winter radishes for a fall harvest. You can sow radishes in your own bed or between rows of other vegetables until the end of August as they develop quickly.
- Spinach
Autumn spinach can be sown in mid-August at the latest for a harvest in September. The distance between rows is 25 cm. Make sure the soil moisture is optimal.
- Mangold
The last opportunity to plant chard is early - mid-August. Prepare the bed by fluffing the leaves and keeping them moist.
- potatoes
Once the leaves begin to yellow and die, you can begin harvesting the potatoes. Jute bags are ideal for storing potatoes as they block out light while allowing air circulation.
What can you sow?
Chinese cabbage, winter radish, pak choi, lettuce, spring onions, winter lettuce, winter purslane, dandelion, St. Barbara's cabbage, caraway, cauliflower, radicchio, dill, rocket, kohlrabi, white cabbage, chives and savoy cabbage.
What can you do inPlant in August?
You can plant these seedlings – winter leeks, kohlrabi, winter endive, Chinese cabbage, bulbous fennel.
What can you harvest in August?
Cucumbers, eggplants, early varieties of cabbage, zucchini, beetroot, chard, peppers, summer salads, beans and carrots.
Fertilize the plants in your vegetable garden
- Cucumbers, artichokes, peppers, zucchini, eggplant, pumpkins
Cucumbers, artichokes, zucchini, eggplants and pumpkins need to be fertilized in August. Because they need food to produce more flowers and fruits. As soon as pepper, cucumber and eggplant fruits appear, fertilize the plants with a potassium-rich fertilizer.
- More
Regular watering and feeding with tomato fertilizer will ensure the best cobs from your corn plants.
- Tomatoes
Remove the lower leaves from tomato plants and continue to feed them with tomato food to promote healthy air circulation and reduce the risk of disease. Tomato plants can be made to produce more fruit by deadheading them.
What to do if you have a pest infestation?
Homemade herbal preparations can provide effective relief from pest infestations. Pests and diseases such as thrips, aphids, spider mites, whiteflies and mildew thrive particularly well in warm summer weather. You can ensure that these pests are completely eradicated by using the following planting and care tips:
- Position your plants so that air can circulate freely between them.
- Avoid watering during the day or when temperatures are high.
- Add compost before planting or fertilize regularly to ensure the plant gets the nutrients it needs to thrive.
- Pests can be limited to a smaller area if you place plants strategically – choose the right neighboring plants.
Collecting rainwater for later use
Do not water the plants every day, but only when they need it. Deep watering can keep plants alive for up to 14 days, while light watering can encourage weed and surface root growth. All of this increases stress on the plants. By placing a rain barrel in your garden, you can reap the benefits of summer rain and keep your plants healthy and strong.
ImThere should be a lot of tasks in Augustcan be done in the garden: this is how you achieve a rich harvest!
