Tending to your own vegetable patch is fun and rewarding, but it requires patience. What you plant in August will provide you veggies in months to come. According to some gardening experts, there are more than 30 different crops you can plant in August to be harvested in autumn and winter. Express.co.uk tells you which seven vegetables to plant in your garden this month.
Kale
Kale is one of the easiest greens to grow and will keep providing you with delicious leaves almost all year round.
You can sow kale from March until mid August, so you better get to work.
If you sow beyond this point, the plant won’t be mature enough to survive the winter temperatures.
Sow the seeds just half a centimetre deep, and cover up the soil to touch the bottom leaves when the plants reach 10cm tall.
Make sure you water the kale well and mulch it in extra dry weather.
Cut young leaves early and use your versatile kale in whatever recipe you like, from stir-fries to salads.
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Lettuce
Sow lettuce outdoors in the first half of August, making sure to cover the plants with closed cloches towards the end of September.
With the weather so warm at the moment, you’ll need to sow the lettuce in the evening and water it with cold water.
This will keep soil temperatures down and support the germination process.
Protect your lettuce with chicken wire or fleece though because sparrows love lettuce.
Rocket
Sow rocket reeds thinly in your garden at any point in August.
Water them well, particularly when the weather is very hot.
Once the seedlings are large enough, thin them to around four inches apart.
Pinch out flower buds and keep the seedlings moist, providing some shade in hot weather.
Carrots
July to early August is the best time to plant carrots, since they will be ready to pull up in autumn.
Plant the seeds about three or four inches apart, and weed and water the carrots regularly.
How the seeds about 5mm deep and water the soil deeply before you plant them.
The seeds will take as long as 14 to 21 days to germinate.
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Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a great addition to a Sunday roast or a curry, so why not grow your own?
You can plant cauliflower towards the end of August or at the start of September.
Pick a spot which receives about six hours of sun a day because cauliflower needs a lot of sun to flourish.
Add compost to the soil before you plant the cauliflower to make sure the soil remains fertile.
Water the area regularly, giving the cauliflowers about one inch of water a week.
Spinach
Early August is the perfect time for a fall harvest of Spinach.
Plant the seeds in an area that gets full sun to light shade.
Make sure the soil is cool enough by planting them at night and watering the seeds with cold water when planted.
Plant the seeds about half an inch to an inch deep, and one inch apart.
Onions
Onions make a great late-summer sow, so start planting now.
Look for a spacious spot with lots of sun. Onions need to be planted in a place where other plants won’t disturb the process.
The soil should be nitrogen-rich, loose, and well-drained, and you should treat the bulbs with fertiliser on a regular basis.
Use onion sets and plant the onions about one inch deep and four inches apart.
Water the onions with one inch of water a week, including rainfall.
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