3 Vegetables to Plant in August
August is here! Why not make the most of your space in your garden this summer and brighten up your space. We have complied our knowledge into creating our top three recommendations on the best vegetables to plant/sow in August.
Here’s Our Top 3 Vegetables To Plant This August!
Spinach
A nutritious staple, spinach can be sown in late August and additionally easy to grow! Spinach should be on your list of vegetables to plant in August, as you can reap the rewards into winter! It can provide young leaves in October, to ensure you protect it from winter frost/snow use a low tunnel/cold frame.
You should sow directly into well-prepared, fertilised soil to guarantee it grows to it’s full potential. Additionally in the hot weather, spinach can have germination issues. Very hot weather can also cause spotty sprouting, overcoming this you may need to sow spinach seeds more than once. This can also then determine when the spinach will become established. If sown in August, it should ideally be ready for harvesting in October. However spinach harvested in the winter is usually sown in a little later in September.
Rocket
We recommend sowing your rocket early August to provide you with a crop of fresh leaves before winter. Rocket sown in August will then lie dormant until March, in where it will develop new growth. Salad rocket is more likely to survive the winter frosts if sown in late August. Additionally salad rocket offers more leaves in winter than wild rocket.
Firstly you should sow small quantities at one time and then sow regularly, this allows you then to harvest over a longer period. Secondly, we recommend you carefully sow the rocket seeds thinly along the row. Spacing them out as evenly as possible, we recommend a distance of about 3cm! After sowing the seeds, use the edge of a hoe or trowel to cover the seeds lightly with soil. Finally, you should water the seeds using a watering can with the rose attached. Using the rose minimalises the disturbance to the seeds whilst protecting the soil from becoming drenched.
Spring onions
A delicious essential to your garden, spring onions are quick and easy to grow. Not to mention they are a great addition for salads and stir fries. Spring onions don’t require a lot of space to grow, making them perfect for small spaces. There are many different varieties which can be grown through the winter months, they all have reasonably long cropping seasons.
Firstly, you should sow the spring onion seeds straight into the ground where you want them to grow. In addition, they will need to be sown in an open and sunny environment with rich, well-drained soil. Initially, you should prepare the soil by clearing the weeds and adding a quality fertiliser in advance. Secondly, rake the soil to a fine texture and give it a light watering the day before sowing. Whilst sowing the seeds into drills, you should sow them approximately 20mm deep and 10cm apart.
Alternatively, you can sow spring onion seeds in trays/containers, then wait for the seeds to develop healthy roots before transferring into the garden! Ensuring your spring onions flourish, the soil needs to be well-watered (don’t let the soil dry out). Interestingly, some varieties may have the capability to mature into full bulbs.
For more gardening jobs to do in August see this article.
Contact Us About The Best Vegetables To Plant This August!
If you want or need additional advice, at Blue Iris Landscapes, we are experts in anything gardens! Please contact us today to speak to one of our experts on 01782 396 168. Alternatively, we offer a planting landscape design service. For more information visit our planting page!
Additionally, why not take a look at our Facebook page to stay up to date with our latest news… We can work in collaboration with you to make your garden bright and vibrant!