Allotments in August are just about at their maximum production, and harvesting can at times be a full time job.
This month is also a good time to take stock of where things are planted and start to make plans form next years crop rotation.
To make this just a bit more fun than writing it all down on a scrap of paper, have a look how to plan every thing on line Vegetable Planner.
I usually like do any repairs to the structures on the allotment about now, sheds painted, cold frames mended etc, and if I’m feeling really conscientious I’ll dig the cloches out of storage and give them a thorough clean as there never seems time when they are put away.
Greenhouse
The abundant growth on well tended greenhouse plants many signal a bumper harvest but it can also be home to a good crop of pests. Vigilance is the key to stopping the rapid spread and subsequent damage they do. Checking the underside of the leaves will reveal the first signs of many pests, allowing swift action to control them before they have time to get to plague proportions.
Good air circulation can control many diseases that breed in the warm damp atmosphere of a greenhouse and whilst opening the vents/door helps a great deal, the lush foliage of closely grouped plants can still hold stagnant air. Removing some of the older lower leaves from the plants won’t affect the harvest and will help the plants to breath and makes for a more buoyant atmosphere.
Vegetable Garden
Early August is about the latest that spring veg seed can be sown, leaving just enough time for the plant to grow to a reasonable size to stand the riggers of over wintering.
If you haven’t got your seed or don’t have the time to grow your own, the seed companies provide some excellent vegetable plant collection at this time of year, sent out at the correct time for planting. This is a great short cut for the busy allotment gardener.
Autumn planting Brassica Collection
36 spring vegetable plants for under £10…sent out at the end of August just when they are ready to plant.
- Sprouting Broccoli Claret – Produces extra large purple spears from early April.
- Sprouting Broccoli Late White – Gives a succession of tender white shoots from mid March.
- Cabbage Sparkel F1 – Quick to crop and produces lots of tasty, nutritious leaves.
- Cabbage Spring Hero – Hardy ball headed cabbage that will mature into solid heads from early May.
- Cauliflower Mayfair – Overwinter cauliflower with high quality curds for cutting in April.
- Kale Reflex F1 – A heavy-cropping variety. Pick off the tasty, dark green leaves as required.
For more detailed information See Dobies.co.uk
