Vegetable garden calendar - August

Sowing in open ground

August light is warmer, more golden. Temperatures are often very pleasant and less harsh than in July. You can therefore sow several vegetables, such as:

• Winter leek, hardy to cold like the Bleu d’hiver, for example. Remember to earth them up well to blanch the lower part called the bole.
• Certain herbs such as chervil, parsley, angelica…
• Winter lettuce (late in month), curly chicory,
• Turnip, variety De Croissy for example, which will be ready for harvest in October
• Round beetroot, such as Detroit Red,

Sow it in cool soil in a sunny position. It will reward you with its flavour.

• Cabbage and celery side by side,

Alternate these two species; they have a beneficial effect on each other.

Seasonal vegetables to sow are as follows:

• Corn salad, the Ronde Maraîchère will be perfect with its rapid growth and productivity,
• Escarole, such as Diva. Hoe and weed regularly, and protect it from drought with mulch, for example.
• Wild chicory, which can be eaten raw in salads or cooked like spinach, and also at the young-shoot stage in mesclun. Opt for improved blond wild chicory — you’ll tell me what you think!

If possible, sow before 15 August:

• Chinese cabbage, Pe Tsai Granaat Organic, which can be eaten at ripeness or at the young-shoot stage,
• Winter radish,

Sow after 15 August:

• Winter and cut lettuce, variety Querido, for example.

It is very resistant to disease and to aphids.

• All-season spinach, such as Matador Organic,

They are unlikely to bolt at this time.

• White onions, such as White Onion Premier, de Paris and reds like Noordhollandse Bloedrode Organic

Plant them alongside strawberries, lettuces and beetroot which they appreciate. You can transplant them in October, thus ensuring a harvest in spring.

The secret to successful sowing in August is to water the bottom of the furrow before placing the seeds. Don’t forget!

Winter lettuce should be sown after 15 August

Vegetables to transplant in the vegetable patch

Over the past few months, if you have carried out sowing in heated conditions or under cover, it is time to transplant them into open ground. The ideal is to acclimatise them by putting them outside for a few hours a day, about 10 days before transplanting outdoors. This applies to:

• Leeks: you can still delay this transplanting until next month if it is too dry or you are short of time.
• Celery,
• Spring cauliflowers and broccoli.

They can be transplanted to their final position, where they will spend the winter

• Lettuces,

If you have sown cut-and-come-again lettuce seeds for summer, remember to transplant them now under cover so you have fresh leaves this winter.

Transplant leeks if weather isn’t too dry

Vegetables to plant in the vegetable patch

In August, some plantings can also take place.

• Cabbages (green, Brussels, round-headed, spring cabus)
• Rocket, my favourite remains Discovery with a peppery flavour
• Leeks such as Bleu d’hiver Atlanta Organic, very hardy,
• Turnips, variety Marteau for example.

Place fennel nearby to deter flea beetle and turnip fly.

• Beetroot,
• Celeriac such as Turnip Rave du Limousin, with firm, sweet flesh.

Vegetables to prune

We already mentioned pruning last month!

Pruning is the best way to prevent your young plants wasting energy producing branching that will not fruit. By cutting back these outgrowths, you allow your young plant to concentrate energy where it is needed, producing better fruit and vegetables.

In August, it is important to prune :

• Aubergines,

Cut the tips above the second truss on the main stem and remove suckers emerging from the base,

• Tomatoes,

Remove buds and suckers to obtain larger fruit and check condition of your stakes — are they sturdy enough to support your growing tomato plant? Find all our tips for staking tomatoes here.

• Melons,

Remove shoots that do not flower above the third leaf and watch for powdery mildew. Each plant produces on average 4 to 6 melons.

• Basil, gherkins, squashes, cucumbers,

Pinch stems to help young plants branch,

• Herbs,

Cut back to soil level to stimulate summer regrowth; cutting the flowers gives herbs more flavour and, in a way, a new lease of life!

To obtain good harvests, prune aubergines

In August, in the vegetable garden, it's also a good time to...

• Spray nettle, comfrey or horsetail manures to prevent late blight and to keep aphids away,
• Protect cabbages, leeks and plants of genus Allium against insects such as pierid, moth and flea beetles, thanks to protective filaments.
• Mow and bury green manure in place at end of flowering to feed soil,
• Ventilate occupied frames to renew air,
• Keep weeding, hoe between sown ranks, scrape surface of soil to break crust and allow water to penetrate soil better,
• Water ALWAYS in evening, in cool conditions for greater efficiency, to save water and avoid burning on leaves,
• Harvest green beans, bush or pole. Pick them regularly to prevent them becoming too big. Shelling beans will be harvested in second part of August. Chard, spinach, summer leeks and cabbages (cauliflower, heading, summer, broccoli…) as well as melons and sweetcorn can also be picked.
• Continue harvesting cucumbers, gherkins and courgettes that you started in July,
• Harvest tomatoes and aubergines — my advice is to wait until skins are shiny. At that exact moment, they are perfectly ripe!
• Harvest orache sown in May, summer lettuce, and cut-and-come-again lettuce sown in June/July before bolting,
• Collect male courgette flowers to make fritters — they are delicious!
• Dry lemon balm, savory, tarragon and lavender to preserve them longer.
• If beds in your vegetable garden empty after harvest, consider sowing your green manures, such as Phacelia, or mustard for example… Now is the time!
• If you go on holiday, mulch base of your plants with hemp mulch for example to retain as much soil moisture as possible.
• In case of heatwave, do not mow! The taller the herb, the cooler the soil will remain.

Manures are valuable for preventing late blight and for keeping aphids away

Sowing, planting and harvest calendar

please note

This sowing calendar is provided for information only. Bear in mind that the periods for sowing, pricking out, planting and harvests can be earlier or later depending on region and weather. Different varieties of the same vegetable plant also allow for earlier or later harvests.

You can refer to our map to find out which climate zone corresponds to your geographical area.

Before sowing or planting your vegetables and aromatic plants, take account of the weather and check the forecast for the days ahead!