August is the best time of year to harvest your trees and crops as they become ripe. As your growing season comes to an end, you can harvest your herbs either to freeze or to hang up and dry for later use. Perfect to make some warming meals throughout autumn and winter!
Seeds can be collected from your crops to store for sowing. While some seeds need sowing immediately after collecting, many can be stored in a refrigerator until they are to be sown in autumn or spring.
Prune crops and fruit trees, including apple, pear and cherry trees. Pruning at this time of year could be considered more important than mid-winter pruning due to the fact that the sun can reach the fruit more easily and ripen it, encouraging fruiting for the coming year.
Regularly deadhead flowering plants to allow more energy from the plant to be directed towards stronger growth and consequently more flowers. As it comes to the end of the season, the plants become weaker and so it becomes ever more important to follow this process.
Mowing the grass as short as possible in August is crucial to allow seeds to fall into the soil and germinate. This encourages the growth of wildflowers for the next year, which is great for those of you who love wild gardens.
Frequently watering your plants, particularly in the mornings, will ensure that the moisture in the soil is maintained. This is especially important during the summer as the heat causes the moisture to evaporate more frequently. Covering the soil with a thick layer of mulch can help to retain the moisture.
Don’t worry, the end of summer isn’t all about the last harvest and preparing your garden for winter, it’s also the time of year to sow seeds such as spring cabbage, winter lettuce, and much more…
