Page 24 - ALG Issue 3 2016

Regulars
AUGUST
SOW
Carrots, winter spinach, lettuce, French beans, endive, chicory and radicchio.
Second early potatoes in containers or in open
ground somewhere sheltered from the worst of the winter weather to lift and use at Christmas.
GREENHOUSE
Continue to feed with high potash fertiliser and remove side shoots from leaf axils. If growing space is limited, pinch out the growing tip of the plants towards the end of the month. This will allow the developing trusses of fruits plenty of time to
ripen on the plant. Take care when watering all plants and try to keep the leaves dry by watering underneath foliage.
PLANT
August is the optimum month for planting new or home-grown strawberry plants. Strawberries and raspberries both suffer from the same root virus problems
so choose a clean area that has not had
strawberries or raspberries grown on it for at least the past ve years (longer if possible). Take care not to plant the crowns of the plants too deeply to prevent them rotting off.
Last opportunity to plant winter brassicas.
GENERAL
Harvest crops at every opportunity. Don’t allow them to think that their growing season is over. Regular harvesting will keep them in production.
There is the possibility of a light frost from now on but it shouldn’t pose too much of a problem to crops just yet.
Remove the stalks from the outside of celeriac bulb leaving just a bunch of leaves on the top of the bulb. If the stalks aren’t pulled off, the bulb will develop a coarse and brous texture. At the same time, scrape away some of the soil around the base of the bulb to encourage even colouring.
Time to start lifting the early potatoes, but do not be tempted to lift all of the crop, just lift enough to meet your immediate needs. They are better left in the soil than stored in sacks.
Sort through the early onions and garlic to make sure that the bulbs are sound and that the skin is drying naturally. They should not have too much of the clean and healthy tight skin removed. It is better to allow them to dry over a longer period.
The humid days and nights can signal the arrival of potato blight. The critical part
of the tubers
growing season
is over and it is safe enough to cut down all of the haulms. If they are clean they can be used on the compost heap. If not, recycle them through the local authority’s green composting system.
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Seasonal jobs to do...
August, September, October
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