What to sow and grow in August
Tomatoes, apples, courgettes, raspberries, cucumbers, potatoes, blueberries, blackberries - even elderberries - are keeping us busy in the garden right now. We’re trimming hedges, pulling saplings where they’re not meant to grow, and trying to stay on top of sowing, pruning, watering, feeding, and harvesting.
August is always a busy month in the garden, but this year feels extra full-on as many crops are ripening earlier than expected due to the dry, warm weather. The raised beds, borders, and polytunnel are overflowing - and so is the kitchen. We try to pick and process everything quickly, or get it straight into the freezer to capture as much flavour and nutrients as possible.
It’s a month of peak abundance, but also a time to think ahead. While we’re enjoying the summer glut, we’re also making space and sowing for autumn and winter, keeping the garden productive long after the summer glut are gone.
HERE’S OUR LIST FOR AUGUST:
Salads and Leafy Greens
Sow quick-growing leaves such as rocket, baby spinach, and mustard greens.
Oriental Greens
Pak choi, mizuna, and Chinese cabbage thrive in the cooler days to come.
Sow in modules now for planting out in September.
Winter Brassicas
We’re clearing red onion and beet beds to plant out kale, winter cabbages, and sprouting broccoli sown earlier in the summer.
Beetroot, Turnips, and Swedes
Sow now for harvests through autumn and winter. Keep soil moist for even germination.
Herbs
Keep sowing coriander, dill, and parsley for fresh flavour into autumn.
Trim and feed perennial herbs to encourage new growth before the weather cools.
Last chance to trim lavender before winter.
OTHER JOBS FOR AUGUST
Feed weekly - fruiting crops need a steady supply of nutrients now. Remember not to overwater your tomatoes—water them only once every 4 days.
Water deeply - especially pots, raised beds, and newly planted crops.
Keep deheading roses and flowers to encourage more buds.
Prune stone fruit trees like cherries, plums, and damsons while they still have leaves - never prune them in winter.
The Honesty Farm Shop is bursting with flavour this month - from fresh-picked produce to small-batch preserves - plus a selection of seeds and plants to keep your garden growing into the autumn.
Let us know what’s thriving in your patch - tag us on Instagram or drop us a message.