August 2018 garden notes

Hooray!  Aug 2018

Roots

Celery and a few beets still growing in Roots bed.  Harvesting a handful of carrots once a week from planters, but have pulled up most of them by the end of August.  Leeks about the size of big spring onions;  one of last season's flowerheads formed tiny bulbils which I transplanted to various places around the garden (some still growing).  Not much else going on in Roots bed this month.

Peas and beans

Pulled up the last broad beans and harvested the dry pods for seed.

Been harvesting small amounts of French beans regularly throughout August, but hardly any runner beans.  Really disappointing harvest this year--too hot and dry I suspect.

Brassicas

Finished the last Savoy cabbages, though there are two or three left without compact heads which seem to be going to flower.  Much mauled by caterpillars.  Planted out new seedlings at the allotment.  The cuttings I took have rooted but have not yet been planted out.

Planted out purple sprouting broccoli (seedlings and cuttings) at the beginning of the month after the broad beans were pulled up, and put insect mesh over.  Growing strongly.

Curly kale and Brussels sprouts huge;  harvested a small amount of kale this month but not sprouts yet;  still under insect mesh.  Young cauliflower plants have disappeared under rampant squash vines, so not sure if they're still growing.  One last cauliflower from last season just starting to form a head at the end of August.

Two smallish kohlrabi seem to have formed from seed sown earlier, but neither harvested yet.

Most caterpillars seem to have disappeared midway through August, though butterflies are still about.

Miscellaneous

Been harvesting chard and lettuce (red leaf and romaine) all through August.  Started a new tray of (red leaf) seeds which have sprouted by the end of the month.  Harvesting spring onions regularly, with newer sowings growing well. 

Sweetcorn completely swamped by neighboring achocha vines--I'll wait to see if the cobs actually have any corn in them.  Achocha producing only modestly, rather out of proportion to its rampant vine growth.

Begun harvesting tomatoes by the middle of August, and picking cherry tomatoes regularly throughout the month.  Tomatillos forming a couple tiny fruits (only two plants seem to have survived and may not be close enough for full pollination);  none harvested yet.

One pumpkin slowly turning orange--it's slightly bigger than a grapefruit.  At least five big green kuri/hokkaido squashes still on vines, with a few smaller fruits formed this month;  the vines are competing with the achocha for complete dominance of the Misc bed.  None of these harvested.

Only a couple more small zuccini harvested, and one patty pan squash.  A few immature fruits still on the plants by the end of the month, but I'm not hopeful.  Too dry?  Melon vine in its planter has one very small melon growing, but as it's only walnut sized by the end of August, I won't hold my breath.  Cucumber plants finally gave up, though I've left a couple fruits on the desiccated vines to try and save seed.

Harvested a small amount of Aztec broccoli (nice, mild flavor).  Big plants for only a small harvest.  Many little sweet peppers formed on plants in planters, and one or two tiny chilis formed at the very end of August.  None harvested.

Fruit

Started harvesting Laxton Fortune apples and plums this month, and new season figs.  Lightly pruned plum and almond trees.  The son picked a few immature Sparta apples, but they won't be fully ripe till September.

Only one nectarine left--the other split after a hard rain and then went moldy.  Not ripe yet.  I can only find two pears on the Williams tree, also--and one is very small!  Oh well.

A couple fruits slowly maturing on the yellow raspberry.  The newly planted blackcurrants (from last winter) have struggled in the dry summer but are still alive.  Pruned old growth from raspberries;  it looks like the plant I moved over winter may have died (too dry, no doubt).

Made my first attempt at bud grafting, using four buds from a pear tree at the park.  Not sure if they've taken, but no loss if they don't.

Perennials and herbs

Stopped picking savory halfway through the month to let the plants flower and (hopefully) set seed.  Picking lots of basil (in pots on the patio), some chives and parsley.  New dill plants growing (in pots).

Still not sure about the asparagus and rhubarb:  dead or alive?  Artichokes still standing but no more flowerheads produced this month.