I know August can feel overwhelming for organic gardeners, because pests and diseases have likely found your plants, weeds are growing faster than anything else and weather can throw up roadblocks to the most dedicated gardeners.
Faced with all the August garden tasks, many of us feel like throwing in the towel – because we’re also having to harvest, cook with and preserve all the abundance that we planned for.
This time of the summer is when the pace of modern life (kids’ sports, fun events, friends and family) and trying to ‘get it all in’ before school starts again collides with spending time in the garden. It is a reminder of how farmers ad people tied more closely to the land and seasons have probably always felt- but for them it was a matter of survival to harvest and preserve as much as possible.
For almost all of us today, that is not the case.
So, let’s take a breath and lay out a plan so that, come mid-winter we can look back on this time with pride, over a meal with veggies from the garden.
1. Harvest Often (Almost Every Day!)
August is one of the busiest—and most rewarding—months in the garden. Chances are, you’re picking fresh produce almost every day!
Keep an eye out for:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini / summer squash
- Beans
- Peppers
- Basil
- Dill
- Parsley
The more often you harvest, the more many plants will produce. Herbs along with zucchini and beans especially appreciate regular picking, so try not to let them sit too long.
2. Water Deeply and Consistently for a Thriving Garden
Hot August days can be tough on your garden, so keeping plants well-watered is essential. In normal conditions (not a heat wave) most garden veggies want about an inch of water per week. Having a rain gauge in my garden (ok, like 4 of them) helps me with watering.
A few simple tips:
- Water deeply 2–3 times a week rather than giving plants a little water every day.
- Water early in the morning whenever possible.
- Add or refresh mulch (straw/dried grass clippings) to help the soil stay cool and hold moisture.
If you’re growing in containers, be prepared for daily watering, and don’t forget to add mulch to your containers too.
3. Watch for Garden Pests and Disease
Warm weather means your plants aren’t the only ones enjoying the garden! Warm and humid weather means more chance of early blight, powdery mildew and anthracnose. But catching these early can save some plants, and more harvests for you.
Take a quick look every few days for:
- Aphids on peppers and leafy greens
- Squash bugs and vine borers
- Cabbage loopers and moth larvae on brassicas (those little green guys)
- Cucumber beetles on cucumbers and squash
- Powdery mildew on cucumbers and squash
- Tomato hornworms
Catching problems early makes them much easier to handle before they spread. For an in depth read look at how I deal with pests in the garden organically.
4. Do a Mid-Season Garden Cleanup
Your garden will be healthier if you clear out finished plants. Most early-season crops are reaching the end of their life. Pruning any yellowing or diseased leaves, especially lower tomato and squash leaves improves airflow. But instead of yanking plants out, roots and all, cut at the soil surface to keep roots in place. Practicing No Dig Gardening at the clean-up stage keeps your soil more active.
Go ahead and cut these spent plants at the soil surface:
- Bolting lettuce
- Peas
- Bush Beans
- Early brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages)
In general, clearing out spent plants makes room for fall crops and helps reduce pests and disease.
Your plants have been working hard all season, and a little extra nourishment can go a long way. Consider adding compost around heavy feeders like tomatoes and squash. Or apply a balanced organic fertilizer if your plants need it, I always like getting a soil test every few years to see where my nutrient levels are at.
5. Plan for Fall: Vegetables to Plant in August
It may still feel like summer, but even in Minnesota there’s still time now to start a few veggies for your fall garden. While I start many of my fall brassicas around the summer solstice (we have a shorter rowing season up here in MN) there’s still time for some quick maturing veggies.
In our zone 4/5 growing zones, at the beginning of August you can still direct sow:
- Lettuce
- Arugula
- Spinach
- Turnips
- Radishes
- Cilantro
- Beets
All of these can be directly sown. The greens you can starts them indoors for transplanting later if you prefer, or start them in pots in the shade outside.
6. Enjoy and Preserve Your Harvest
This is the month when your hard work really starts paying off—and sometimes there’s more produce than you can eat fresh. You can always give to neighbors or food shelves, but preserving the harvest is part of the fun of growing your own food. And don’t forget that seeds for next year are part of the harvest as well!
A few ideas:
- Freeze tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and berries – these do not need to be blanched first
- Freeze, beans, corn, kale – after blanching.
- Pickle using water bath canning is a great way to make zucchini relish, dilly beans and so many other treats that make great gifts.
- Preserving herbs by drying, freezing and other ways keeps you enjoying them all winter long.
- Saving flower seeds and vegetable seeds
Preserving just a little now means you’ll get to enjoy your garden long after the growing season ends.
August is all about finding the balance between harvesting today’s bounty and getting ready for the fall garden, and even next season. With a list of August garden tasks like regular harvesting, consistent watering, and a little TLC, your garden can keep producing well into fall.
Most importantly, take a moment to savor your garden, weeds and all. When I take a moment to remember that a few months ago, this was mostly bare, frozen soil, it helps me appreciate it, weeds and all.
After months of planting, watering, and tending your garden, this is the time to revel in all that hard work—and maybe savor a few sun-warmed tomatoes right off the vine, too.
Peas,
Michelle
I'd love to hear your thoughts!