Well, August may not have given us the summer weather we wanted but it has certainly been a month of abundance in our gardens, as we are sure it has been in yours too! We’ve been busy harvesting lots of our produce this month, which has meant our veg boxes have been full to the brim with colour and flavour. We have also been prepping for the autumn and winter months, where the growth in our gardens starts to slow down slightly. Although the gardens may not be as abundant come the autumn and winter, doing some of the prep work now means a fuller garden next spring/summer. So, in your gardens at home, have a think about what you can be doing for a fuller garden next year! We’ve got a few tips on bits you can do below, so do read on!
In the veggie garden…
Our veggie garden has been BOOMING this month. We have had produce coming out of our ears which has been wonderful. We’ve been harvesting potatoes, peas, beans, courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes and the first blackberries started to appear towards the end of the month. Sometimes, this amount of produce can be a bit overwhelming. We’ve been able to fill our veg boxes with most of it but even we have had some extras. In your gardens at home, you may be the same but fear not. This is the perfect opportunity to start getting imaginative with your glut. Why not have a think about different jams and chutneys? Or perhaps giving pickling a go? Freezing is also an option for lots of fruit and veg – it seals in the freshness and you can even prep it ready to be added to dishes, making cooking times easier and faster!
August is the time to start thinking ahead to your winter veg. Many people forget that your veg patch doesn’t need to just provide you with produce during the summer – it can provide in the winter too! It is the essence of eating seasonally. Several crops can survive and indeed thrive despite the cold (and even the frost).
We have been busy planning and prepping our beds ready to plant out our winter veg for our boxes, which has been a really fun process. Everyone in the team has been making sure their favourites are in! We’ve got spinach, spring onions, turnips, winter and spring cabbages going in to name a few. If you are planting your winter produce and are slightly concerned about the frost killing them off, then start them off strong in your greenhouse and then plant them out!
In the flower garden…
Our flower gardens have been all about prepping for the colder months. We have continued to deadhead our flowers so they should continue to bloom throughout September. It is one of the best things you can do for your garden to ensure the longevity of your flora! If you are reading this and are thinking you’ve got some deadheading you could do, go and do it now (and then come back and read what else we’ve got to say!).
There are flowers you can plant to ensure you’ve got a winter bloom too. Last month we planted our violas and this month we will be sowing our primroses. Winter honeysuckle and daphnes are also lovely winter flowers that can be planted now, ready for some winter colour. They look stunning against the frost and snow!
In the last couple of weeks, we have slowly started the process of pruning our shrubs and trees ready for next season. As we mentioned above, pruning is a bit of a reverse psychology process. By pruning, you will create controlled growth and a thicker plant for the next season. It is well worth doing (and worth doing now before it gets too cold and dark!).
Enjoy your glut whilst it lasts! Happy gardening.
