Stephen Albert
Days will start to warm in August in the southern hemisphere as winter comes to an end. This is the time to begin planning the spring and summer garden and even starting some crops indoors and out. But keep in mind there may still be some chilly days in the colder regions.
Root crops can go into the ground by the end of this month. Fruiting summer crops such as tomatoes and capsicum can be sown indoors by late this month.
Get manure, compost, blood, and bone meal into the garden as soon as the soil is workable. That will give these soil amendments a chance to begin breaking down before the entire garden is planted.
This month is the last chance to spray stone fruit with lime sulfur or Bordeaux mix before the spring bud burst. Once buds break, it will be difficult to control fungal problems.
Read more at: Ready Your Garden for Spring
August Planting in the Southern Hemisphere
August Planting in the Southern HemisphereHere is a planting schedule by region for the Southern Hemisphere in August:
• Temperate regions: Vegetables: artichoke suckers, beets (beetroot), cabbage, cape gooseberry, capsicum, carrots, celery, chicory, choko (chayote), cress, endive, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, spring onion, parsnip, peas, potato tubers, radish, rhubarb crowns, salsify, Swiss chard (silverbeet), tomato. Herbs: basil, borage, caraway, chamomile, chervil, chicory, chili, coriander, dill, garlic, marigold, parsley.
• Tropical and subtropical northern regions: Vegetables: beans, beets (beetroot), buckwheat, cabbage, cape gooseberry, capsicum (sweet pepper), carrots, celery, Chinese cabbage, choko (chayote), cress, cucumber, fennel, lettuce, marrow, melons, mustard, okra, parsnip, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb crowns, rosella, salsify, spring onion, squash, strawberry runners, sweet corn, sweet potato, Swiss chard (silverbeet), tomato, zucchini. Herbs: basil, borage, caraway, chamomile, celeriac, chervil, coriander, dill, garlic, hyssop, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, parsley, salad burnet, thyme.
• Cooler southern regions: Vegetables: artichokes, broad beans, Chinese cabbage, cress, endive, kohlrabi, lettuce, spring onion, onion, parsnip, peas, potato tubers, rhubarb crowns, salsify, Swiss chard (silverbeet), spinach, turnip. Herbs: garlic, parsley.
Related articles of interest:
Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors
10 Things to Know About Garden Planting
August Harvest in the Southern Hemisphere:
Here is a roundup of vegetables and fruits ready for harvest during August in the Southern Hemisphere:
• Vegetables: asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots, celeriac, celery, Chinese cabbage, kale, lettuce, mustard, peas, purslane, rutabaga (Swedes), turnips, witloof chicory.
• Fruit: avocadoes, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, navel oranges.
