It's not too late to plant vegetables and herbs in August, even though it is summer and you may already have an abundance of crops. It is actually quite easy to grow at this time of year, as long as you know which plants will grow in the heat of the summer. The key with planting at this time of year is water, especially in particularly dry weather and there are plenty of vegetables that you can grow to extend the growing season for as long as possible meaning you get to enjoy homegrown crops for much longer. Here are some of our suggestions for what you can plant now.
Herbs to plant in August
There are quite a few herbs that can be planted in the middle of the summer.
- They need to be sown directly in the soil where they are going to grow because some won't like to be transplanted.
- Of course, you can plant mature herbs, just make sure they are well watered.
- Hardy annuals and biennials can now be sown such as Chamomile, Dill, Coriander and parsley.
- Don't forget if you have space to try and sow different varieties of each for a really good variety.
Plant some salads in August
There are many salads and salad leaves that can still be sown during the summer. These will grow quickly and continue to extend the growing season for you. Some will event grow in the winter months, giving your fresh produce even in the cooler months.
- Chicory,
- Red Cabbage,
- Pak Choi,
- Kohl Rabi,
- Lambs Lettuce, which is a lovely hardy winter salad
- Winter lettuce,
- Rocket,
- Spinach,
- Radish,
- Swiss Chard
Microgreens are perfect for planting in August
Microgreens are the easiest of crops to grow for a really quick harvest. In fact, most will be ready within 21 days. Pick from crops such as any of the ones mentioned above plus Sunflowers and Brassicas and so many more! Simply sprinkle seeds on a growing media, keep lightly wet and harvest when the shoots are no higher than 10cm. These will be full of nutrition, and you can use them in salads, soups, smoothies and just about anything.
Sow your onion seeds in August
You can sow Senshyu Yellow as a great onion to overwinter for harvesting next June. If you sow them in August, they will be ready to plant out in September or October.
As you can see there are many plants and herbs that can be planted out even during the warmer months of the year and when it might seem like the growing season is over, but in fact, crops can be grown all year in the right conditions.