What to sow and plant in the vegetable garden in August?

By region

August or September for strawberries, the crown level with the soil, the 35–40 cm and the rows about 75 cm apart, are from the RHS. Sicily's second crop, August–September, is from the regional guide; Campania's second crop starts from late July, on the coast. 30 June, and harvest from 1 August through November, are from Colfiorito; 20 April is from the Valle d'Aosta Informatore. Early August only as a catch crop, and the close at the end of July, are from ARPA Umbria's sheet; the 32 °C is from Cornell; repeat sowing through to mid-summer is from the RHS. Basil from March to July is from the RHS. Tomatoes in May–June in the north, April–May in the centre and from April in the south, with the 16 °C, are from Valle d'Aosta, Umbria's calendar and the RHS. Garlic in October–November or in March is from Valle d'Aosta; the RHS puts it between mid-autumn and early winter; in Campania it starts from October–November. Onion sets in October are from Valle d'Aosta; November and December outdoors are from Umbria's calendar. If the packet gives another window, the packet wins. July is in the July calendar, September in the September calendar, and the wider picture in the planting calendar.

Strawberries

This is the month to plant them so they root before next year's crop. In the north, only if they still have time before frost. In the south, the mild winter leaves more time. The crown stays level with the soil: buried, it rots; left too high, the plant dries out. In the ground, 35–40 cm along the row and about 75 cm between rows. The rest is in when to plant strawberries.

To make new plants, in late summer, peg a runner into a pot beside the parent. The method is on the same page. Water new plants while they establish, in the morning, and keep the water off the crown.

Potatoes and French beans

In Sicily, August opens the second crop, together with September. Do not sow if the monthly mean is below 7 °C. In Campania the second crop is the one that started from late July, on the coast: no closing date is written for August, and the summer-cycle tuber goes deeper. In Umbria you are harvesting, from 1 August through November, and not planting. In the north, planting was by 20 April. Seed and depth are in when to plant potatoes.

French beans, in Umbria, only in the first days and only as a catch crop. After that the window, closed at the end of July, stays closed. In the north the RHS runs to mid-summer, and August is after that. In the south, above 32 °C, pod set is poor. See when to plant French beans.

Basil, tomatoes, garlic

Basil is no longer sown: the RHS closes in July. Pinch the tips and take off the flowers, so the plant keeps making leaves. The page is when to plant basil.

In early August, sow lettuce for an early-winter crop, with cover from late September. Carrots, in Sicily, enter the autumn-winter-spring cycle; the RHS main season closed in early July. The pages are lettuce and carrots. Late-summer spinach is sown now, and held back if temperatures are still high. Outdoor rocket runs to early September; in August and September it is sown indoors for winter. In Sicily the cabbages are transplanted in summer to bring the harvest forward. See spinach, rocket, broccoli and cauliflowers.

Tomatoes are cropping or still growing, not being planted out. Keep the water even, on the soil, in the morning. In cool, damp weather, check for late blight; a long hot, dry spell stops it spreading. The months are in when to plant tomatoes, and the symptoms are in tomato late blight.

Garlic does not go in during August. In Valle d'Aosta you start in October or November, on soil that drains, or in March. In Campania, from October–November. In Sicily, from the second ten days of December. Onions in the north are the October sets. The guides are garlic and onions. Garlic months are in when to plant garlic.

Jobs for the month

Anyone planting strawberries waters the hole and then the soil, in the morning, keeping water off the crown. How much, in a hot month, is in watering. A mulch on soil that is already warm holds water, with a gap around the crown: see mulching. In a pot the compost can dry out in a day: that is the container garden. Take diseased plants out of the garden, as in pests and diseases.