I love August. The monsoons are here to give us relief from the heat and help water the garden. I really enjoy the lightning storms at night. I got my first few tomatoes actually in July. Already harvested garlic, carrots, beets and radishes. Chard has been harvested once by taking the outer leaves only and leaving it to regrow back. Same with kale.
I will start harvest grapes, blackberries and raspberries in August. Flowers are beautiful and filling out, blossoms soon to follow. In August, harvesting tomatoes will really kick in-I’ll be headless soon. Don’t forget to keep harvesting veggies and fruits. if you stop picking, the plants think their job is over because their priory is to make seeds. I’m really enjoying the garden this year.
Cabbages will be harvest in August too. I really like the variety Kalibos shown here.
Even so, there are some tasks for us to do in our August veggie gardens.
AUGUST
Tomatoes-prune tomato plants/suckers as needed and fertilize this month.
Cucumbers/beans-Train vining varieties of cucumbers and beans up a trellis.
Protect your crops-Use row cover, hail netting or shade cloth against hail in case it comes. I always protect my crops now as we’ve had bad hail in the past.
Start seeds for fall crops indoors-I’ve startied lettuce and spinach in early August.
Direct seed fall crops outdoors-yes many crops can be direct seeded right now with our warm days/nights.I already planted seeds for more carrots, beets and radishes.
Check for pests-Aphids on many different plants-spray with water first and then Neem in the evening.
Tomato horn worms-I’ve seen the hawk (also called gypsy or hummingbird moths) out and about in the evenings but haven’t seen hornworms yet. Handpick the hornworms off the tomato plants when they arrive and put in bucket of soapy water.
Cabbage loopers on brassicas-handpick or spray with Bt.
Leaf miners in beets/chard-keep covered with row cover.
Squash bugs are here too. Be on the lookout and check weekly as squash bugs go from eggs to the dreaded gray nymphs every 7-10 days so it’s important to get them-I check plants every 7 days. Take off row cover once the female blossoms appear. So now the individual plants are uncovered. Put all adult squash bugs in bucket of soapy water, take off eggs under leaves and remove the gray nymphs and put in the soapy water also.
Rodents-This year with rats, mice, and gophers, I’m experiencing less pressure from these critters. But I think catching 3 rats in a live trap and relocating them really helped. This year with the good monsoon season going, they are not as present. I believe they didn’t have any food or water last year out in the wild but this year is better with the moisture (for everyone!)
giantveggiegardener 
What do you use to fertilize your tomato plants?
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liquid seaweed and fish fertilizer
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Both together or separate days? I do have some of both on my shelf.
So far no hornworms this year, but I am keeping a close watch. Also my tomatoes are late in ripening. Do you have any suggestions for next year for early ripening tomato varieties?
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You can put both together anytime. Either drench or use a gallon handsprayer and spray all the leaves.
The tomatoes are later this year because we’ve had cooler weather for awhile and now with some heat, they should start ripening. Also the nights are pretty cool too and I find they always take longer when it’s cooler.
It’s funny they won’t set their blossoms into fruit above 92 degrees, they will experience blossom drop but then once they set the fruit (below 92 dgrees), it doesn’t matter if it gets hot.It’s only critical when they are pollinating themselves.
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Thanks so much for the advise.
Pam
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Tomatoes were disappointing this year – some grew well, even had blossoms but no fruit. Others did not produce until the end of the summer.
Soil analysis just returned: Ph8! Low soluble salts – nitrate is only low one.
Do you think Ph and low nitrate ae resonsible?
what is best way to lower Ph? aluminum sulfate?
Thank you – Ellen
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Hi Ellen-
The best way to lower pH in our soil is by adding compost-lots. Maybe 3-4 inches.
See if Reunity in SF has compost. I believe they deliver too.
Ask if they use horse manure when making their compost or garden soil,as some compost has herbicides (like roundup but commercial variety) in them that got into the manure by the horse eating hay that was sprayed with it.
Whoever you get it from, if they don’t know if their horse hay was sprayed in the field and then fed to horses, don’t get it. It will wreck your soil for years. I believe they stopped using horse manure for that exact reason, but ask.
Would not use chemicals like aluminum sulfate if your garden is organic.
Hope this helps!
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