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!)