August Allotments Tips
August is a rewarding month on the allotment, with baskets full of fresh harvests and plenty of opportunities to keep your plot productive. While many crops are reaching their peak, there’s still time to sow a few late vegetables and prepare for the seasons ahead.
☀️ Here are our top tips for August:
- 💧 Keep watering regularly, especially during warm, dry weather and don’t forget containers, which dry out much faster.
- 🥕 Harvest crops little and often to encourage continued growth and prevent vegetables from becoming overripe.
- 🐌 Stay on top of pests and diseases by checking plants regularly and dealing with any problems early.
- 🌱 Clear finished crops to make room for late sowings and autumn vegetables.
- 🌾 Mulch around plants to help lock in moisture and keep roots cool.
- 🍅 Remove excess side shoots or foliage from tomatoes to help fruits ripen.
- 🌿 Continue weeding to reduce competition for water and nutrients.
- 🥬 Plan ahead for autumn by sowing hardy salads and leafy vegetables.
🌿 Jobs for August
August is all about harvesting, maintaining healthy plants and preparing your allotment for the months ahead.
This month’s key jobs include:
- Harvest ripe fruit and vegetables regularly.
- Water deeply during hot weather, especially newly planted crops.
- Mulch beds to conserve moisture and protect the soil.
- Remove spent crops and refresh empty beds with compost.
- Support heavy crops like tomatoes and beans with stakes or ties.
- Keep weeding to maintain tidy, productive beds.
- Check crops frequently for slugs, insects and signs of disease.
- Reuse cleared space for quick-growing vegetables and autumn salads.
- Keep paths and borders tidy to make harvesting easier.
- Start planning and preparing beds for autumn and winter crops.
🌱 What to Sow in August
Although summer is beginning to wind down, there’s still plenty you can sow to keep your allotment productive well into autumn.
Sow outdoors
- Turnips
- Spinach
- Pak choi
- Autumn and winter salad leaves
Plant or continue growing
- Lettuce
- Beetroot
- Radishes
- Kale
- Cauliflower
- Savoy cabbage
Great for containers
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Dwarf peas
- Tomatoes
Late summer is perfect for sowing hardy leafy crops and quick-growing vegetables. By keeping up with watering, harvesting and regular maintenance, you’ll enjoy fresh produce now while setting your allotment up for a productive autumn.