Your August to do list

August is harvesting month. This is the month where almost every vegetable growing in your garden can be eaten. It is the month to enjoy your fresh tasty veggies.

Tips for a happy garden:

• Beans need to be harvested everyday or at least every second day.
• Pick tomatoes, peppers, eggplants as they ripen.
• Harvest zucchini and other summer squashes at any size, the small ones often taste sweeter.
• Cut off cucumbers every few days, again you can harvest them small. They can become seedy and bitter if left too long on the vine.
• Pick lettuce and other salad greens regularly as well. Cut the outer leaves first, leaving the center to produce more leaves. Lettuce and be cut right back and another set of leaves will grow. Enjoy eating it all!!

Mature plants need less water at this time, however if you are planting new seeds or putting out young transplants they need watering every day sometimes twice a day if the weather is really hot.

Collect herbs or freezing and drying.
Herbs are often a great compliment to your veggie garden. If you are not growing any now, they are easy to grow and attract beneficial pests and insects to your garden. Herbs are great companion plants.

Make your compost pile.
Now that you are starting to harvest more, you will have more garden debris as well as more kitchen waste. Now is the time to start a compost pile.

• Gather compostable kitchen waste (referred as green material) which are vegetable scraps, egg shells and green garden debris.
• Place green matter into your compost bin or in an area designated for your compost pile. Then add in a layer of brown material such as hay, wood ashes, wood chips, dried leaves or dried lawn clippings. The green matter and brown matter can be mixed together.
• Each time you put in green matter to your compost pile the same amount of brown material should also be added.
• Sprinkle some soil on top. Soil adds micro organisms to the compost helping to speed up the composition. It also helps to keep it free of pests and insects.
• Add a little water regularly especially in the hot weather. Do not let it get too moist however. Learn more about compost basics.
  

What to grow now
How to grow common veggies

I am offering online coaching for the beginner gardening wanting their questions answered by a real person. I offer coaching sessions on Skype or by Telephone.

Catherine's bio

Why is Soil so Important is a great new book giving simple and easy instructions on making and keeping your garden soil healthy.

Other vegetable gardening books written by Catherine Abbott, Your Vegetable Gardening Helper.

• Vegetable Garden Plans for Square foot Gardens
  
• Vegetable Garden Plans for your Rasised Beds
  
• Vegetable Garden Plans for Row Gardening
  
• The Everything Grow Your Own Vegetables Book
  
• The Everything Root Cellaring Book
  

Get everyone growing a few of their own veggies. Forward this FREE ezine to a friend.

Happy gardening!